No more mister bad guy

Are on-screen villains really evil? Or were they just in the way or doing their jobs? If we're rethinking heroes, let's re-examine the bad guys too

- Karishma Kuenzang

Growing up isn't all it's cracked up to be - ask any grown-up. This isn't even about bills to pay, or body parts that start creaking overnight. Perhaps the hardest part of adulthood is watching our heroes fall. But flip the idea on its head and there's a new side of growing up to explore. Turns out, most characters we thought of as villains aren't nearly as bad as we'd imagined.

Go back. Way back. Think about Baroness Schraeder, all set to marry Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music (1965). We hate her, right? Why? Her only fault is that she's in the way of him and a yodelling former nun. Now race forward to The Office (2005-2013). Hello, Karen Filippelli. We hate her too, right? But only because she's in a relationship with Jim, who's still pining for Pam.

Watch the show again to realise she's done nothing to deserve our hate.