Line of Duty (BBC) **Spoilers**

magic17

Hollyworth wrote: »

I feel like I'm missing something with this whole mystery of H.

Why are they looking for this 4th person involved with the OCG, as if it's the last person they need to find, when we can clearly see that there's loads of cops involved with the OCG. Ryan and Davidson to name but two. If they find and arrest H/the 4th man/woman, what difference will it make? There's obviously more than 1 more bent copper out there.

Everything is hinged on H, but I just don't see the significance of it from a storyline perspective.

Ya it seems like they're just dragging it out. I like the idea that H is actually a place, not a person. Hillside, which is the focus of this season. Some of the previous series have had links to it with people like Dot working there at some stage.

They've referred to it as the Hill once or twice, I think Dot was saying H and the 4 taps meant 4 letters and they've misinterpreted it. They'll set it up that Hillside is where all these people are being recruited. They'll solve that this season and then there will be a big boss over seeing it all that they go for in season 7 to wrap it up. Probably Osborne, the politician guy or maybe even one of Ted, Kate or Steve.

Exclamation Marc

Hollyworth wrote: »

But more realistically, I don't think they want to announce a new series until this one has finished because they know if they announce another series now, a large portion of viewers would say "what? Another series? How can you continue this story?" and simply stop watching this series.

BBC/Mercurio know they have a cash cow. They will milk it dry it seems.

That's just categorically not true. The show is one of the most popular on television right now and I think most viewers would love more series once they make sense and fit the narrative. And after nine years of watching it, the majority will see it through regardless even if they were losing faith.

They're dancing around more series because if they confirm there's more, people will know that whatever they circle around in the last few episodes won't be the big fish. Conversely if they announce its the last one, it'll lose a bit of mystery or shock value.

It'll finish when the story demands it, Mercurio won't drag it out needlessly. The team behind it will know when to end it and use the momentum to launch a new show.

Hollyworth

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

It'll finish when the story demands it.

I think that day has already come. And if not, it is perilously close. This show cannot go on for another series beyond this. It's just about hanging on as it is.

Ferris_Bueller

Ended up missing the episode on Sunday night, never realised how difficult it is to watch it afterwards. The BBC player is very awkward to log into even with a VPN!

I'm enjoying this season but it does all feel a little bit cliche at this stage and many of the scenes feel like things we have seen before. But it has done a brilliant job in dropping subtle hints here and there and leaving lots of questions to be answered.

- Davidson is working with the OCG, but is she simply being blackmailed or is she a genuine bad person?

- What is going on with Ted and Steph? Has he just lent her money or is there something deeper going on?

— Buckles, how involved is he? Is he H or has he just been taken advantage of?

- Kate is in deep now. Is she still working with AC 12 or has she just stumbled into this situation?

Lots of questions to answer in the next few episodes. I was surprised that Ryan's cover was blown so early. At this stage there is no way he can last much longer now that Steve and Kate are onto who he is and what he has done in the past.

Doodah7

Hollyworth wrote: »

I think that day has already come. And if not, it is perilously close. This show cannot go on for another series beyond this. It's just about hanging on as it is.

In your opinion and you are extrapolating your bias onto the apparent views of millions of people? A little self-awareness might do no harm.

Personally I think it is as enjoyable as always. I don't understand how people get so overly emotionally invested in TV programmes anyway.

It is only a show at the end of the day.

I hope it goes on for another while as it sets out what it is supposed to do: entertain.

ancapailldorcha

Hollyworth wrote: »

I think that day has already come. And if not, it is perilously close. This show cannot go on for another series beyond this. It's just about hanging on as it is.

My expectations weren't all that high to be honest but I've immensely enjoyed both this season and the preceding one. Even season 4 wasn't bad after it had to cope with some excellent actors departing in the third.

dave1982

Ferris_Bueller wrote: »

Ended up missing the episode on Sunday night, never realised how difficult it is to watch it afterwards. The BBC player is very awkward to log into even with a VPN!

I'm enjoying this season but it does all feel a little bit cliche at this stage and many of the scenes feel like things we have seen before. But it has done a brilliant job in dropping subtle hints here and there and leaving lots of questions to be answered.

- Davidson is working with the OCG, but is she simply being blackmailed or is she a genuine bad person?

- What is going on with Ted and Steph? Has he just lent her money or is there something deeper going on?

— Buckles, how involved is he? Is he H or has he just been taken advantage of?

- Kate is in deep now. Is she still working with AC 12 or has she just stumbled into this situation?

Lots of questions to answer in the next few episodes. I was surprised that Ryan's cover was blown so early. At this stage there is no way he can last much longer now that Steve and Kate are onto who he is and what he has done in the past.

Ted giving steph money is supposedly 50k, I think it was last season Ted got caught with 50 k in his hotel room. They person who gave it to him claimed Ted was given 100k and there was 50 missing. Whether or not its same money, I don't know

dave1982

Starting to become obsessed with this show at the moment, loving all the theories floating about.

is chloe Tony Gates daughter, did Steve intentionally flash lights 4 times outside police station when he first met Kate in this season(4 blinks being more code for H. Why hasn't Pilkington been ask bout Terry when we seen on kates computer screen he was seen going in and out of Terry flat last season

razorblunt

There's definitely something up with Chloe, the camera has lingered on her a few times.

Exclamation Marc

razorblunt wrote: »

There's definitely something up with Chloe, the camera has lingered on her a few times.

I really hope its not the Gates' daughter theory. It would be enormously convenient. Not only that she would be a police officer but also in the exact unit investigating organized crime and working with Steve. You'd imagine she would have been vetted within an inch of her life on that team. It would also itself hinge off someone more senior being H and placing Chloe in the unit under Ted and Steve's nose which itself would surely have aroused their suspicion.

I do love all the theories as so many technically work but this one would be wildly contrived (particularly when they're doing something similar with Ryan - a cop placed inside the unit).

The suspicion is great though but hopefully just a Mercurio red herring.

Hercule Poirot

I think Chloe is just a new recruit and Kate's "replacement"

I don't she'd be old enough to make detective if it was Gates' daughter

There's also the fact that Gates wasn't bent, not in the OCG meaning anyways - he was just a guy who cherry picked cases and padded his arrests to make his numbers look good, he wasn't corrupt so I'd see no reason why his daughter would suddenly be league with the OCG

Wallet Inspector

Gates was still corrupt!

I think detective Chloe seems too old to have been his daughter who was only a little girl nine years before though, and being named Chloe and mixed race is probably a red herring.

But if she IS Gates' daughter, maybe she wants revenge on the police for her father's death?

brian_t

Talisman wrote: »

There is one more season after this.

ShineOn7 wrote: »

Have you a link to the BBC or Jed saying this?

This is from the Radio Times 3 weeks ago.

brian_t wrote: »

"It's not certain that there will be a series seven"

Jed Mercurio (Current Radio Times).

Mantis Toboggan

Think if one of the main cast are being killed off then it will be Kate, she's in too deep and Ryan knows she's onto him and he will kill her.

funkey_monkey

How would Ted & Steve not know who Chloe was?
What reason would there be for her to gain a new identity? They didn't give Ryan a new one, so why would Chloe get one? She even has same first name - so would assume surname would be the same (Chloe Gates?) and there would be no reason to separate her from remaining family. Just seems totally wrong.

Seemed really odd that Ryan didn't get a new name when he was 'rescued' as a child, but Mate_1 and Mate_2 discussed that when Mate_1 realised who Ryan was after Mate_2 told Mate_1 about Ryan being suspicious and that Mate_2 couldn't place the face.

Wallet Inspector

Bishop might be Chloe's mother's name - or her stepdad's.

If she's Gates' daughter.

We're probably discussing a red herring!

Talisman

brian_t wrote: »

This is from the Radio Times 3 weeks ago.

When I was looking for the Jed Mercurio interview last night I came across a similar quote from Jed with regards to there being a season 6.

Line of Duty series 5 finale could be last ever episode, says creator Jed Mercurio (The Independent, 01 May 2019)

“This story about @martin_compston #LineofDuty by @StuartPink is a lie,” he wrote. “We’ve told you it’s a lie. You’ve printed it anyway. I’m not writing S6 let alone S7."

At the time Martin Compston had given an interview to one of the entertainment magazines and he mentioned that the production team had already asked him about his availability for filming future series. Of course the tabloids regurgitated the quotes from the interview to make it seem like the BBC were trying to tie him into a contract but he wasn't willing to commit to the future seasons of the show. Jed Mercurio had his say on the matter and a few days later the final episode of the series aired and afterwards we were told that "Line of Duty will return..."

Jed Mercurio: ‘We can’t risk not tying everything up for Line of Duty fans’ (The Big Issue, 08 May 2019)

Are you going to extend Line of Duty beyond next year’s sixth series?

When the point comes that we only have one more series to do, then that will be the last one. We can’t take the risk that we don’t tie everything up and we don’t get recommissioned and the loyal fans are left hanging. Currently, the only series remaining is series six but we are in talks with the BBC about the possibility of a series seven. People’s tastes change quickly. We will have to study the audience data we get. We know we have a finite lifespan.

He says pretty much the same thing every time a new series is aired.

appledrop

Mantis Toboggan wrote: »

Think if one of the main cast are being killed off then it will be Kate, she's in too deep and Ryan knows she's onto him and he will kill her.

I think the same, not saying it will be Ryan but someone from OCG. I know others think Steve but my moneys on Kate if a main character is been killed off.

Exclamation Marc

I think if a main character is killed off it'll likely be the last series.

Can't see it continuing with only two of the three.

I'm not sure it'll be this year though, but who knows.

Hollyworth

I would have liked if Ted had been killed off last series, with everyone believing him to be H. He isn't doing much this series and his act with the catchphrases etc is old hat now.

Perhaps this could have been the last series with Arnott and Kate working on their own, against orders, to find the real H and clear Ted's name.

Talisman

Celchick wrote: »

That's another woman, called Nicola. He wants to transfer to her department.

That could be a plot line for moving the character out of the series. He is likely to be demoted or suspended when the drug test results come back and that will scupper any chance of a transfer.

dave1982

Tv series often kill off main characters. Remember John boy, Darren in love hate? Anythings possible

gmisk

I would love for it to continue after this series.
Maybe an all new main storyline, the H thing is kind of done to death, so hopefully closed this series.

ShineOn7

Did I see a strapline of "Lies Cost Lives" on a promo picture for this season?

I think I did, but I can't find it right now

Surely it's the biggest hint yet we're getting a major character killed off, and my money is on Steve

He's easily the weakest character and actor of the main three characters

Fitz*

The best character deaths are when they are not expected. A real plot twist.

Now that there is one being talked about so much, it sort of takes away from it it a bit IMO.

ShineOn7

Fitz* wrote: »

The best character deaths are when they are not expected. A real plot twist.

Now that there is one being talked about so much, it sort of takes away from it it a bit IMO.

True, but those happened when the show wasn't anywhere near as popular as it now

It was inevitable that the fan theories grow in line with the size of the audience

ShineOn7

Hector Savage

Such a good show, It's been years since I've seen the earlier seasons, I remember the down syndrome kid in an earlier season ?
with the freezer ? did that happen ?

must catch up on netflix

ohnonotgmail

Hector Savage wrote: »

Such a good show, It's been years since I've seen the earlier seasons, I remember the down syndrome kid in an earlier season ?
with the freezer ? did that happen ?

must catch up on netflix

same character but a different actor.

gmisk

Hector Savage wrote: »

Such a good show, It's been years since I've seen the earlier seasons, I remember the down syndrome kid in an earlier season ?
with the freezer ? did that happen ?

must catch up on netflix

Yep same character, he had Jackie Lavery in his freezer, sure the fridge was found dumped with her blood in it this week