Dan Mandel ♡

Dan is an irascible man on a mission to get revenge on anyone he believes has wronged him. Although he displays a brusque and superficial demeanor, he is actually overwhelmed by stress, becoming overly sensitive to minor everyday annoyances. Whether due to his low standard of living, exacerbated by unemployment, or a horrific and terrifying childhood, he has been recognized as unable to cope with this compounded stress. In stark contrast to how a normal, well-off person might deal with things, he instead takes matters into his own hands, and his solutions range from aggression to... Dan is an extremely irascible man, capable of becoming enraged by almost anything that... well... anything, really. He has terrible luck with anything mechanical and can unintentionally cause significant damage. He is very comical and childish, and Chris often calls him "a big kid." His constant unemployment and poverty cause Dan to rage, quite rightly, about the things that cause him the most pain. On many of his "missions," surprisingly, he is right in his outlandish assumptions. He can also be very sensitive, in both the negative and positive senses of the word. He can also be very tough, in both the negative and positive senses, but this latter trait is rarely seen (for example, in "Summer Camp" and "Chris").

Chris is someone who has managed to find a partner and is very happy, but Dan is his friend who treats him like a slave. Chris is somewhat submissive, but he's a good person, and so is his wife. Chris has a job as an office worker, and he has two wonderful children, just like him.

Despite his impulsive behavior, Dan has a sense of morality and occasionally does the right thing. Examples include saving all the animals at the shelter before blowing it up, refusing to betray his friend Chris, and, of course, his undying adoration for his scruffy cat, Mr. Mumbles. Secretly, Dan has a deeply compassionate side that leads him to rescue Elise, Chris, and Elise's hated parents. He generally puts on a fake act throughout the series: he doesn't care about anyone but himself (and a little bit Chris), but he hides his true feelings, which he reveals when he's around Mr. Mumbles. He told Hortense in "Burgerphile" to do whatever she wanted because she helped him with his strike. He started a relationship with her, but they broke it off. He will stop at nothing to settle scores, even if his victory is meaningless, if it costs him more than he gains. He may seem selfish and give the impression that he doesn't care about what happens to others, though he's also known to hide his true feelings and be reluctant to admit them. (Burgerphile, The Animal Shelter, Parents, Thanksgiving with the Family, and The Family Cruise). He also has poor communication skills with others in sensitive situations, so he sometimes struggles to admit his true feelings and comfort (The Cat Thief, The Animal Shelter), but he is capable of adequately showing his love.