Home and Away fans lash out over new kidnapping storyline: 'Dragged on for too long'

Can't the writers come up with something a little more original?

Lifestyle Team
·3-min read
Bronte and Dana on Home and Away
This week on Home and Away, Dana is kidnapped by Bronte. Photo: Seven

Home and Away is known for having some rather wild storylines, with the show often resorting to shock car accidents and mysterious cults to spice things up. Of course, if things start to get too dull in Summer Bay, writers whip out their go-to dilemma – having a resident be kidnapped by a dangerous person.

This week, Dana Matheson (Ally Harris) finds herself held captive in a shipping container by Bronte Langford (Stefanie Caccamo), a con artist trying to make some money from kind-hearted souls in the bay. In particular, she’s charmed Irene Roberts (Lynne McGranger) into believing she has an autoimmune disorder and needs treatment that costs $100,000.

Her friend Felicity Newman (Jacqui Purvis), sister Harper Matheson (Jessica Redmayne) and boyfriend Xander Delaney (Luke Van Os) are concerned by her absence, so the group sets out to track her down.

According to TV WEEK, Dana will manage to make a daring escape from where she’s being held captive, but it’s unclear what her captors could do if they catch her in the bush.

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“Dana is pretty determined to get out of there – for her own survival, but also, there’s no way she’s letting Bronte win,” actress Ally told the publication.

There’s been a few kidnapping storylines recently, with Eden Fowler (Stephanie Panozzo) and Remi Carter (Adam Rowland) being taken hostage as part of the 2023 Season Finale. Before that, Felicity and Tane Parata (Ethan Browne) were kidnapped by Tane’s admirer Anne, who set a deadly chemical attack upon a crowd of unsuspecting guests at Salt.

Dana in a yellow hoodie on Home and Away
Dana finds herself in a dangerous situation. Photo: Seven

Then, there was the time Leah Patterson (Ada Nicodemou) and Justin Morgan (James Stewart) were held hostage by a cult. Plus, Marilyn Chambers’ (Emily Symons) daughter Heather kidnapped Marilyn, Alf Stewart (Ray Meagher), Roo Stewart (Georgie Parker), Leah and Irene in her quest for revenge.

Home and Away viewers are getting sick of the sheer volume of kidnap stories, with many venting on a Facebook fan group about the new Dana storyline.

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“Not another kidnap story. OMG. I hope it’s a very short kidnap. Home and Away is a joke lately. The same stories [always] redone,” one person complained.

“How many kidnap stories can they do?” another asked.

“One or two kidnaps a week now… at least one murder every couple of months… plenty of assaults, must be a terrible place to live. You wouldn’t be game to leave the house,” a third wrote.

Dana and Bronte on Home and Away
This is the second time Dana has been kidnapped since moving to Summer Bay. Photo: Seven

“They are repeating the storylines. How many kidnappings has there been? They need to think up different storylines and bring back the caravan park and high school kids, like it used to be.”

Others were excited to see Bronte’s story finally reach an end.

“Can’t wait to see Bronte go down, hope she has to face the people she ripped off. Poor Dana is going to deserve some loving after this,” one person said.

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“Bronte and her partner in crime need to be caught. Everyone will feel like idiots when they find out Bronte was scamming them,” another said.

“It’s dragged on for too long. I want it over and Dana vindicated now!” a third added.

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