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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Michael Hogan

From Emily in Friends to Che Diaz: the TV characters so bad that they ruined shows

Sara Ramirez as Che Diaz and Cynthia Nixon as Miranda in And Just Like That, standing alone in a kitchen facing one another.
A match made in hell … Sara Ramirez as Che Diaz and Cynthia Nixon as Miranda in And Just Like That. Photograph: © 2023 WarnerMedia Direct, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Sometimes, all it takes to change your relationship to a TV show is one character. Viewers are all enjoying the One Day-meets-High Fidelity vibes of BBC Two’s nostalgic romance Mix Tape. However, none of them can stand the cassette-crossed lovers’ spouses. Yes, for every role that becomes a firm viewer favourite, another is reviled by the show’s fanbase. Lena Dunham’s latest creation, Too Much, seems to be entirely populated by unappealing characters.

Meanwhile, Peppa Pig devotees are in a porcine pickle over the imminent onscreen arrival of a new little sister, baby piglet Evie. Cartoon swine devotees fear this gimmicky addition will upset the delicate balance of the four-way family unit that has been beloved by preschoolers for 21 years. If the oinking blockbuster ain’t broke, why fix it?

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