LINE OF DUTY: cop-on-cop action TV procedural that demands analysis

anna maxwell martin flubbing the word "inexplicably" in her second sentence spoiled the vibe a bit otherwise grand work everyone

(i have just reached the operation yewtree reveal)

― mark s, Wednesday, 29 March 2017 21:40 (four years ago) bookmarkflaglink

^^^this is when jimmy savile was first introduced as part of the story, as an image in an interview-room powerpoint (also dale roach = rochdale = cyril smith)

why say "GSWs" when "gun shot wounds" is literally shorter?!?!?!?!1!!!!11eleventy!!!?

Actually thinking about it, could the whole business with Steph Corbett be a set-up to cast suspicion on Ted (again)? First of all turning up at AC-12 to talk to Hastings instead of meeting somewhere more private, thereby guaranteeing Arnott's suspicions about his Gaffer will lead him to pay a visit and (eventually) find the money which could easily have been planted. Then her strange behaviour on the phone to Steve last episode, as if she was under pressure to break off the relationship. It's also a bit odd that her kids never seem to be in the house. Could easily see the OCG putting the screws on her just like they have Davidson, e.g. "Do this for us or you'll loose more than your nice house," etc.

OTOH I'm aware this probably relies a bit too much on coincidence to be plausible. Also a bit wary of getting too heavily into speculating after the last series, when pretty much every theorised outcome turned out to be more interesting than what actually happened.

It's also a bit odd that her kids never seem to be in the house

I've been thinking that too, but tbf she did run outside for the call, presumably to escape their prying ears. So like... I guess I'm an idiot but what did Steve finally realise the money was for?

He clearly had some inkling from the start as he was not so subtly probing her about how she was able to afford to keep living in the same house, the luxury Sky package, etc.

The forensics confirmed it was part of the same dirty cash planted in Ted's hotel room last series, suggesting he had pocketed some of it and given it to Steph because...dunno, guilt over Corbett's death maybe, or to keep her quiet about something else. But that's assuming he did give her the money, and Ted would have to be pretty stupid to be handing out large amounts of cash from organised crime that could be traced directly back to him. He didn't float up the Lagan in a bubble y'know.

dunno, guilt over Corbett's death maybe, or to keep her quiet about something else

Right but in this episode Steve feels like he's cracked it - he knows what the 50K was specifically for. He gets in his car and calls Kate and tells her so, and then of course we don't hear the rest.

Also.... at least one of the gunshots at the end has to have come from Davidson, no?

Think they’ll play Ted off Steve and the whole plotline about Steve’s addiction and Ted keeping the AC-12 news from him - especially after Steve has changed his mind about his transfer - seem to play into this.

Ted is surely getting those occupational health reminders as well and is biding his time on them.

why say "GSWs" when "gun shot wounds" is literally shorter?!?!?!?!1!!!!11eleventy!!!?

"triple nine" same as "nine,nine,nine"

also no one in the real world calls it a triple nine call.

The forensics confirmed it was part of the same dirty cash planted in Ted's hotel room last series, suggesting he had pocketed some of it and given it to Steph because...dunno, guilt over Corbett's death maybe, or to keep her quiet about something else. But that's assuming he did give her the money, and Ted would have to be pretty stupid to be handing out large amounts of cash from organised crime that could be traced directly back to him. He didn't float up the Lagan in a bubble y'know.

If I remember right we saw Ted giving Steph the money at the end of S5

Ahh, yeah. Of course, he did. I think I'd blotted out most of that episode from my memory. Ah well, scratch that theory then.

Yeah, in one of the final episodes last season Ted literally turns up at Steph's house with the envelope of cash that was the missing fifty grand

But like.... were we supposed to know what Steve is about to say on the phone to Kate, about the purpose of that money? It felt like we were??

Ted assuaging his conscience over getting Corbett killed?

Yeah that was the implication, I thought, and we just didn't hear Steve say it because that would be stating the obvious and this show likes to move fast.

That is one of the things I like about it. "Let's set up an interview" - next scene, interview time! Another show would make you wait till the next episode.

So the thought goes - Ted tips off OCG they've got a mole (for some reason??), they rumble Corbett, Ted slides a cool 50K to Corbett's grieving widow to 'make up for it'? Doesn't seem like Ted's style tbh

each series shd devote one (1) whole episode to one of the team organising the visual material into the powerpoint show for the interview and it takes a whole episode bcz they have to talk to IT five times or more

btw they say "GSW" out loud bcz they're united in being very used to reading that acronym as written down and indeed to writing it down themselves in their fabled paperwork (where it *does* save space and is also a helpful regularisation of a specific type of event)

is my rationalisation of this tic

Yes I think you're right. It's pretty funny though.

Tracer: Corbett brutally tortured Ted's ex-wife, then later Ted found out it was because Corbett had been tricked into thinking Ted was responsible for his mum's death. So that's motive for dobbing in the rat (if he did) and motive for feeling guilty about it.

Ahhhhh

i'm not at all sure he's pulled it off but i am enjoying that quite early in this project jed set up a whiteboard -- or better still one of these see-through panels they use in fancier procedurals -- and just listed *all* the IRL UK scandals and cover-ups of the last fifty years that have revealed (and often amplified) bent coppering, and said to himself "right OK let's put all of them in"

LoD series seven: Sir Gosport "Digger" Peters and his 2010s expenses claim to cover a swan shack, turns out Tommy Hunter had a side hustle of corrupt gardeners.

If Ted H was H (or otherwise involved with the OCG) he wouldn't have had to visit Lee Banks in prison, would he? The channels of communication would already be in place.

Definately.

There were so many great moments in this last ep. When Ted convinces them to stay on Ryan despite the danger, it's like you can see it in his body, he comes utterly alive, he can't let go, he's got to give it everything. And 'suckin on diesel' gets the sotto voce treatment - absolutely magisterial. Punched the air.

Pretty sure Chloe was the MVP this ep though. Frankly if this series continues I'd rather it was Steve/Chloe/Ted. Kate just seems dim as hell most of the time tbh.

But wouldn’t you miss the “mate mate mate” bants and being the world’s worst undercover cop?

They should have gone with our idea for her 😔

I love Ted, but scenes where he leads (like the laptop and cash and visiting the OCG nightclub in the previous series) somewhat expose his acting limitations imo.

Shit take

"suckin on diesel" is such a great half-wrong phrase for him to be saying lol

Are there any examples of Ted being good at his job? Mostly he's alienating his management and hounding the wrong suspects.

still <3 him though obv

you're not wrong

AC-12 raiding another department and arresting the wrong person who then needs releasing the next day is practically a series requirement at this point

I mean I'm reading the head lady in charge as a Cressida Dickalike, hence the worst of the worst IMO, but yes, the high-ups do have a point. But exactly similar things happened IRL when straight-arrow cops were brought into to clean a force up -- i'm blanking on the names bcz i'm old and busy. there was a cop helicoptered into northern ireland to examination RUC corruption -- john something? -- who was himself taken down via some (bogus?) scandal himself?

John stalker?

Are there any examples of Ted being good at his job? Mostly he's alienating his management and hounding the wrong suspects.

john stalker yes. there was also a straightarrow outsider cop parachuted into the met in the 70s for similar clean-up purposes whose name hurried googling hasn't uncovered for me (i don't think he was mired in fake scandal tho)

i did discover that met officers referred to the operation countryman anti-corruption squad (made up of rural coppers) as "the sweedey" lol

thank you

Frank Williamson is the man you're thinking of although he was in the Met already I think and couldn't get traction on his efforts which is why Operation Countryman (Dorset constabulary) got started.

I think that BBC show was quite dismissive of Williamson, that he talked the talk about when it came down to it wouldn't risk his pension over accusations.

Frank Williamson: this isn't the person i'm thinking of

it was sir robert mark

or nark as i wrote first

If Ted H was H (or otherwise involved with the OCG) he wouldn't have had to visit Lee Banks in prison, would he? The channels of communication would already be in place.

This is what he'd want everyone to think, of course (which can be the answer for everything to do with LoD.)

Mostly he's alienating his management and hounding the wrong suspects.

In the case of Ryan Pilkington and Jo Davidson he's bang on, though.

Thought of the Steve: hot or not? debate again this week when Twitter went mad over him charging the industrial unit to potentially avenge a fallen comrade. He's a coiled spring! Ladies love that shit. Apparently.