EastEnders fans have continued to express their disappointment over the axing of Zoe Slater, with many calling it 'a waste'. The character, played by Michelle Ryan, was written out of the soap after a much-hyped return that failed to live up to expectations.
Fans react to Zoe's exit
Following the news of Zoe's departure, Metro readers took to the Facebook page to share their thoughts. One commenter, Steve Weaver, remarked, 'It just didn't work, did it?' which seemed to reflect the general sentiment among readers.
The return of Zoe, who was originally part of the iconic Slater family in the early 2000s, was announced with great fanfare. Fans remembered her famous line 'you ain't my muvvah' and had high hopes for her comeback. However, the storyline took a strange turn, focusing on events that happened off-screen, such as the birth of two children, a fling with Max Branning, and a potential murder.
Storyline missteps
Many fans felt that the writing let Zoe down. Jo NT commented on the odd inclusion of a cat named Mini Mo, saying, 'I forgot about the cat; that was very odd! She just wandered around saying 'I want my kids' for a few weeks, found a cat, got the kids, went to jail and then pulled a pint or two. The whole thing made me think 'eh?'.
Melissa Clayton offered a more detailed critique, stating, 'The whole Antony Saga was a mistake and putting her with Max at the start, they just didn't have the right chemistry. Also the long drawn out 'searching in secret' for Zoe from her mum... I think it would've been more dramatic if Zoe had just turned up in a state out of the blue to her mum saying she needed help.'
She also questioned the involvement of Chrissie Watts in the plot that revealed Jasmine Fisher as Zoe's missing daughter, saying, 'How Jasmin was introduced and exposed just wasn't the best and could have been written so much better if Chrissy hadn't even been a factor in it. It turned it into an unbelievable shambles rather than showing the raw heart of a child reuniting with their mum and working through that.'
Missed opportunities
Fans also noted that Zoe's interactions with her children were limited, and the character became an afterthought once her children were introduced. Crystal Tips commented, 'That's a real shame. I think she's a good actress who didn't have good story lines. I really hope they don't kill her off. The chemistry between her and the actor who plays Tommy [Moon] is great.'
Deborah Jane added, 'Many people didn't watch it that long ago, and the storylines were not recent enough to have the same effect.' This suggests that Zoe's 20-year absence may have been too long for some viewers, particularly younger audiences who had no memory of her original stint.
Overall, the prevailing opinion is that Zoe's return was a letdown, with many fans calling for the return of Mini Mo. As Sharon Daly put it, 'Bring back the kitty cat!'
