I admire the Patrician in much the same way I admire Humphrey Appleby from 'Yes Minister' - so ruthlessly efficient. And while he doesn't exactly behave in a manner which would be admired in liberal democracies, he is interested not in advancing his own power or fortune, but in making the city work. His conversations with Leonard, and his shameless manipulation of Vimes are both wonderful. And he did wear the lilac.

Diana - well, I love her dash, her boldness, her clear-eyed determination to make her way in a more-or-less hostile world on her terms as far as possible, and her sheer style. A little like Becky Sharp, only without the spiteful streak, and more honest.

Jackie. Erm... I liked her Love and Monsters, much as I disliked that episode, particularly once we'd got away from her in seductive mode (Rusty can be a bit misogynistic, at times, can't he? At least where older and no longer pretty women are concerned). Maternal, tigerish Jackie was oddly heartwarming.

Mickey: well, in a way 'naught in life became him like the leaving of it', but there's still worse things that could be said about him. I started to warm to him when he suddenly realised 'I'm the tin dog!' (I felt Rose was treating him a bit badly before - she should have just broken off the relationship - but it didn't make me like him), and positively cheered when he went off to the mirror universe. Not because I hated him and wanted him gone, but because he'd finally taken a positive decision to do something meaningful with his life, to grow up. Unlike certain other characters we could mention...