Mike Seaver is a main character in Growing Pains.
Biography
Mike Seaver is the teenage, oldest son of the family. Mike tends to get into his share of troubles, his grades are not the best, and his favourite thing is chasing girls. But despite all this, his love for his family (as well as his friends), is genuine and honest, and he does all that he can to be there for them.
Season 1
Mike is somewhat of a slacker with his schoolwork. At 15 he is more interested in girls and having fun. His best friends are Eddie Zeff and Richard "Boner" Stabone, who are just as fun-loving but irresponsible and underachieving as he is.
Season 2
Most of Mike's personality traits from Season 1 carry over to Season 2.
In the episode "Thank God It's Friday," Mike is proven to have a strong moral compass when, while at a party with Eddie and Boner, he rejects an offer to try cocaine and leaves the party. Mike is distraught over the situation and is sure he's lost his two best friends, but Jason reassures him he did the right thing. In the end, Jason reveals that Eddie and Boner called the house concerned about Mike, and reveal (in code language) that they also left and rejected the offer to try drugs, which immediately lifts Mike's spirits.
Season 3
Early in the season, during a family vacation to Hawaii, Mike falls for a pretty tour guide named Mella, and the two have a brief romance. Several months later, still smitten, he learns that Mella is coming to California for a convention and actually travels cross country to reunite with her, but the attempt fails.
Meanwhile, Mike's poor study habits begin to seriously impact him being on track to graduate on time, as depicted in the episode "Nasty Habits." Mike eventually does graduate from school, in the season finale "Graduation Day."
Also during his senior year, Mike -- in order to get closer to a girl he likes -- auditions for a leading role in the school production of "Our Town," and realizes he has genuine talent that, if he works at it, can make him a star.
Shortly before the events of "Graduation Day," Mike learns that one of his teachers, Coach Graham Lubbock, has lost his job due to budget cutbacks, and upon learning he has a large family to support and that his wife is pregnant, he rallies the community to have Coach Lubbock reinstated. In the end, Mike's efforts get Lubbock a job at a private Catholic school in California.
Season 4
Mike becomes a big brother for the third time when Maggie gives birth to his sister, Christine Ellen "Chrissy." Mike quickly grows to love and adore his little sister.
Meanwhile, Mike moves out of the house, renting a small room above the garage, and begins attending Alf Landon Junior College. He also begins dating Julie Costello, whom had been hired as Chrissy's nanny, and mourns the departure of Boner when he enlists in the Marine Corps.
Late in the season, when Carol begins dating Sandy, Mike, along with Ben, make sometimes very cruel jokes about him. However, when Sandy is seriously injured in a car accident (after driving drunk) and later dies from his injuries, Mike is there to break the news and help comfort Carol in her time of deep grief.
Season 5
Mike breaks off his romance with Julie shortly before they are to be married. Not long after, he meets Kate MacDonald, a fellow student at Alf Landon who is enrolled in the same class; shortly after, they begin dating.
Season 6
Season 7
Mike takes a job as a substitute teacher at Dewey High School and begins mentoring a homeless boy named Luke Brower. Meanwhile, Mike and Kate's relationship becomes serious and in the series' finale, the two become engaged to be married.
Trivia
- He had 5 years of piano lessons
- In the episode Graduation Day we see 3 younger versions of Mike. Little Mike was played by Victor DiMattia, Toddler Mike was played by Kanin Guntzelman and baby Mike was played by Hunter Cope and Adam Teitlebaum.
- In the episode All the World's a Stage we see an older version of Mike. Older Mike was played by Kirk Cameron's real-life father Robert Cameron.
Gallery
