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| “ | Facts about Malcolm. Drinks like a fish, likes his own voice, has many friends, all terrible.
―Joe Goldberg about Malcolm.
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” |
Malcolm Arthur Harding is a character in the fourth season of the television series YOU. He was a literature professor and dated Kate Galvin. He is portayed by Stephen Hagan.
Biography[]
According to Kate's description, Malcolm was a fun but self-centered partier who is friends with Joe Goldberg.[3] Born to privilege, Malcolm is a literature professor who enjoys all the social perks of the job without working very hard. A drug-loving bon vivant, Malcolm’s friendliness can tip over into bullying if you resist. He’s dating brilliant, successful Kate, which speaks to his own intelligence and maturity. But he’s also seeing a few others on the side, which cancels out those bonus points.
Malcolm was very extroverted, having little to no problem starting up a conversation with someone as introverted as Joe. He always has something to say without the need of someone speaking at all. Malcolm doesn’t like formalities, as he corrects Joe as soon as he heard him call Malcolm “Professor Harding”. This could’ve meant that he considered Joe as someone as close to a friend, besides the fact that Joe has demonstrated very clearly that he doesn’t like him.
Malcolm sported a very misogynistic behavior towards women and feminism, openly saying his opinion and thoughts about the movement to Joe while he was on drugs, however, we don't get to see in clarity how he behaves or treats women around in this aspect. Besides this, Malcolm wasn't homophobic, contrary to popular belief. Adam, that Malcolm once called “my dear friend”, is openly pansexual and apparently he had no homophobic behavior towards him.
Appearances[]
Season 4 (1/10)[]
Trivia[]
- He likes corgis and soup.
Relationships[]
Joe Goldberg[]
According to Joe, he first met Malcolm when he ran out of his job interview at 2 PM, where he implies that Malcolm was possibly drunk at the moment. Joe later then thanks him for recommending him a new place, to which Malcolm's response was that he was chuffed to hear that he was taking care of the flat.
It's implied that Malcolm seems to be one of the firsts professors to meet and engage with Joe at his new job, as he invites him to hang out after work or simply talk together on their break. But besides his efforts, Joe has no interest to hang out with him, often time making up excuses to avoid Malcolm, or even staying quiet and not participating in the conversation. This, however, doesn't put an end to Malcolm's attempts, as he doesn't seem to acknowledge he's not wanted, besides the obvious cues. Apart from what Joe might think of Malcolm as a whole, Malcolm seems to care about him and his well-being, as we can see when he takes Joe to his flat after spending the whole night at the pub in Joe Takes a Holiday, taking care of Joe's barely conscious body, laying him on the couch and covering him with Adam's coat.
Phoebe Borehall-Blaxworth[]
Phoebe is the only one from the main group that seems to like Malcolm as a friend, or at least, not being so open to her dislike for him.
When Phoebe is seen outside the pub in Joe Takes a Holiday, both Malcolm and Kate await for her to come to them. As soon as Phoebe sees both of them waiting for her, Malcolm smiles back to her and tilts his head, almost like he feels pleased to see her. She, however, said a few words to Kate and Joe, barely acknowledging Malcolm. They didn't interacted enough to notice the closeness they had prior to this episode. Although, whenever Malcolm is being bullied by his friend group, she doesn't join them, this could mean that she doesn't openly agree to them. At some point during the party, she joins Malcolm and Joe on the couch and decides to sit on Malcolm’s lap playfully to give Joe more absinthe, in response he lets her and grabs her by the waist. He says, "Oh, no, no, no. Don't. You'll annihilate him." to which, she giggles.
In the episode Portrait of the Artist, as Joe says to Phoebe how grateful he is to Malcolm for insisting him to come the other night at the pub, Phoebe scoffs and says "Well, Malcolm..." this could be a sign that she didn't quite like him, besides how she behaved around him. Joe takes notice on the tone she uses with curiosity, and asks what does she mean by that, to which she responds, "Kate likes him. Good enough." It's clear that Phoebe was only forced to like him, since Malcolm was one of her best friend's partner, and couldn't possibly do anything about it. She continues to confine Joe that "Malcolm's a bit controversial."
In the episode Eat the Rich, Joe turns on the news presentation about the recent events of Malcolm's death at his funeral, where Phoebe is seen grieving for him to the public and reporters. She remarks for the people watching the news, "If you're watching this, help me find the remains of my friend Malcolm." and proceeds to tell small details and facts about him, saying that, "He liked corgis and soup." She continues to cry, and pleads to the audience that if they find any bits that belong to Malcolm, she promises that they'll be heavily rewarded.
Quotes[]
- "Rouse young minds and etcetera. Perks of the job, rumor has it. I wouldn't possibly know."
- "No hand shandies over my girl, do you hear? Any of my girls."
- "You see, my family is practically royal. Royal adjacent, anyway."
- "You saved Kate's life. I am repaying you."
- "What? I'm a fan, darling."
- "I'll be right back with those treats."
- "So, what's making John-Boy so miserable, hm?"
- "That. That, the burden of our decade. Women beliving women, like they don't lie and cheat and fuck. They do it more than us."