If characters stay around long enough, they might find themselves shifting from one archetype to another - as EastEnders' Pauline Fowler proves, having once been the feisty mother of a young family and who now finds herself as a grandmother and troublesome oldie in one. The archetype was created by Coronation Street's Violet Carson, whose character Ena Sharples defined the word 'battleaxe'. For all his/her faults this character is still loved for his/her generally good intentions. Troublesome oldie: An older, grumpy, meddling, interfering character, always with his/her nose in everyone else's business. She is usually argumentative and miserable. įeisty young female: A strong-willed girl, almost always young, who desires independence.Too many to mention - every single British soap has had at least one set on the go at any one time. Young couple: A couple that bravely face the difficulties of life, through their own, serious relationship problems. Examples include Jed Stone on Coronation Street and Alfie Moon on EastEnders, both of whom have served time in prison, and both of whom used comic timing to win audiences' hearts. This character may become softened over time, and this often leads to him becoming the comic relief of the soap. Jack-the-lad: A male character that manipulates others to his own ends. Usually it will be exposed by a new love interest whose sudden and inevitable departure in the future will only serve to make the woman even tougher than before. Often, this hard, aggressive woman will be revealed to have a soft side that she keeps hidden. She can usually be found at the centre of conflicts. The strong woman: An independent, powerful, aggressive woman. See EastEnders' Pat Wicks/Butcher/Evans, whose many marriages have left her with connections to almost everyone in Albert Square. Sometimes the character will not be related to any others, but will still serve this function. He/she has lots of contact with many of the other characters. This character helps others with their problems with advice and support. The grandparent figure: A wise old person, usually female. There are certain types of characters that can be seen to be common among many soaps: Never-do-well: Billy Mitchell embracing his baby Promiscuous female: Stacey Slater seducing her boyfriend's dad, Max BranningĬheery landlady: Peggy Mitchell behind the bar of the Queen Vic Pub