Bull season 2: The perfect imperfection of Michael Weatherly’s Jason Bull
From the very beginning of the series, it was established that Bull was a hero to his clients, with the majority of whom being good people in need of his expertise. He would use his own analytical skills, coupled with those of the TAC team around him, in order to figure out the right arguments to make to get the desired verdict. He helps people that are often without options or taking on corporate giants who could otherwise crush them. It’s a little simplistic to refer to him as a legal Robin Hood (he’s not averse to helping larger clients if need be), but Bull does have some of those tendencies.
Where Bull does go above and beyond with his clients is the work he does beyond the case itself — in addition to showing some level of care for them, he often does use his resources in order to find the real responsible party for a given case. He may not be a detective by trade, but helping to find solutions is where a little bit of his inner Tony DiNozzo comes out.
Bull’s hero status extends in some ways into the TAC proper, given that he can be everything from a father figure to a mentor to his employees. He fosters what can be at times a tough working environment, but also one that is productive and rewarding. His employees enjoy working for him, hence the devastation Cable had when she temporarily lost that job.
Was firing Cable at the time a flaw? Given her mistakes it’s understandable to side with Bull there, just as you also can side with him for his decision to bring him back. The gray area here is part why the character is great: You can debate the effectiveness of his decisions, both in the courtroom and out.
Then, there are also some of the flaws that keep Bull from being an idealistic figure. This grounds him and makes him, in some ways, all the more likable. It’s hard to attach yourself as a viewer to someone with a perfect job and home life. In the case of Bull, his personal life is a mess — mostly because there isn’t one. You appreciate the success of his job, but also realize that his life is his job. There is no middle ground there and he pours almost everything that he has into making it a success. Someday, you want to see Bull happy outside of that but in the process of doing that, he may have to compromise something on the work end. This push and pull makes him something more than just a two-dimensional hero on paper. He’s someone tangible and someone who can be better understood by many.
Related – Be sure to get some additional details on the next new episode!
At the forefront of everything with Bull, of course, is Michael Weatherly, who routinely delivers the right mix of charm, nuance, and emotion with this character. He keeps him transfixed on the job and detached from almost everything else. He’s the perfect leading man for this character, simply because he understands both what it means to be a hero on a network TV show but also the importance of imperfectness along the way.
What do you enjoy the most about watching Michael Weatherly’s Jason Bull? Share right now in the comments!
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