In the UK, this bleak, depressing and humourless crud takes up the prime 7.30 slot on BBC1 4 times a week, when something else far more edifying and entertaining could be put on in its place. The characters are either dysfunctional, bad tempered, scheming and unfaithful or retarded simpletons. The plots are pretty much all about feuds, infidelity and dirty tricks. I wouldn't invite any of these characters into my home so why do so many people like having them in theirs? Programmes like this set a bad example to kids who think that aggressive, snarling behaviour is normal. I don't write this programme off as harmless nonsense as I think it has an insidiously harmful effect on viewers.
