Yes. He seems more fair minded and reasonable now that the facts have come out. Also he seems genuinely fond and concerned about Chuck, and had nothing against Jimmy (maybe even had a sneaking admiration for him) until he pulled the stunt with Mesa Verde.

Hamlin's compassion toward Chuck does make him more sympathetic, though I expect that for some that won't make him likable, weighing it with his treatment of Kim regarding Mesa Verde. It does make the character more nuanced, in any case.

I find Howard a strange character in this - can't help but watch him thinking that he accidentally "dropped into" the show from LA Law

@The Midi-chlorian Count said:

I find Howard a strange character in the this - can't help but watch him thinking that he accidentally "dropped into" the show from LA Law

Good one! Howard is a douche bag. He only tolerates Chuck because it is in the best interest of the firm. Howard's Dad was probably smart but knocked up a stripper and got Howard.

@TrentTX said:

@The Midi-chlorian Count said:

I find Howard a strange character in the this - can't help but watch him thinking that he accidentally "dropped into" the show from LA Law

Good one! Howard is a douche bag. He only tolerates Chuck because it is in the best interest of the firm. Howard's Dad was probably smart but knocked up a stripper and got Howard.

this.

Howard isn't that bad at all. It's clear he genuinely cares about Chuck and considers him a friend. He also wanted to give Jimmy a chance as a lawyer at HHM, but Chuck wouldn't allow it. Let's also not forget that it was Hamlin who got Jimmy that swanky job (that he sabotaged by being... well, Jimmy) at Davis & Main. He also paid to put Kim through law school. Howard's a little bit of a douche bag... true, but he isn't a bad guy.

Chuck on the other hand, is human garbage.

Since I dislike him and Chuck, I'm glad they are feuding now. Still don't like the arrogant way he spoke to Jimmy in the last episode.

The writers seem very confused about who Howard really is. He came across as a prick in the early part of the show because he was acting as Chuck's front and doing his dirty work for him. When the truth came out, he seemed a much nicer fellow. He behaved badly toward Kim, sending her to the cornfield, then was magnanimous when she left HHM. But at the same time, he also got together with Chuck to try to steal Kim's client.

This season, it felt very wrong to me that Howard immediately believed Chuck's tale that Jimmy had conspired against him in the Mesa Verde thing. Howard knows about the friction between Jimmy and Chuck--he was forcibly dropped into the middle of it for a very long time. He knows Chuck isn't in his right mind. He knew the circumstances under which Jimmy's "confession" occurred--he, in fact, had called Jimmy in a panic because of Chuck's behavior and after Jimmy talked to Chuck, the first thing he did was call Howard and say he'd averted the disaster (while being evasive as to how). I think just about any intelligent person in Howard's shoes would, at that point, just assume Jimmy had made up a story to placate Chuck. Instead, Howard buys into Chuck's narrative immediately and without question, and doesn't even seem to question it when Chuck is trying to take Jimmy's law license, though Chuck all but told him (and may have directly told him) that was the goal.

Two weeks ago, Howard behaved very badly--angrily--toward Kim because Chuck's mental health issues had been brought to light and it was causing problems with HHM's clients. I suppose one could sort of analyze this as stemming from a combination of loyalty to Chuck and, as he said, a feeling of being betrayed by Kim, but it makes him look like not just a major jerk but a major dumbass too. When Chuck was going after Jimmy--trying to ruin Jimmy--Howard was right there behind him the whole way, never tried to talk Chuck out of it or suggest he should maybe just let the matter go. What did he think was going to happen if it went forward? Obviously, Chuck's mental health issues were going to come out. All of the ensuing problems were a foregone conclusion.

@jriddle73 said: I think just about any intelligent person in Howard's shoes would, at that point, just assume Jimmy had made up a story to placate Chuck. Instead, Howard buys into Chuck's narrative immediately and without question, and doesn't even seem to question it when Chuck is trying to take Jimmy's law license, though Chuck all but told him (and may have directly told him) that was the goal.

I bet you're a psychic in the real world, since you seem to be able to predict what people "would" do in any situation. Right, JRiddle?