Harry Potter TV Show: 13 Changes To The Originals They Should Make
5. Add More Depth To The Dursleys
Uncle Vernon and Aunt Peturnia are easily two of the worst characters in both the books and the films - not just in terms of likability, but in terms of writing as well.
Both were unnuanced, OTT villains with very little in the way of depth, and although the books sometimes hinted at a more sympathetic side to Aunt Petunia, none of this ever went anywhere. It seems likely that these characters were inspired by the exaggeratedly evil adults in Roald Dahl's books, and while borrowing from that great author isn't a bad idea, such characters felt less suited to a series that otherwise had so much complexity and depth.
Similarly, despite excellent performances from Fiona Shaw and the late Richard Griffiths, the Dursleys were two-dimensional characters, and scenes in the Deathly Hallows Part 1 which showed both Aunt Petunia and Dudley in a more sympathetic light were cut.
The TV show would do itself a colossal favour by adding more depth to Aunt Petunia at the very least, and by making them more subtle and believable villains like most of the franchise's other antagonists.
Oh, and one more thing HBO Max: if you cut Dudley's redemption like the films, we riot.