It depends on the source. For the most part, I am happy with the prime fiction characters.
Even Jamyl. In fact, I really like Jamyl, and most of her appearances have been fine. I understand that her appearance in the novel was shit, but then basically every character's portrayal in the novel was shit. Being mentally damaged, even being faithless, does not make Jamyl a bad character, or a bad empress, as long as she is written well. Characters do not have to be ideal, perfect representations of their faction, and would be quite boring if they were. Hell, I even like Karsoth, because stuff that goes -against- the ideal provides flavor. I don't expect, nor want, my faction to be perfect.
What matters to me is how a character is written, more than who that character is. Iffy character concepts can be amazing if handled by good writers, while great character concepts can be butchered when handled by bad ones.
With the removal of Tony G, I don't really have any issue with the way things are going right now. Perhaps the only exception to this is Heth's recent stuff, which feels like CCP scrambling to try and appease Caldari complainers and proceeding to failscade the character to get him removed asap.
What would I like to happen? I want to see internal destabilization. TEA era united the factions with their subordinate elements in attempt to build up a 2-coalition-4-faction system. I think we've gone with that for long enough, and it's time to let the internal divides rear their heads. Caldari have already had this in the form of the removal-of-Heth arc. Minmatar seem to be building up to it a bit with Midular II. Gallente also built up to it a bit with the Black Eagles (with player failures actually helping to solidify the BE's power, which is awesome!). And Amarr have what is looking to be a second Moral Reform that's been slowly building for the last 5 years. I'd stress that these shouldn't be explosive and sudden changes in the way that TEA was, instead I'd like to see gradual but steady fracturing.