These opinions were expressed about Joe Tate and Dawn Fletcher, who had been involved in an affair storyline in recent months.
However, some viewers have grown particularly tired of Joe’s involvement in the ITV soap.
Taking to the r/Emmerdale Reddit page, one fan captioned a post: “Beyond done with Joe AND Dawn … can they please just go to Dubai as well and like, never come back??”
They added: “Soaps need their villains, I completely understand that. And I love a great villain character and arc. But this “person” – I don’t think I’ve detested a character more. And if that is the goal … BRAVO Emmerdale!
“Frankly he (and Dawn) just make me want to turn off the screen when they are on. I used to just fast forward, but there are storylines that involve other characters now, so I just suffer through LOL.
“Honestly, he didn’t annoy me this much during his first stint (thank goodness there was Graham); but he is an absolutely horrendous, morally bankrupt, irredeemable, soulless creature.”
Emmerdale fans criticise “joke character” of Joe Tate
Plenty of Emmerdale fans seemed to agree with the original post, sharing their thoughts in the comments.
One said: “Joe and Dawn together ruins both of their characters for me. Dawn’s main positive trait was that she really cared about her kids and now that’s been shattered. Her picking him over her children makes her so unlikeable.
“Likewise Joe playing happy families also makes him look irredeemably awful because he obviously has no real care for those kids at all. It’s so inauthentic and I can’t wait for it to be over.”
Another shared: “Also they don’t have a single spark of attraction or chemistry from day one, definitely doesn’t help.
“Joe has been a joke character since he came back.”
One viewer seemed to think Joe’s storylines were intended for another character, as they explained: “I honestly think that this story was meant for Jamie (without Dawn arc) but they did not get the actor to come back.
“That’s why it feels little off joe’s character compared what he was. I see Jamie here alot! He was always a whiny little brat!”
Another was frustrated by the degradation of Dawn’s character, as they wrote: “Didn’t Dawn have a “job”? She used to do something for Home Farm and then she was at Take a Vow (Joe conning an investment/take over).
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“All she seems to do now is drink tea and look concerned.”
Not everyone felt the same, as one viewer defended the need for characters like Joe in the soap.
They said: “I like Joe. I think he’s a fun, soapy villain and I’m glad the show doesn’t try too hard to make him sympathetic like they do with other characters who have done horrible things and gotten away with it.
“You need characters like Joe to drive the plot.”
