@BBEye.
Bear in mind I'm using the term 'strong male characters' in the screen prescence sense, not the sociological sense. I should have been clearer, sorry.
Freddie, Siavash and Marcus were three distinct, colourful characters who were omnipresent on the highlight shows.
In comparison, John James, Steve and Nathan are absoloute bores.
John James is too nice a naive tourist, Steve has already melted into the sofa and will in all likelyhood stay there for the next three months, and Nathan is like Bez without the amphetamines.