The Villain Problem Plaguing British Soap Operas
In the world of musical theatre, as Ariana Grande recently reminded us, nobody mourns the wicked. Yet in the parallel universe of British soap operas, the opposite proves true. As a scriptwriter with more than ten years' experience working across the nation's most popular continuing dramas, I can confirm that everyone mourns the wicked – provided the production team executes their roles effectively.
Remembering Iconic Soap Villains
Who doesn't fondly recall the terrifying era when Coronation Street's Richard Hillman, portrayed by Brian Capron, drove the Platt family into the canal? Who didn't experience a twinge of disappointment when EastEnders' Archie Mitchell, played by Larry Lamb, met his demise via a bust of Queen Victoria to the skull? And who hasn't secretly wished that Emmerdale's murderous Meena Jutla, brought to life by Paige Sandhu, might escape prison to eliminate a few more villagers?
Naturally, creating compelling antagonists proves challenging. Consider EastEnders' Gavin Sullivan, teased as making Archie Mitchell resemble "a teddy bear," only to be arrested and killed off-screen following a disappointing debut. Similarly, Hollyoaks' Jez Blake never quite matched the iconic villainy of his twin brother Patrick, despite embarking on a chaotic killing spree.
The Coronation Street Villain Surplus
Coronation Street currently suffers from villain overload. Their rogue's gallery includes manipulative Megan Walsh, coercive narcissist Theo Silverton, secret killer Maggie Driscoll, and cheating gaslighter Carl Webster. No sooner had they incarcerated bunny-boiling police officer Becky Swain than Jodie Ramsay arrived to plot revenge against her sister Shona Platt.
The show contains more schemers than a round table on The Traitors, and viewers have expressed their dissatisfaction. On social media platforms, fans lament the absence of ordinary characters without hidden agendas or troubled pasts. While endless footage of people being pleasant to one another might sound appealing in theory, that format already exists – it's called The Great British Bake Off.
Emmerdale's Opposite Dilemma
Emmerdale faces the contrasting problem of eliminating all their brilliant villains simultaneously. The chillingly realistic people traffickers Celia Daniels and Ray Walters have departed, alongside murderer John Sugden and his prison associate Kev Townsend. The remaining antagonists – Cain Dingle, Kim Tate, Joe Tate, and Graham Foster – while compelling, prove too likeable to generate genuine menace.
Every successful soap opera requires regular characters who occasionally stray into darkness without crossing into irredeemable evil. Murdering the occasional victim might be forgivable, but participating in modern slavery represents a line that cannot be uncrossed.
EastEnders' Shades of Grey
EastEnders excels at navigating the boundary between bad and evil. Currently, their antagonists exist in nuanced shades of grey. Whether it's Max Branning sabotaging his family, Ravi Gulati descending into madness through vengeance, or Ian Beale undermining business rival Elaine Peacock, these characters aren't traditional villains. They're complex individuals committing questionable acts for believable motivations.
This approach creates realistic drama but lacks the gleeful wickedness that captivates audiences. Even Jasmine Fisher's patricide felt too conflicted to truly enjoy, particularly with her mother Zoe Slater accepting blame. Albert Square has historically hosted unequivocal wrongdoers who delivered memorable moments, from deranged preacher Lucas Johnson to sleazy criminal Derek Branning and original antagonist Dirty Den Watts.
The Writing Reality Behind Soap Villains
Having worked as a scriptwriter across British soaps for over a decade, I can reveal why morally dubious characters proliferate across Walford, Weatherfield, and Emmerdale: they're straightforward to write. Whenever a character struggled onscreen, writers frequently proposed the same solution during story conferences – make them evil.
Antagonists enjoy more narrative freedom because villainy proves easier to portray dramatically. This approach creates clear story arcs: the villain wreaks havoc, faces consequences, and delivers final revelations before departing. We crave this simplicity because real life rarely offers such neat resolutions.
Invisible Antagonists and Future Directions
Sometimes the most effective villains remain unseen. The Emmerdale storyline I most anticipate involves Cain Dingle's prostate cancer battle, where the formidable character confronts an enemy he cannot physically defeat. Similarly, Debbie Webster's vascular dementia struggle promises more compelling drama than another iteration of her brother Carl's mistreatment.
We cannot have heroes without villains. Our affection for characters like Yasmeen Khan emerged from her resistance against controlling bully Geoff Metcalfe. Our willingness to forgive Robert Sugden's atrocities stemmed from his psychopathic brother John representing greater evil. Villains provide the essential seasoning that makes our daily soap consumption so satisfying.
Are there excessive villains in soap operas? The issue isn't quantity but timing and balance. Perhaps softening occasional antagonists might help, as I hope occurs with Coronation Street's Jodie Ramsay, whose resentment toward her sister Shona creates complexity rather than two-dimensional evil. Following her disruptive presence in the Platt household, perhaps she might reform – though as Elphaba reminds us, no good deed goes unpunished.
