Thing is, I love the books but they are using him as a bit less of a loner in the series looking forward to Season 3, recurring characters are not really part of the books but I guess they feel it necessary to allow viewers to engage.
If you are looking to win every week why don't you go support one of the ugly sisters...........
Edited to add I'm a relative newcomer to this just since 1971.
It was ever the case that following gaining power the impetus, once the initial policy programme has been dealt with, changes to maintaining power over ideology, and that is all parties.
To be fair it isn't really the fans that need to turn up although I haven't been to a game at home against either of the ugly sisters this century for the reasons quoted above.