Yahoo News EastEnders Slammed For Blatantly Ripping Off 'Taken' In Bizarre Storyline
We’re not going to lie, EastEnders have had their fair share of far-fetched storylines in its time, but last night’s may have been a step too far for the BBC soap’s dedicated viewers.
In fact, fans took to social media to blast ‘Enders scriptwriters for “blatantly ripping off” hit Liam Neeson film 'Taken’ as Ben and Jay Mitchell were kidnapped from their home.
The action-packed episode kicked off with Grant’s daughter Courtney calling her dad from Louise Mitchell’s bedroom and Grant calmly telling her to stay on the line so that he could hear what happens as he advised the girls to hide under the bed.
The kidnappers then burst into the room as Grant listened in on his daughter’s heavy breathing in scenes that were all-too-familiar for some viewers:
Tuned into Eastenders for the first time in years they’ve literally brought Grant back and reenact the movie taken! pic.twitter.com/i3LnEvhqJ0
— Football Hub (@RealFootballHub) September 5, 2016
When Eastenders run out of material and have to start stealing scenes from taken pic.twitter.com/OOg8G4pNCH
— Demi Coleing (@demicoleing) September 5, 2016
Erm pretty sure that scene in Eastenders was a pure rip off of Taken?! #EastEnders
— Claire Stevens (@clairestevens86) September 5, 2016
Eastenders seeming like the film Taken with Grant telling Courtney to get under the bed and leaving the phone on #Eastenders
— Emma Cottingham (@emmarosina) September 5, 2016
Eastenders casually taking the scene from Taken there
— James Walker (@JamesWalkerrrr) September 5, 2016
Are they really copying a taken scene on #EastEnders ?
— Sophi (@usernamesophie) September 5, 2016
It’s not yet known whether Grant has a very particular set of skills…
Things went from bad to worse for the soap, with viewers then being left in utter disbelief as Ben and Jay’s kidnappers, and the men who brutally murdered Paul Coker in a homophobic attack back in July, were revealed and, erm, they didn’t exactly look like the most intimidating of gangs:
Those young lads in #eastenders appear to have been kidnapped by a gang of Topman models.
— Simon Binns (@simonbinns) September 5, 2016
Not sure if those blokes were supposed to look scary but they were the least threatening bunch of guys ever #EastEnders
— TokyoDrift83 (@Imperfectsilenc) September 5, 2016
Those 4 blokes who’ve taken Ben look like the 4 softest lads you’ve ever seen. #EastEnders
— Joe Andrews (@Joe_Andrews) September 5, 2016
The gang that have kidnapped Ben and Jay are like the inbetweeners #EastEnders
— Demi Harte(@MissLoubs1) September 5, 2016
Every shot of the gang is crying out for a laugh track #EastEnders
— Mark Aldridge (@MarkTalksTelly) September 5, 2016
Even I could beat up this gang. C'Mon Ben; you’ve done time and Jay’s a drug dealer. Teach these muppets a lesson #eastenders
— Daniel Alexis (@DanAlexisPR) September 5, 2016
That 'gang’ in Eastenders look like an X Factor boyband reject.
— terriwoods (@terriwoodschels) September 5, 2016
Regardless, viewers were still hooked on the action and we can’t wait to see what happens next.
