Saul Bennett
Saul Bennett | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Fictional character |
| Years active | 1995–1997 (in-show) |
| Known for | Home and Away |
Saul Bennett is a made-up persona featured in the Australian television soap Home and Away, brought to life by actor David Ritchie. His first appearance was on 21 November 1995.
Character development
As the leader of a religious sect, Saul tries to enlist Selina Cook (Tempany Deckert) by presenting himself as a guide for troubled youth in Yabbie Creek. Although Selina initially joins, she quickly recognizes that Saul's assurances are deceptive and manipulative. Despite warnings from Saul's son Alex (Nick Freedman) and Irene Roberts (Lynne McGranger), Selina becomes deeply influenced by Saul, asserting confidence in her choices. The relationship takes a dark turn after Saul assaults her. Deckert characterized Saul as an unsettling figure and emphasized that the plot illustrates how susceptible young individuals can be to such manipulative groups.
Storylines
Saul's introduction follows Selina experiencing a miscarriage, after which he uses his control to draw her into his commune. He kidnaps her but is eventually stopped by his son Alex and incarcerated. Once released, Saul abducts Selina again during a search with his other son, Joey Rainbow (Alex O'Han), for Irene’s surrogate baby at the commune. Attempting to kill both Selina and himself, he sets a room ablaze; Selina manages to escape with assistance while Saul is believed to have perished.
On the day of Selina and Steven’s wedding, Saul disguises himself as their limousine driver, abducting Selina and confining her in an isolated lodge. When law enforcement surrounds the location, Saul becomes ill; during his arrest, Constable Terri Garner (Alison Standen) fatally shoots him. Two years later, Saul briefly manifests as a hallucination on Joey’s computer screen amid Joey’s schizophrenia episode, urging harm toward Irene before Joey overcomes the influence.
Reception
Tina Baker from Soaplife referred to Saul as "Home and Away's cult leader," highlighting that despite being Joey Rainbow’s father, he was involved in brainwashing, infant abduction, kidnapping, and coercion. An Inside Soap writer described him as "crazier than a veggie roast," noting that cults and fires are familiar soap opera elements—Saul was particularly dangerous with his "long white beard and flowing robes," reminiscent of Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings. UK audiences watching on Channel 5 voted the episode featuring Joey’s attempt to rescue Saul from a commune fire among their favorites. TV Week ranked Saul among the show’s most notorious villains, emphasizing his shocking 1996 kidnapping of Selina and his dramatic demise in 1997 as key story highlights.