EastEnders has always been known for its wild twists, intense family drama, and the occasional death fake-out — and this week, the soap delivered all three in explosive fashion. But not all fans are convinced, with many calling Zack Hudson’s apparent resurrection after a car crash and presumed drowning “ridiculous.”

It’s been a turbulent week for Zack, brother of Sharon Watts, who managed to wreck more than just a car — he blew up several relationships and family secrets along the way. The chaos started when Zack, caught in a swirl of emotional decisions, told Harry Mitchell the shocking truth that his brother Barney is actually his son — not Teddy Mitchell’s. This bombshell enraged Harry, who responded by bundling Zack into the boot of a car in classic EastEnders fashion.

Despite feeling betrayed by Zack (especially after finding out about his affair with Nicola Mitchell, Harry’s sister-in-law and Teddy’s wife), Teddy showed unexpected restraint. Instead of letting violence take over, he alerted the rest of the Mitchell clan, including Billy, Honey, and Nigel, and together they tracked down Harry and managed to convince him to release Zack and come home peacefully.

But just when it seemed like the worst was over, things took another dramatic turn. Teddy, attempting to have a heart-to-heart with Zack after the kidnapping ordeal, found himself caught in a terrifying accident. When Zack suddenly panicked and tried to flee, it caused Teddy to lose control of the car. The vehicle went careening off an embankment and plunged into a lake — and Zack disappeared beneath the surface.

By the following day’s episode (May 28), viewers were left reeling as Teddy emerged from the wreck, shaken and soaked, announcing that Zack hadn’t surfaced and was presumed drowned. It looked like Zack’s time in Walford had come to a tragic and watery end.

But in true soap opera style, EastEnders had one more twist up its sleeve. Just a day later, during the May 29 episode, the show reversed course in spectacular fashion: Zack walked through the door alive, drenched from head to toe, shocking everyone — and viewers most of all.

Zack explained that, fearing what Teddy and Harry might do to him, he managed to swim across the lake and escape on foot, returning to Walford like a soggy ghost from the dead. Fans were left doing double takes. In the space of 24 hours, Zack went from presumed drowned to dripping on the carpet, casually unlocking the door with his house key. Unsurprisingly, viewers flooded social media with both relief and disbelief.

While some fans celebrated Zack’s survival, others couldn’t help but poke holes in the logic. Tweets ranged from admiration to outright mockery. One user quipped, “So Zack escaped from a submerged vehicle, swam across a lake, and then hoofed it back to the East End? Sure, Jan.” Another wrote, “This whole plot is so ridiculous I can’t stop watching it.”

But Zack’s return wasn’t the only shocker. The emotional fallout from the paternity revelation continued to unravel. Teddy confirmed to Barney that Zack truly was his biological father — news the teen had already heard from Vicki Fowler during the chaos of the previous episode. Vicki, believing Zack was dead at the time, had let the truth slip in a moment of grief.

Meanwhile, over at Harry’s Barn, Nicola Mitchell added fuel to the already blazing fire. In a chilling moment, she confessed to Harry that she was responsible for the death of his pregnant girlfriend, Shireen Basharr — a cold revelation, especially since Shireen’s body had only recently been discovered after four long years. Nicola admitted she murdered Shireen upon discovering she knew the truth about Barney’s paternity.

This staggering confession left Harry reeling and further complicated the growing tension around the Mitchell family. As Barney tried to make sense of everything — learning the truth about his father, his mother’s crimes, and Zack’s bizarre return from the dead — he found himself more lost than ever.

When Zack tried to bond with Barney by exposing Nicola’s murderous past, it backfired. Instead of bringing them closer, it pushed Barney further away, overwhelmed by the chaos erupting around him. He ran from Zack in fear and confusion.

A heated fight between Teddy and Zack soon followed in Albert Square, watched by the rest of the family and half of Walford. Just when it seemed the Mitchells might implode completely, Barney made one last attempt to cling to normality. “I just want everything to go back to how it was,” he pleaded. In a moment of forced calm, the family sat down to play a board game, pretending – if only briefly – that everything was okay.

Of course, nothing is okay. The truth is out. The lies have been exposed. And Nicola’s chilling secret has opened up a new and dangerous front in this ever-expanding family feud.

The question now is: where does the Mitchell family go from here? Can Zack win back Barney’s trust? Will Nicola face justice for what she did to Shireen? And will the Square ever stop buzzing over Zack’s miraculous survival and that infamous car crash?

One thing is certain: EastEnders knows how to keep its fans talking — even if that talk includes disbelief, confusion, and a whole lot of meme-worthy moments.