Mm

I think there's a pretty big difference between going a little overboard with having bad things happen to set up conflict, and the author merely abusing the "villains" and lavishing affection on the "heroes" simply for being designated thus, though. The first is just a natural extension of the need for conflict going a bit out of control; the second is outright ignoring one of the key points in writing a story, that you need to show your characters being what you intend them to be, not just decide that that's what they are and jump straight into the reacting for or against that. While I have differed from your take on things a few different times, I'd say you've always been solidly in the first camp.