Easily one of the best elements of Harry Potter was the mentor-mentee relationship between Harry and Dumbledore. Part of its strength was in its complexity. Dumbledore cared for Harry, so much so that sometimes he held Harry back and withheld details when needed. Despite their closeness, Harry discovered just how much he did not know about Dumbledore after the headmaster’s death. Keeping that in mind, I decided to take a look at some of the more interesting mentor-mentee relationships on TV.
Harvey and Mike, Suits –
One might even argue that Donna is the mentor to both Harvey and Mike in that she always knows everything and always knows the right thing to do. But what she lacks is the ability to properly train or protect either of them. Harvey does just that for Mike. He trains him as a lawyer, protects him from legal and personal troubles, and can always be counted on. But their relationship becomes complicated by the fact that Harvey trains Mike to be just as good as he is, which leads the two to clash when Mike tries to make it on his own. This past season showed us what it was like when these two go head to head. Luckily, they seem to have resolved their issues for now and I much prefer it this way. I like seeing how much trouble these two can get into (and out of) on their own.
Voight and Lindsay, Chicago PD –
Overall, I am not a huge fan of Voight. Even though his backstory gives an excuse as to why he had to “act” corrupt, it seems to be less an act and more reality. However, the one thing you can truly count on is his loyalty to his people. If one of his team gets in trouble, he will do everything in his power to protect them. This case is never more true than Detective Lindsay, who he essentially took in as a teenager when her drunk mother could not properly care for her. It is clear that Vought has changed her life. What makes their relationship so interesting is that because of how he helped her and because of her loyalty to him, she is often willing to overlook his more questionable actions. Are there limits to her trust and loyalty? I look forward to seeing their relationship tested.
Arya and the Hound, Game of Thrones –
The Hound was on Arya’s kill list since season one when he murdered the butcher’s boy for no real reason. It was impossible to imagine them as anything but enemies, but Game of Thrones has a talent for surprising us. Ultimately it was clear that there was no love lost between them. (SPOILER) Arya ultimately abandons him to die when he is injured. But it is impossible to say that he did not protect her (even if it was out of a desire to make money) and that he did not teach her. It was a strange relationship brought out by necessity but fascinating in the way you never quite knew where they stood relative to each other.
Coulson and Skye, Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD –
Over the course of Season One, Coulson became a father-figure for Skye, who grew up family-less due to some crazy circumstances that we don’t yet have all the details for. It’s more than the fact that he brings her into his family, advises her, teaches her, and comforts her. They have unique, shared experiences–being infused by alien’s blood to save their lives. Skye is the only one who realizes something is really wrong with Coulson (May doesn’t count since he confides in her) and she pushes to find out the truth. The duo are at their best when they aren’t keeping secrets and instead work together. I look forward to them dealing with her real father, who seems to care for Skye (or whatever her real name is) in his own, weird way.
Rayna and Juliette, Nashville –
This is a recent development on Nashville, a show that for so long has been characterized by the rivalry between young star Juliette and longtime veteran to the music industry Rayna. The change is welcome. Rayna signing Juliette was something of a surprise and it certainly wasn’t smooth sailing from there. But Juliette recently finds herself in need and can think of no one but Rayna to turn to. And of course, Rayna rises to the occasion because she is a nurturer (to her kids, to other artists, even to her enemies). I would have liked to see more of Rayna and Juliette’s conversation, but I am looking forward to where this relationship goes in the future.
Regina and Emma, Once Upon A Time –
By rights, Emma and Snow should be the central mentor-mentee relationship of the show. But let’s be honest. Snow is kind of the worst. And having the baby has only made her more irritating. Regina, meanwhile, is significantly more interesting and complex. They go back and forth between enemies and allies. This week they had a bit of a breakthrough (Regina admitted to not necessarily wanting to kill her and Emma admitted she considered Regina a friend). They are always more successful when working together. If we have to go through the motions of Emma learning how to use her magic, I prefer we do this by watching Regina teach (and snap at) her.
What’s your favorite mentor-mentee relationship?
Any particularly bad mentors out there?
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