Line of Duty #6

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I watched Buckell's interview with BBC and he did make a good point. He was ultimately saying that the ending and season highlights that institutionalised corruption is much bigger than one bent copper, and him being H at the end highlights that as the system itself was what made him the fourth man. Also, I do agree with him where he said that there would always be someone disappointed at the ending no matter what it was. He summed it up nicely where he said not every episode needs a shootout as sometimes the subtler message is more important as annoying as that is when we all crave some explosive shocker as a finale.
 
electricmallows said:
Buckles interview could have been written so much better, I think. It seemed like he was really going to lead them to Osborne, only they stopped him right at the end. If he would have lead them to Osborne and he was interrupted, it would have been better if there was a reason for that-like Kate (or one of the other 2) secretly being bent and trying to stop him snitching. Kate (the most) would have been a good option since it really didn’t make sense for her to be interviewing him anyway so that would have been a good cover, on top of what you said.
The ending really wasn’t what I hoped for but I do think they could have maybe had the same type of ending if they’d just thrown up something a little more dramatic like that
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I agree with this, while I liked the ending in general I do think it could have had more drama. When they revealed Buckles there was still 15 mins left and I was hoping there would be a final little twist or revelation and it was just.. nothing. I think that’s where the disappointment comes from for most people, that there wasn’t a big ‘gasp out loud’ moment.
 
Sween44 said:
What’s Buckills hiding with his smirk before his cell flap was shut ? Still a lot of unexplained answers 🤔
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Nigel said in this interview that Buckells was smiling because he has been able to get away with it for so long, and ultimately because of the institutionalised corruption, he knows he would get a reduced sentence or that it would just be swept under the carpet soon as the ones in power will want to shelter it. It does make me think that Jed didn't mean for Osbourne and Carmichael to appear corrupt in the sense we were thinking- e.g that they were associated with the OCG, but rather they're corrupt in the sense that they are so keen to hide the truth of what goes on in the police force to save their own reputation and status that they would even attempt to hide and cover up criminal activities that bent coppers get up to. This would also make sense why Carmichael stopped Ted whilst he was talking to watch Osbourne's statement on TV, where he was again reiterating that the police force is not corrupt and its just a few bad apples when really there's so much more to it than that and him and Carmichael both know this.
 
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Very disappointing finale for me. Firstly I watch and love LoD for the drama and twists rather than to get a serious realistic commentary on the state of policing and politics in this country, so was disappointed that the main storyline was resolved so boringly. Of course a totally far fetched conclusion involving one of the main three would have been disappointing too, but at least it would have been an entertaining ride! Ideally we needed something in between, involving at least one other familiar character being bent.

For the first 15ish minutes it felt like things were really being rushed, which gave me hope that there was going to be lots of twists to come. I could accept the disappointing ending more if there were some good bits of character development/conclusion for Ted, Kate and Steve, but all of those plot lines and scenes seemed totally wasted to me. Cringy, lame dialogue and surprisingly wooden acting. With all the 'mate's and the unmasking of incompetent Buckles as the baddie, I'd have easily believed it if you told me it was a spoof for Comic Relief.

All that said, it's just a TV show and I feel for all the actors because the hype this series was INTENSE to the point that it was always going to be unlikely everybody would be satisfied with the ending.
 
Rewatched and want to clarify the cell bit with Buckells. He is not getting immunity. They say PII has been requested. Public interest immunity. This means that it is a closed court. Or in some circumstances held in judges chambers. It means no press, no reporting as it’s protectively marked as ’secret’. it does not mean he wouldn’t be prosecuted, by having PII means he deffo is but no one will know about it.
 
Fifi999 said:
Did anyone else wonder when they searched that cell and it was clean, Hastings smiled ...why was he happy?
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His facial expressions were so confusing! During that scene I went back to thinking he was involved, then he came out the station ranting to Kate and Steve which gave the impression he was pissed off in general and innocent.
Why confuse the audience about Ted when he were about to learn it was Bucking Fuckles?
 
Practically Perfect said:
Rewatched and want to clarify the cell bit with Buckells. He is not getting immunity. They say PII has been requested. Public interest immunity. This means that it is a closed court. Or in some circumstances held in judges chambers. It means no press, no reporting as it’s protectively marked as ’secret’. it does not mean he wouldn’t be prosecuted, by having PII means he deffo is but no one will know about it.
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Thanks for that! It's so interesting the meaning of a lot of these procedures and rules within the police force. He will probably have a very cushy prison sentence though as he was a top guy in helping the OCG's he had a laptop able to communicate to Jo and others whilst in prison he won't suffer apart from the lockd up part.
 
I enjoyed the first four series, as they focused on storylines other than “H”.
I know many are not fans of series 4, but I actually quite liked the scabby arm storyline and the acting generally.

I did get fed up with the whole H thing.
I also thought some of the acting in the last two series was quite poor for LOD. Carmichael is too irritating me with her slow / calm delivery. I know her character is supposed to be annoying, but I found it too much.
Chicken LIcken Steph was a ridiculous character - never heard an accent like that in my life.

I’m not a fan of merging real life with TV drama. I could do without mentions of Jimmy Saville etc. I enjoy escapism in drama, and it doesn’t work for me when it chops and changes with real life (which is why I’ve never bothered with The Crown).

I got the impression the last two series were hashed together a bit, without the time and thought put into the first four. It felt a little like they started filming before the scripts were completed?
 
G+T said:
Thanks for that! It's so interesting the meaning of a lot of these procedures and rules within the police force. He will probably have a very cushy prison sentence though as he was a top guy in helping the OCG's he had a laptop able to communicate to Jo and others whilst in prison he won't suffer apart from the lockd up part.
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Yes buckells got what he wanted. If anything everybody in the OCG will believe he was a lynchpin and he will have such a cushy life in jail. People will look up to him. That’s why serial murderers sometimes confess to crimes they don’t even commit - they want the infamy. Buckells wasn’t in it for the money, he never flashed his cash. He wants the infamy and he got it
 
Anonemxoxo said:
I watched Buckell's interview with BBC and he did make a good point. He was ultimately saying that the ending and season highlights that institutionalised corruption is much bigger than one bent copper, and him being H at the end highlights that as the system itself was what made him the fourth man. Also, I do agree with him where he said that there would always be someone disappointed at the ending no matter what it was. He summed it up nicely where he said not every episode needs a shootout as sometimes the subtler message is more important as annoying as that is when we all crave some explosive shocker as a finale.
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Ugh, I hate to agree because I wanted so much more from the finale, but I see his point.

I do like how Jed has linked real life into this, like the corruption around Saville and the BBC mixed with the comparison of Gail Velor to Jill Dando, the bad policing with Steven Lawrence, and how so many cops get away with institutionalised corruption. Its something we all know but that's almost a taboo subject, or conspiracy.
Watching this series he sailed pretty close to the mark with it all, and I did wonder if BBC chiefs were sitting there red faced watching it.
If anything comes of this then I hope it's the realisation to more people that so much is buried
 
This is what I’ve just been sent by my sister. I actually think the ending of LOD was what it needed to be, unfinished business. Its based on real policing and there will always be corruption and those at the top using their position to control and manipulate others who are vulnerable. She’s trying her hardest to point out it had the ending it needed 🤨
 
coconochanel said:
So which was your fav series? I think mine was 1 with Gates in.
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Series 3! Still not over Kate going all Lara Croft on the lorry:

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Lreb88 said:
I think that’s where the disappointment comes from for most people, that there wasn’t a big ‘gasp out loud’ moment.
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I think you’ve hit the nail on the head for me, I was expecting that moment, I’ve been left gob smacked so many times by LoD that I suppose I was naturally expecting a shock and you’re right, that’s where the disappointment comes from for me I think. Or maybe not even disappointment, just underwhelm, but I suppose that’s the whole point.
 
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