Mackenzie Boyd’s (Lawrence Robb) pseudo murder has been one of Emmerdale’s biggest talking points, with the aftermath of said ruse changing everything for him.
Although Mack uncovered John Sugden’s (Oliver Farnworth) killer secret and ended up at the mercy of not one, but two weapons, all was not as it seemed, and Mack was soon confirmed as alive, but still in peril.
Trapped in John’s creepy, underground war bunker, Mack’s fate looked bleak once more after John threw himself and husband Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller) over a gorge.
Now Aaron has woken from his coma and raised the alarm, and with John heading back to his woodland lair, the race is on to rescue Mack before it’s too late.
As harrowing as it has been to watch, this arc has been a masterstroke from Emmerdale. The choice not to kill Mack was a welcome, triumphant one, with his compelling fight for survival giving us a whole new perspective on the Scottish charmer and a decent storyline at last.
After a distasteful cheating plot gave way to a secret baby, a car crash, a kidnapping and finally a stabbing for Mack, he fell almost completely into the background.
Aside from a particularly powerful showdown with John earlier this year, when he blocked the latter from seeing Aaron, barely any time had been spent building up Mack’s reputation – until now.
By the time Mack fell foul of John, he had objected to wife Charity Dingle’s (Emma Atkins) decision to be a surrogate and she’d had a fling with Ross Barton (Michael Parr).
Despite this inevitable bombshell lurking around the corner for him, the idea that Mack could die just as he returned to the spotlight seemed very on-brand for soap land, in the same year that EastEnders’ Martin Fowler (James Bye) was taken away from us after months of renewed focus.
Thankfully, instead of giving Mack an untimely death, Emmerdale finally gave him his chance to shine. And, ironically, teasing whether or not he’ll live to tell this tale has re-energised him in my eyes.
From Mack’s attempt to empathise with John, to the reveal of Aaron and Robert’s fling and his gripping escape attempt that saw him thwarted by the threat of an axe, Lawrence has taken us to the edge of our seats.
I’m now fully on board the Team Mack train, and judging by the outpouring of love for him, so are a great number of Emmerdale fans.
Were you fooled by the Mack death ploy?
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Yes – I thought he was a goner!
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No – I called it right!
The fact that I could tear myself away from the everlasting will they, won’t they love story of ‘Robron’ in favour of willing Mack on? That says it all.
I’ve always loved Mack’s wisecracking presence, but now, demonstrated by Lawrence’s impressive acting range, those qualities have been perfectly intertwined into this story.
We’ve seen Mack terrified, taunting, angry, quick-witted, emotional, determined and brave, not only trying to hold onto his own life but equally desperate to help Aaron as John’s chilling plans for him emerged.
And we’re about to witness Mack’s lowest ebb as he injects himself with the syringe left by John, leading to a hallucination of Charity.
While I’m rooting for him all the way, whatever Mack’s fate, he’ll have been cemented as an iconic character through this story, and a part of the show’s fabric in his own right.
Other than the flawless return of John’s half-brother Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley), Mack’s scenes with his captor have proven the most engaging of the entire ‘medic with a hero complex’ saga, shifting the narrative from plot-prioritised chaos into a real character-driven journey.
Putting any villager through extensive turmoil is always guaranteed to prove their worth, and in this case, Emmerdale has expertly showcased why Mack is far too good to lose.
Alongside his sass, charisma and protective instincts, the most beloved soap personas have grit, and now we know that on top of all that, Mack has the latter in spades.
He hasn’t always painted himself in the best light, but neither have many other male locals who have since earned redemption and fan-favourite status – and Mack has most definitely reached that stage by now.
So, if he makes it out of this alive, there should be scope to delve into how Mack overcomes this trauma, and how he can flourish outside of his relationship with Charity. Separating them, even against their will, has provided Mack’s best material to date.
I’d also love to see a fun friendship develop with Robert, and Mack’s popular bromance with Aaron could be leaned into as they support each other through recovery and John’s downfall.
For now, though, Mackenzie’s rise to prominence after five years on Emmerdale should be celebrated, and here’s hoping that we’ll get to see much more of the talented Lawrence’s skillset beyond this captivating plot.
The epic twists and turns of ‘bunker-gate’ have been the making of Mack, and I’ve never been more glad that reports of a character’s death were greatly exaggerated.
Long live Mack!
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