Lance Smart is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Peter Vroom.
Both Vroom and Thomson said that their characters did not provide a realistic representation of young people as the production team often censored their dialogue.
Vroom was axed from the series alongside Thomson after producer Andrew Howie wanted to focus on new characters.
[2] Vroom told Inside Soap that "Lance was a caricature, he was never very successful at anything, and people generally thought he was a joke.
Lance and Martin share common enemies, their biggest feud is with Donald Fisher (Norman Coburn) who throws them out of cadet corps.
[5] Vroom criticised the writing Martin and Lance received because he did not think it represented how young people behave.
[7] Vroom told a writer from Look-in that Lance always appeared "abnormally tall" on-screen because no other cast members were over six foot in height like himself.
Producer Andrew Howie decided not to renew either Thomson or Vrooms's contracts as he wanted to concentrate on developing new characters.
[18] Lance and Martin save Carly Morris (Sharyn Hodgson) from drowning, though she then causes them to crash their van.
Lance then drills a hole in the shower block at the caravan park so he can spy on Dawn (Jenny Cook), a resident.
Lance and Martin start a rumour that Carly is sleeping with the science teacher Andrew Foley (Peter Bensley), which results in his career being ruined and he leaves Summer Bay.
His father, Les (Kevin Golsby) takes $50,000 from Lance and runs off with another woman, leaving Colleen heart-broken.
Alison Patterson (Kathryn Ridley) then pretends she is attracted to Lance so he will buy her a new dress and hire a limousine for her.
He pays Bobby Simpson (Nicolle Dickson) to give Marilyn a job at the Diner to win her back.
Lance then sabotages TV appearances and songs leading to the band to be dropped, leaving Martin and Marilyn furious with him.
The event is marred by a huge storm and Lance, Martin several others form a search party to find a group of Summer Bay residents who have been shipwrecked.
Lance and Debbie return a few months later believing Colleen is a millionaire after, following the release a book that she has allegedly written.
A few years later, Colleen reveals Lance and Debbie are moving to Las Vegas and is invited to join them and she accepts.
Ahead of the pilot's airing, Lucy Clark of The Sun-Herald described Lance and Martin as "two surfie blokes who are thick as two short planks".
[3] Clive Hopwood wrote in his book Home and Away Special that Lance lacked enough intelligence that he had "difficulty knowing which way round to sit on a bicycle.
[21] Jason Herbison from All About Soap wrote that it is "hard to forget" the "dopey and loveable Lance from the early days.
[23] In November 2021, three critics for The West Australian placed Lance at number 23 in their feature on the "Top 50 heroes we love and villains we hate" from Home and Away.
[24] Of the character, they stated: "You can't have Lance without his sidekick Martin Dribble — the Laurel and Hardy of Summer Bay.
Lance was the son of Colleen (Lyn Collingwood), and went on to make regular guest appearances on the show through the noughties.
"[24] Lawrie Masterton from TV Week branded Lance and Martin as "a couple of fairly harmless beach oafs".
[25] For his portrayal of Lance, a reporter from Stornoway Gazette and West Coast Advertiser branded Vroom a "Home and Away heart-throb".
[26] Jim Hayes from New Ross Standard disagreed and labelled Lance as "possibly the most unlikely pin-up in TV history".
He also criticised Lance's musical aspirations, adding that show "watchers will know that his singing talents have a little to be desired.
He downplayed the character's mentality, adding "Lance, for the benefit of those who have never seen 'Home and Away', has several kangaroos loose in the top paddock.
"[9] Sheil added that Vroom was "affable" in his public appearances and made Lance into a "super anti-hero" for his fans.