In May 2008, after Michael Dawson had been written off of Lost for the second time, Harold Perrineau opened up about his frustrations with the show’s handling of his character. Speaking to TV Guide’s Shawna Malcom, the actor underscored how badly he thought the show had served the relationship between Michael and Walt. Perrineau argued that the show’s treatment of the character perpetuated a pernicious stereotype about absentee Black fathers.
“I wanted Michael and Walt to have a happy ending. I was hoping Michael would get it together and actually want to be a father to his kid and try to figure out a way to get back [home],” Perrineau told Malcom. “This is [the producers’] story. If I were writing it, I would write it differently.”
