>>212201290
Mike was there from the very beginning; he was The Cart Boy and he was the boom mic operator that got shot at the end of the first black and white film.
The problem with the character isn't the overexposure; its the the dramatic change and shift from a quieter, more contemplative oddball guy that lived in the park inside of a shed and took care of all the cats to a the raspier voiced obnoxious cartoon he became later on. One of the first appearances of Bubbles has him quoting Plato and explaining 'The Noble Lie' to Julian and how it can be applied to Ricky and Lucy's chaotic relationship. I don't think there's a scene in the remainder of the series that displays that sort of character depth ever again. He was a soft-spoken guy in the park with a bit of an edge to him, but that was it.
After Clattenburg left, Mike took on more control of the writing of the series, which is where you get the more crass humour revolving around saying variations of words with "cocks" and "dicks" and how Bubbles is always right and the smart one. That's where I feel the downturn and the souring on the character comes from.