[Robodog]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

For me I see the likes of Perez, Farrah, Speidi almost like cartoon characters, it's all like a show or a performance specifically designed to get themselves airtime, sometimes I like the show they put on (Speidi and perez) and sometimes I don't (farrah) but ultimately I see them all as in a similar category, if you know what I mean?

Conor and Helen I see as similar HMs also, I see them as nasty and bullies but also real so they'll have other sides to their personalities that some people will like enough to over look or make excuses for the not so nice side which I get as well but for me the nasty side of Helen far out weighed the nicer side

I think Perez and Speidi were definitely cartoon villains 'on purpose' if you like. I don't think Farrah is like that. She has genuine appetite to cause real upset, and she shows genuine glee when she causes it. There was nothing cartoon about her trying to unsettle Bobby mentioning his affair for example. She feeds on the hurt she causes and has no moment of reflection or remorse.

Conor too, refused all Deana's attempts at bridge building and had no mind to apologise or repent or even recognise his wrongness.

Helen was definitely horrible calling Jale 'slugsworth' etc. That was her total low moment for me, but she has reflected and regretted it since in a way the others never did/do. Her row with Matthew was just a stupid blow-up with no real poison, just all flames - plus he gave as good as he got, so fair enough.

Similarly when Brian blew up at Helen, she gave as good as she got (just like Matt did with her). But at least she held out on exploding at Brian on his first two 'attacks' and she only let rip on his third verbal/physical initimidation of her. Helen did nothing wrong in the last series other than to retaliate against Brian's 'attacks', but she still kept being labelled a 'bully' even when she hadn't 'bullied' anyone. Maybe people hadn't got over her treatment of Jale last year and wanted to keep punishing her for that, even though she'd atoned and moved on from it.

For me, Helen's bad sides are the occasional moment of exploding but apart from that, she is a fully rounded human, never afraid to apologise or admit when she is wrong. She can laugh at herself, and when the chips are down she is a caring person that is sympathetic and supportive of others. She is also open minded, funny and game for a laugh. She'd be a good mate in real life i reckon, unlike Conor and Farrah who are totally shut off from others and living in their own egos. Helen often laughs at herself and puts herself down which says a lot about her broad-minded better nature, especially when compared to Farrah/Conor who take themselves 100% seriously with no regrets on their behaviour.