Much as I dislike Michael--just as the producers want--as reality TV fare, this show would be nothing without him. If he hadn't been in it, the show might have achieved a slower, more realistic representation of the way nerves fray and tempers flare under stress,* but, hey, that's not where the big bucks are.
So, what about that guy Michael? What a jerk, eh? A chip on his shoulder so big it's no wonder he's almost collapsing under its weight. I've met people who think, like he pretends to, that nothing useful comes from education, but I'm fairly certain not one of them would rather, because of a bruised ego, let people be injured rather than try to help them out.
I did love that after having mistakenly and hysterically claiming the gasifier was going to blow everyone up real good, Michael then says he knows exactly why it didn't work (no mention of his false prediction) but isn't going to tell those overeducated know-it-alls because they suck and are mean to him and book larning never did no one no good no how.
*On second thought, in a real apocalypse, probably everyone would be even more of an asshole than Michael.
