[Redway]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

She's written with a misunderstanding of what the "up" phases of bipolar actually look like, her lows (depressions) are fairly accurate from what I've seen.

Her manic phases were written very accurately during her earlier appearances. When we saw her in 2005 she was fundamentally in a mixed state (I think she was transitioning from mania to depression and that transition was depicted perfectly on-screen) and she’s had flashes of hypomania since (in her general temperament and when she’s having an episode) that have been fairly well-done. I think what’s more glaring to me is the fact that her portrayal of bipolar overall (both the manic and depressive side) seem to be more accurate the further back you go with her (she had her moments during Santer’s era but it was most accurate during her initial appearances, when she was a much more somber/dark character).

I’m not saying that 2005 Jean would work full-time (since it obviously wasn’t intended to be her normal state) but I feel like those earlier episodes of hers should serve as a yardstick for when they do want to tap into her illness. It would be a lot more realistic that way than her token childish comedy routine that we’ve been accustomed to since she moved into the Square (that was the point at which the grit really started to slip from her character barring a few good moments).