I do appreciate that on at least some of these shows, different body types are now being shown and that there isn't just one "fat friend" character, but the leads are still expected to be these ultra-thin women (and sometimes men). I think it's kind of a chicken and egg thing - the viewing public wants these women who are 30 but have the bodies of 18 year olds, in part because they've been fed that as normal and the vicious cycle continues. It's also wrapped up in our cultural obsession with youth. I don't know what the answer is either, except to keep talking about it.