Mr Blake

We see this quite a lot with popular TV characters. Writers try too hard to write the traits why we find the character popular in the first place and they become a caricatures of themselves.

We see this quite a lot in soaps (normally with "villains" and they become too far fetched) and long term characters. 

The catalyst for me starting this discussion though is I watched a later Christmas episode of The Royle Family last night and the characters had just gone too far from the original.

Jim Royle originally was a loveable lazy penny pinching dad - by the later episodes he was quite cruel/ nasty with his penny pinching ways, maliciously bumming money, not buying a present for his wife on Christmas Day etc. He was also a total slob. I felt this was a caricature of the origional character.

Also Dave & Denise - originally they were both a bit dopey & slightly idle - near the end they were complete thicko's (putting the turkey in the bath with them) and they had no regard for their children - palming them off on anyone/ letting them fend for themselves - which if real you'd contact social services.

Any other characters you can think of who became a caricature/ far fetched?

After a conversation with a colleague about being at the end of another decade it made me realise that the millennium was coming up to 20 years ago. Made me feel old. 

Susan Boyle appeared on My Kind of People, pre BGT fame.

Nicky Henson of Fawlty Towers/ Eastenders fame aged 74

Did Triple Threats get called Triangle matches at one point? 

What's the deal with Matt Harry's return? Losing streak to new gimmick? 

Without sounding all Michael Cole he had vintage Hardy Boyz attire on.