Alex Spencer

I also think that the issue with Greg is that he now occupies a different place in Rebecca's life. When he was first in it he was up against Josh who, as viewers, we knew Rebecca shouldn't be with, so Greg became the natural alternative. Now that Greg is up against Nathaniel...

It's more confusing, and as he's been off-screen for so long, we've seen none of his growth (and because, essentially, Nathaniel replaced Greg in the show so Nathaniel occupies that space and has occupied it for longer than Greg ever did) Greg has become... Josh???

Josh in the sense of how his relationship corresponds to Rebecca. She was told by Paula etc. she was 'meant' to be with Greg. Like she was 'meant' to be with Josh. Nobody wants her to be with Nathaniel.

Basically what I'm saying is, I think the show assumes we're rooting for Greg/Rebecca and is showing us how those expectations play out?

I hadn't really thought of it that way, but that all makes perfect sense. (And is an excellent chunk of TV criticism to wake up to of a Sunday.)

I also think that maybe even original Greg wouldn't work in the show anymore. When the show started the romantic expectations of that type of character (Jim from The Office, etc) were expected, whereas now men reckoning with toxic masculinity is maybe more compelling?

Basically, I'm finding it hard to see that the show isn't wanting us to root for Nathaniel because of a) how long he's been Rebecca's primary love interest, b) how much screentime/character growth he's had, and c) how much that character has to say about contemporary masculinity.

Tbf (and I guess this is to your point about Nathaniel now filling the Greg role) Greg as a character was all about toxic masculinity as well, right? The punch a wall stuff. But obviously that's now gone from him – and as you say, we didn't get to see that process.