Good TV would be nothing without its villains. There's those you're secretly rooting for, aka Killing Eve's Villanelle, and the ones you know will get their comeuppance (looking at you Game of Thrones' Ramsay Bolton.) And then, there are those you just straight up hate. The most evil of baddies have no redeeming qualities, no funny little quirks to balance them out, or a tragic backstory that makes you understand their motives. They make the whole show infuriating to watch and yet somehow, you can't tear your eyes away from them. We may only be a week into 2025, but we've already found our biggest villain of the year - Playing Nice's Miles.
At first, Miles (played excellently by James McArdle) is only mildly irritating. He and his wife Lucy (Jessica Brown Findlay) are one half of two couples who discover their two-year-old sons have been swapped at birth in the hospital. The series is mainly told through the lens of Pete (James Norton) and his partner Maddie (Niamh Algar) who are distraught and confused to learn their beloved son Theo is not biologically theirs.
Just as they're getting to grips with this revelation, Miles turns up out of the blue, revealing he's the "other father" and encouraging the couples, and crucially their boys, to come together and meet. They somehow make an arrangement that they will keep the children they've raised, but will have a role in their biological children's lives. Yeah, we don't have time to get into how crazy that is.
Miles then becomes obsessed with being part of Pete, Maddie and Theo's lives. He takes Pete surfing, who confides in him about the family's difficulties, buys Theo a new bike and invites the whole family to Norfolk within days of knowing them. Where are the boundaries, Miles?
And while yes, this is a little intense, for this he could be forgiven. He just wants to be part of his biological child's life - no one can hate on him for this. But when Pete and Maddie reject his invite to Norfolk with a white lie, Miles' behaviour flips, taking him from a father handling an unprecedented situation, to a full on psychopath intent on destroying the other couples' lives.
Contains spoilers for the ending of Playing Nice
Miles files for custody of both boys, and begins a downward spiral of Pete and Maddie losing control. During various hearings, we come to discover all the "bond building" Miles was trying to do was actually so he could learn the family's secrets and use them as ammunition later on. From Pete accidentally giving Theo CBD gummies, to Maddie's post-natal depression, nothing is off the table for Miles, and he is ruthless in his determination to claim Theo.
Except it doesn't feel like his desire is so much about getting Theo back because he loves him, but because he loves 'winning.' It's infuriating how he's always one step ahead of Pete and Maddie, and as a viewer, it's frustrating to watch the two of them fall victim to his traps. At one point Pete goes in for questioning over an alleged kidnap and then Miles shares Pete's diary with the press for the world to see.
Throughout the series Miles is conniving, superior (his smug grin is the worst) and honestly, without redemption. Even when we learn his brother died in a house fire when he was younger (an event that would usually elicit sympathy), it's likely but not 100 per cent confirmed that Miles was responsible.
It's basically impossible to watch him without screwing up your fists and wanting to scream at the TV.
But worst of all is his treatment of women. Throughout the series Miles is dismissive, possessive and controlling of his wife Lucy. A woman who was once a successful artist is now seen as a shell of her former self, confining herself to the glass house prison on the cliff. We also see him physically threaten Maddie and encourage his lawyer to use her experience of post-natal depression against her in the trial to gain both boys.
While Playing Nice hasn't been heavily praised - The Guardian gave it one star and The Independent called it "generic porridge" - viewers are united in their hatred for Miles. One person on X said of the show: "So glad it ended the way it did because I’ve never felt such hatred for a certain character before!" while another said: "Miles is a red flag" and another commented: "Don’t think I’ve hated anymore more than Miles in #PlayingNice."
It's true, though, that the series would be nothing without his villainous ways. Babies being swapped at birth is a tough topic to cover and the show is not without its faults, but praise has to go to casting directors for giving us a character we can all join together and express our mutual hatred for, before eventually relishing in his (literal) downfall.
Playing Nice is available on ITVX now
