As Joe Tate got his uncle Caleb stabbed in Emmerdale in order to steal his kidneys, fans have been left wondering if Caleb is dead. And they all agree on one thing: how ridiculous the storyline is.
Joe has been a man on a mission for the last few months. Recently, we discovered he desperately needed a new kidney. And after drugging Noah and finding out he wasn’t a match, he set his sights on Caleb.
Last night, his plan was set in motion. Caleb was brutally stabbed by someone Joe hired. But at the end of the episode, things had gone terribly wrong and he was flat-lining in a hospital bed.
Emmerdale Joe steals Caleb’s kidney
The whole storyline has been chaotic from the very start. Many have wondered why Joe didn’t just ask for a kidney, or go through the process that everyone else does.
Ned Porteous recently revealed that Joe didn’t do it that way because he values his own life above anybody else’s.
When Emmerdale announced that Joe Tate was coming back, everyone was excited. The show needed the bad boy back. But that’s not the direction his storyline took. Instead, they gave a long health mystery, which resulted in him literally getting his uncle stabbed so that he could steal his kidney (Completely normal!).
Fans have been scared that Will Ash may be stepping away from his role as Caleb. And all agree that it would be a really unfair way to end his story.
Recently, Kidney Research UK also hit out at Emmerdale for their “misleading narratives”.
Lucy Sreeves, executive director at Kidney Research UK, said: “For millions, kidney disease is not just a plot twist. We appreciate that soaps need drama, but reckless storylines send the wrong message, creating fear and confusion at a time when we desperately need more people to understand kidney disease and step forward as living donors.”
However, Emmerdale responded, explaining that they always work with charities and organisations. And confirmed that Joe Tate will get his “comeuppance”.
Fans hit out at ‘ridiculous’ storyline
But that’s not enough for fans, who believe the whole storyline may be the most “ridiculous” thing that has ever happened on the soap – and there has been a lot over the years.
Taking to X after last night’s episode, one viewer wrote: “Why can’t Joe just get a kidney transplant or ask his family to help. Why steal a kidney? This storyline makes no sense.”
Another commented: “There have been some ridiculous storylines over the years but Joe stealing a kidney is way way way above all of them combined.”
“I know someone with issues with their kidney. They have days where they can hardly get out of bed. Yet Joe seems capable of doing far more. This is so unrealistic.”
An enraged fan wrote: “This whole episode and storyline about Joe and Caleb is so messed up.”
While soaps never stray from taking a dark turn, Emmerdale has definitely ruffled a lot of feathers with this storyline. Now, we all are left wondering where does it go from here? Will Caleb find out the truth? Is Joe’s time in the village up?
