| “ | Revenge is a dish best served immediately. | „ |
| ~ Dan. |
| “ | Chris! To the Dan-mobile! | „ |
| ~ Dan. |
| “ | I'm the Batboy. | „ |
| ~ Dan. |
| “ | I don’t care who the IRS sends, I am not paying taxes! | „ |
| ~ Dan’s most famous quote |
Daniel "Dan" Mandel is the titular main protagonist of the Hub Network original animated series, Dan Vs., a 2011 sitcom produced by STARZ Media company Film Roman.
Dan is a guy who seems angry and bitter, but deep down, he's just really sensitive. Dan can't get past the things that bug most people, but while they just deal with it passively, he plans revenge as he sees fit to equal the standards. Taking everything personally, he believes there are too many things out there messing up his already miserable life. Dan will stop at nothing to make sure he settles the score even if his win is pointless, even if it costs him more than he gets out of it. Dan can seem to be selfish, as he makes it seem that he doesn't really care what happens to others, yet this is only a way for others not to pry into his inner concerns and affections, willy-nilly. Despite his bad tendencies, Dan has a few moments of his nice qualities, as well. Dan loves his kitten, Mr. Mumbles, uncontrollably, Chris in a very over-attached concern, and the learning of mopping-up and reforming qualities that make him an unbearable "JERK". On the outside, Dan doesn't seem to mind being just as mean to himself as he is to everyone else, if not meaner on occasion.
A misunderstood misanthrope, Dan is the main protagonist tragic hero of the animated series, "Dan VS". Set in the city of Los Angeles, Dan goes through a miserable life, just to have his peace and dreams crushed every time he tries to put hope into anything. Dan vows to get revenge upon the things that have made his life a miserable hell.
The need to get even upon the saying "take, but don't give back" acts as a motivation towards many of Dan's get-the-score-straight revenge missions to change that saying towards "you key my car, I key yours, now we're even". In honesty, as they say, Dan "will stop at nothing to make sure he settles the score even if his win is pointless, even if it costs him more than he gets out of it" even if it means he has to nearly die at his expense (which he does a good amount in the series as shown in the episode "Dan Vs. The Boss") to get things straight like how they first should have been.
Dan was voiced by Curtis Armstrong. Armstrong was also know for voicing, Schmuely "Snot" Lonstein from American Dad.
Appearance[]
Dan is a light-skinned man with messy/shaggy black hair. He may even be going bald from all the anger and stress he has to deal with. When shown closely his eyes are green and he has a small goatee with little stubble. His outfit is very plain, consisting of a black tee-shirt with the word, "JERK" in bold print. He wears plain blue jeans and black shoes.
- Dan is a light-skinned man in need of "moisturizer" with messy/shaggy black hair and puggly, roughly kept posture/demenour.
- Thinning shaggy black hair with a patch of scruffy hair on top of his widows-peak.
- Sideburns and an after shaven beard.
- He may even be going bald from all the outside[enviornmental] or internal stimuli(self conflicts, past damaging experiences that still need to be counciled upon, a healthy way of dealing with bad childhood experiences, etc.) swelling up his anger and stress he has to deal with.
- When shown closely his eyes are green and he has a small goatee with little stubble.
- His outfit is very plain, consisting of a black tee-shirt with the word, "JERK" in bold print.
- He wears plain blue jeans and black shoes. With an untidy, self-spunk outfit.
Beginnings[]
Childhood[]
Shaken up by past experiences, and still presently shaken up, This acts as a second motivating force towards Dan's need for getting things even. Not always the first kid to do thigs by the rules (by his High School rules at least (ep.45 - Dan vs The High School Reunion)) or by legal standards, Dan does get he's enemies back, fairly, even if it is at a senior-prankster-kind-of-way. Never pertaining towards rules Dan is able to evade most villainous come-back, gradually VSing towards their level of potency. It was shown at the end of the 3rd season, Dan as being before a "play-by-the-rules kid", always getting muscled around and getting the short end of the stick, abnormally often. As all this push-around of the push-over escalated to highly abusive standards, (as seen in the Summer Camp episode by the camp instructor's hands), Dan wasn't able to contain any more of this much-tyrannical experience and had an act of revenge, at-war, rebellion-fall-out episode at the age of 5. [This being mostly thanks to the Camp Counselor].
Teen/Adolescent Years[]
Much when known about Dan, he was known to be a huge trouble-maker during his teen, adolescent, and high school years. Always the revolting on in his class, Dan goes towards the extent of laying out elaborate pranks and traps from many f his peeves in the educational system. Having an instant dislike towards the institution of school plans to be always the class clown and king prankster of his class. [Chris, on the other hand, was the nicely kept, polite, kid-school enthusiast in his grade]. Parking and hearing upon never doing so well in school.
A schoolyard bully before, in his high school years, Dan has many practices and experiences of being a total burden whenever he feels the need to vent his misfortunes and stressors [from and outside or internal source]. Fueled by his past horrid experience with a camp counselor, Dan's goody-goody-two-shoes streak been cut, Dan being understood as a mismanaged teen with an actual bad past and dark childhood. As stated through the Dan vs The High School Reunion Episode(ep.45), Dan has done some serious pranks:
- `` Dan's and Chris' friendship was advertently stemmed by the two: of Dan of the one dunking Chris in a toilet and Chris being the one dunked.
- `` Dan's plans and Riggs for scorpions to attack the reunion.
- `` Dan makes up a concoction out of the science club's lab supplies and an old paper-meshy volcano project.
- `` As the two aged it is seemed to be noticed and hinted that both Dan's and Chris's physics way/condition of tackling a situation has flipped: Ex: Chris pressing the rigged science fair volcano, with a straw of whatever was in the science club's lab, onto the crowd -- which eventually the crowd lost interest in -- and Dan being the star school kid in the spotlight in popularity throughout the school.
Personality[]
Dan, at times, is a very harsh and mean person who seems to not care much about anyone but himself, however, he tries to hide his affections by never giving into verbally acknowledging them to others, and instead of showing them in his "rare times" of affection. These times can be prominently seen when Dan realizes that he shares much in common with the object of his revenge plots, acknowledges the fault of a misdeed, or learns of a better alternative towards handling situations:
-- (ep.37- Dan Vs. Parents) Dan, once decided, to adopt a child under pretenses of winning a bet, ended up growing extremely fond of his temporarily adopted son, Dennis. Dan shows extreme compassion towards another human being, he grows to become overly attached or determined to stand-up and fight for the one that ends up stealing or find a place in his heart.
-- (ep.33- Dan Vs. The Dinosaur) Dan even coincides on the behalf of a tyrannical dinosaur that "just wants to watch TV" and be left alone, "in this futuristic world" ~ Dan (ep.33- Dan Vs. the Dinosaur) and shows mercy. This then forcing him to disobey orders and decided instead to save the dinosaur; realizing he shares a resemblance towards her.
-- (ep.18 - Dan Vs. Wild West Town) At other times, Dan can give in to his inner child and can become a very tenacious child-at-heart when he is given the opportunity to experience childhood in another light at his older age. Sometimes become over-filled with joy for an attraction, Dan can become "like a big kid" ~ Elise (ep. - Dan Vs. George Washington). Dan's flamboyant imagination leads him to act as if he's entertaining an audience at theatrical expensive. At times, Dan can take matters light-heartily when the mater is escalating quickly towards dangerous tension in situations.
-- (ep.12 - Dan Vs. George Washington) When discouraged, Dan can release himself to his inner-child when in doubt of a revenge plan working. Sometimes, referred to as a big kid, Dan can become annoyingly scattered and impatient on getting a revenge plan to work or become done. Elise even relates him to "like a big kid" ~ Elise when finally realizing the "fun" to Dan's revenge travels.
-- (ep. - Dan Vs. ) Whether displayed roughly, in troublemaking teen, macho-face way of display it roughly, Dan shows his affection as macho as he can, yet failing this consistently within the cracks of his balled up misadventures [given; known where to look].
--- (ep.17 - Dan Vs. The Fancy Restaurant) Dan is a born leader as seen in Dan Vs. The Fancy Restaurant where he and Elise start a french food revolution between the cooks and dungeon people to get then to overthrown an unfair chief leader.
--- (ep.12 - Dan Vs. George Washington) Chris has also stated that Dan has a terrible memory, "He's like an angry goldfish." (Goldfish can only remember the last 8 seconds.) and always seems to burn himself out.
--- According to Chris, he "has a very strange patchwork of knowledge, it's anyone's guess as to what he knows about any given topic." He then demonstrated this by asking Dan who carved Mt. Rushmore and where it is located. Dan knew who carved it but didn't know which state it was in. He has been shown to be very knowledgeable about many things yet quite ignorant of others.
--- He's also very persistent, - which, depending on the circumstances, can be either a help or a hindrance.
Mr. Mumbles[]
-- -- Much to Dan's enraged side, he has an anti-enraging secret weapon and calming figure to his angry tendencies. Mr. Mumbles is Dan's adopted and saved a scruffy kitten from The Animal Shelter (ep.5 - Dan Vs. The Animal Shelter). Just by her over-whelming, adorable cuteness, she can calm Dan down into normal levels of human functioning with her extreme love. In turn, Dan can never say no to this figure of absolute affection and kindness and always gives in to her tummy rubs. Dan is extremely loved and is soothed by his kitten, Mr. Mumbles even forgiving her for sending Chris off the roof or leaving him in his time of need (ep.19 - Dan Vs. The Family Camping Trip). He's a jerk as his shirt implies, yet an affectionate sap in the hands of his kitten.
Dan's Rare Soft Affection Moments[]
-- --
Even when he is a ragging JERK, Dan can give into his feelings of kindness, mercy, and love. dan has him has rare nice moments:
--- Such as releasing all the animals from the animal shelter before he blew it up
--- Or when he helped the librarian when he wanted a man to be "taken care of" in Dan Vs. New Mexico (although it is accidentally accomplished when the target is run over by a bus)
--- and the time when he told Hortense at Burgerphile to do what she wanted to do because she helped him with his strike. He even started a relationship with her, but they broke it off when she was promoted and had to move, even though she would only be moving thirty minutes away. He seemed saddened by this but recovered by the next episode.
--- He is very fond of his car, even though it is in terrible shape. In fact, many of his revenge schemes were caused because someone did something to his car, whether intentionally or not. He has said that he loves his car and if he has grandchildren he will sell it to them.
Heroic Deeds[]
Season 1[]
- The Wolf-Man - Defeated a blood-thirsty Wolf-Man by shooting him in the buttocks with an arrow tipped at the top with silver and a bow. {[STRIKE]} Stole the bows from an undead gravesite of undead tribe zombies rather than taking up Chris's offer on buying them at a sporting goods store. [BONUSE ++] He had the opportunity to kill the Wolf-Man, but instead decided not to.
- New Mexico - Defeated a group of cultists in the middle of their human-sacrifice ritual by blowing up all their hot air balloons.
- The Ninja - Saved Elise from getting killed by the ninja. [BONUS ++] Talked down the ninja from a life of crime. [BONUS +++] Found a meeting place on plans with lactose-free chocolate chip Ninja-Doodles cookies.
- The Dentist - Stopped Dr. Pullum from taking over the world. [BONUS ++] Saved Chris from falling rocks when Chris was knocked out from the. [BONUS +++] Proved that the Dentist devise plans of criminal activity.
- The Animal Shelter - Helped Chris get in the hospital by replacing Chris with another patient, . [BONUS ++] Though at first, not professionally waiting until Chris was better(or in walking condition), took Chris out for an outing in his sickly state, to spend some time together. [BONUS +++] Seemed to be very concerned about Chris's well being. [BONUS ++++] Saved/adopted Mr. Mumbles from the Animal Shelter. [BONUS +++++] Saved and released all the other animals from the animal shelter before blowing it up.
- The Fancy Restaurant - Saved the enslaved workers from Chef Puree. [BOUNS ++] Frees the rabbits and lobsters on the special menus meals. [BONUS +++] Has a sub shop he can go to.
- Elise's Parents - Saved Elise's parents from getting killed by the mafia {[STRIKE]} it's a tad pointless though since the whole thing was his fault, to begin with, as Dan tried to set Don up as a mafia father to get arrested by the police. [BONUS ++] Uncovered Louie as a crooked police officer under work by the mafia.
- Technology - Saved Elise from becoming a Berry Ditmer mind-controlled slave. [BONUS ++] Set fire to Hirum's house when trying to kill and eat both Chris and himself with plow hair. [BONUS +++] Saved Chris and Elise from getting neutralized by Barry Ditmer - a rich technology-savvy billionaire, Ilsa - a robotic drone, and Hirum - a cannibal by axing the building's Main Computer Controller sphere.
- The Beach - Saved Chris from garbage haulers on the trash boat. [BONUS ++] Tried to save/survive both of them from dying on a deserted island. [Half BONUS] Set a shark-free but with the intent for it to ea the children. {[STRIKE]} Pirateshipped/double-crossed the trash boat from the hippies.
- Burgerphile - Stopped the corrupt manager named Jeff from unacknowledging the employee's orders as wrong. [BONUS ++] Gave up his date with Hortense so she can carry on with her dream as assistant manager.
- The Magician - Stopped Magnifico from his so-called magic and 4-dimension of stealing things. [BONUS ++] Dan proved him to be a fraud stealing people's money and proving it with wit and intelligence.
- The Lemonade Stand Gang - Stopped a gang of thuggish delinquents known as the Lemonade Stand Gang from extorting and manipulating the neighborhood. [BONUS ++] Instead of giving in to his villainous urges, he sides with Chris to settle this matter with wit rather than grime. [BONUS +++] Learns from his mistake of taking the low road. [BONUS ++++] Gives up his car in the plan. [BONUS +++++] Learns that it's better taking wit, to settle a circumstance, than brawn.
Season 2[]
- The Gym - Defeated Chad and his henchmen of body-built gym androids. [*PLUS-ONE-POWER-UP*] Climbed down a building with cat-like flexibility. [BONUS ++] Saved Chris, Elise, Crunchy, others, and himself from becoming imprisoned by the android army. [BONUS] Robot-Dan brawl.
- The Dinosaur - Pursued a deadly public menace to meet fairly with payment of distrustfully wreaking his car. [BONUS ++] Showed empathy to a child about his lost dog. [BONUS +++] Rejected killing the Dinosaur went given the point-blank chance to kill it in a satisfying-way possible. [BONUS ++++] Sees a connection towards himself and the Dinosaur. Sees a resemblance in himself, and of himself. Shows mercy. Rejects killing it and decided to save it against orders. [BONUS +++++] Acknowledges a connection of a trait/personality/character/archetype towards others. [BONUS +++++UP] Sets the Dinosaur free and tells it to go to Argentina.
- The Neighbors - {[STRIKE]} Dan tries to infect the Neighbors' house with roaches. {[STRIKE]} Expects the worst before it happens and jumps towards conclusions before investigating it properly. [BONUS ++] Dan seemed to be genuinely attached and very kind towards the neighbors. [BONUS +++] Acknowledges a connection of a trait/personality/character/archetype towards others. Xx[KARMA]xX The cockroaches came in and infested the neighbors' house before Dan could become proper friends.
- Golf - Helped Elise get Chris back from golf. [BONUS ++] Gave up the pent-elite class to help Elise after it isn't all that good like how he dreamed it to be.
- Chris - Dan flashback to his old memories of him and Chris in their revenge travelers and spared/forgave Chris's life after defeating him in a state of Invisible-Super-Saiyan-Hulk-style frenzy.
- Wild West Town - Tried to get his refund back from a crooked amusement park. [BONUS ++] In his expeditions he uncovered a corrupt Sherrif. [BONUS +++] Helped a town rise up against the corrupt Sherrif and appointed the bank teller as the new Sherrif. [BONUS ++++] Let the town keep their money as Dan "got his money's worth".
Season 3[]
- The Boss - Double-crossed a demon boss. [BONUS ++] Gave up the opportunity of a lifetime to become the ultimate evil villain, become the ultimate filthy rich business elite, to flail out his anger(and issues) whenever wherever and unrestrained(and legally): for Chris and Dan concurrent pathetic life and lifestyle. [BONUS +++] Rescued Chris from the demon. [*PLUS-ONE-POWER-UP*] Figured out how to make holy water from the internet, made some, and dowsed the demon boss in it, and set it back to its firey pit from-whence-it-came. [BONUS ++++] Stopped The Boss. [BONUS +++++] Saved Chris from a self-destructing building.
- Jury Duty - Proved an innocent man on trial to actually be innocent. [BONUS ++] Uncovered a lazy lawyer. [BONUS +++] Proved in the last scenes of the video that he was abducted by aliens to the 4th-Wall-Audience, though no one saw the rest of the tape in the protagonist's universe. Xx[Karma]xX The trial was a tad short-lived since it turned out that Dan was the guilty one all along. Xx[Karma]xX Abducted by aliens, yet no one saw.
- The Superhero - {[STRIKE]} Became a supervillain, to stop a superhero {Could have done it a different way}. {[STRIKE]} Set a rubber-band ball onto city hall, carried out a Fireworks Factory heist, tried to gain radioactive Kageroo powers on grounds of trespassing a public zoo. {[STRIKE]} Became a supervillain again, Dr. JERK, to stop a superhero {Could have done it a different way}. [BONUS] Became a superhero, Danman, to end the battle with the superhero, Terrific-Guy, than to end it as a supervillain. Stopped Terrific-Guy from causing air-headed damage to society.
- The Family Cruise - Won the family cruise game with Chris, fairly, rather than chatting. [BONUS ++] Dan helped Chris, the loathed Elise, and Elise's hated parents, to escape from Carla's jail. [BONUS +++] Dan set aside his differences to work collectively and willingly in a group for a good cause. [BONUS ++++] Cared unconditionally for Mr. Mumbles's well-being and perpetual existence. [BONUS +++++] Joined together with the "family" on a repent, account, and readmittance of his past many wrong-doings, revenge missions, and anger. "I have way to many regrets, so many wrongs unavenged, the landlord refuses to replace the lightbulb in my refrigerator," Chris:" Really, Dan! Is that all you want to get off your chest?" Dan: "It's possible I've wasted my life on petty and ultimate meaningless quests for vengeance! There! Are you happy now!?" ~ Dan (ep.52 - Dan vs The Family Thanksgiving).
- Summer Camp - Decided to reject the forced influence of growing up into a thuggish Warrior-Wigg-Wamm, [yet sadly became unhinged by the camp director after the Spirit Stick plan failed]. Revolted in his vulnerable and helpless condition. [BONUS ++] Both Dan and Chris were intelligent in self-sustaining and self-survival in the wilderness. [BONUS +++] Fought the Warrior-Wigg-Wamm, for the Spirit Stick, with intelligence and strategic thinking rather than violence. [BONUS ++++] Came back to the other camp children to help save them from the camp director than make a run for it. -[Tragity]- Ended to becoming unhinged after the Spirit Stick plan, failed. [BONUS +++++] Saved the children, Chris, and himself from the evil camp director and the bullying Warrior-Wigg-Wamms.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- As shown in Dan Vs. Dan and Dan Vs. Burgerphile, Dan is EXTREMELY lactose-intolerant. Eating cheese or milk based products makes him roll around on the floor clenching his agonizing stomach in pain.
- In Dan Vs. The Ninja, Dan was show drinking, lactose free milk with his cookies.
- In Dan Vs. Baseball, Dan mentions he's been hit with tear gas so many times it doesn't affect him anymore.
- Mr. Mumbles is a female cat and Dan acknowledges this fact. He named her before he knew her gender, and didn't find out she was a girl until several episodes after he adopted her, but still calls her Mr. Mumbles anyway.
- In Dan Vs. Elise's Parents, Don reveals that Dan was Chris's best man in Chris and Elise's wedding by saying, "I remember his best man speech where he tells us that marriage is a big scam".
- It is shown that Dan does not like to be called angry, it's shown that in Dan Vs. Dan and Dan Vs. Technology, that whenever someone calls him angry, he starts yelling "Who's angry!?" and he puts his hands into a strangling motion.
- Chris is indeed stronger than Dan, but Dan can keep up with Chris through sheer determination and will.
- Has had a permanmently scarring childhood expierence (Dan vs Summer Camp)
- Was a major misfit and prankster in High School, to his surprise, loved by everyone in the Reunion.
- In Dan Vs. The Magician it's revealed he has his left little finger shatter.
- Its revealed in Dan Vs. The Catburgalur that Dan's mother dated a detective for a month named Uncle Raymond who taught Dan a thing or two about investigation.
- Goof: In Dan Vs., it is revealed that that Dan is 36 years old according to his driver's license being born in October 31st, 1975. Despite this, he is only 5ft., 6in. while Chris, who was born in 1985 is 6ft., 2in. at 26.
- This would also make no sense if he and Chris were friends since childhood.
- In Dan Vs. The Common Cold, Dan claims that he has never been sick before, claiming this his first time being sick in his entire life.
- However, Dan (possibly) doesn't remember being sick in bed with Chris after an avalanche incident that destroyed Canada (Dan Vs. Canada).
- Possibly, Dan's last name could be, "Mandel" (making him having the same name as the creator of Dan Vs.) if Chris' driver license says his last name is, "Pearson" (making him having the same name as the co-creator of Dan Vs.).
- Dan turns 36 in Dan Vs. The Wolf-Man.
- His voice actor, Curtis Armstrong, sounds exactly like Patton Oswalt, the voice of Remy from Disney/Pixar's Ratatouille.