Line of Duty (BBC) **Spoilers**

dobman88

Louis Friend wrote: »

It seems very petty to claim that someone whose guess was Buckles was wrong when the big reveal was Buckles.

Its just my opinion that you're wrong m8. Your opinion is that you're right. And that's perfectly ok.

I dont see the issue or a need to call me petty for a difference of opinion and I'm happy to park it there.

Piehead

Louis Friend wrote: »

It seems very petty to claim that someone whose guess was Buckles was wrong when the big reveal was Buckles.

You were wrong. You were picking a selection. Let it go. You mustn’t have much going on in your life if you’re getting so hung up on this.

Madelyn

We don't know for sure that Buckles is H....... Yes he is part of the gang but not H IMO. He is covering for someone.

Sunrise_Sunset

You also said this just a couple of weeks ago:

Louis Friend wrote: »

H isn’t going to be someone obvious. It’s going to be a punch in the face, e.g. Ted, Kate, Steve, etc

Louis Friend wrote: »

It seems very petty to claim that someone whose guess was Buckles was wrong when the big reveal was Buckles.

BTW, I thought Buckell's was a serious contender as the guy they were after weeks ago, but I'm not looking for a blue peter badge for it. Cos I also thought there were other possibilities.

Jed wrote far too many red herrings into the story, planted way too many "Easter Eggs". Anyone's guess was as good as the next. I don't think it was clever writing to do it in this way. A few deeper hidden clues and a couple of twists along the way would have been better.

Chocolate

So disappointed with this episode.

When in the previous 6 seasons, we were treated to edge of the seat scenes, I would have expected something similar for this season, especially as it was flagged as a series finale.

Homeland Season 1 was brilliant. However they kept Brody in it for a second and third season during which it completely ran out of steam. They should have finished with Brody in Season 1.

Line of Duty just stretched the H arc too far - like an elastic band, it broke.

The writers could have moved onto another theme about two seasons ago.

siblers

Louis Friend wrote: »

Buckles has millions of pounds and investments structured through the Cayman Islands.

The incompetent idiot thing was an act.

The reason I thought he’d be the big reveal is that he’s a constant throughout the series. He was everpresent. When I went back and rewatched the series I found myself thinking “I don’t remember Buckles being here”. Yet he was.

He came across as an idiot in the final interview, he didn't know the basics of how imunity worked.

salmocab

Leaving aside the anger over this where do people think the story is? Over as in wrapped up with Buckles as H or at least the latest H. I think it’s still a bit open, Buckles smirk at the end, Ted confessing to Carmichael about giving the information, is he testing her, is there more to play out. I really don’t know but I suspect it’s going to go again next year. Ted announced he’s pushing back against his retirement and things like that need to be tied up. I think the H thing isn’t actually sorted yet. That all said as I posted earlier I feel the writers didn’t really know where it was going to be themselves and managed to give an odd ending that doesn’t clear too much up.

Choochtown

Was wondering could someone explain to me why Buckles is assumed to be "H" because of his mis-spelling of definitely as "definately" and yet Hastings does exactly that when he's typing a message in Series 5?

Madelyn

Steve should have opted to finish this job and then take time out.. The taser scene was embarrassing.

FunLover18

Choochtown wrote: »

Was wondering could someone explain to me why Buckles is assumed to be "H" because of his mis-spelling of definitely as "definately" and yet Hastings does exactly that when he's typing a message in Series 5?

I think Chloe said they cross referenced his spelling and syntax. Do it wasn't just one word.

dobman88

Choochtown wrote: »

Was wondering could someone explain to me why Buckles is assumed to be "H" because of his mis-spelling of definitely as "definately" and yet Hastings does exactly that when he's typing a message in Series 5?

That was explained at the time. He was using the same spelling to try and convince the person they were talking to was who they thought.

ShineOn7

Louis Friend wrote: »

I can’t believe the posts claiming I was wrong and not giving me at least some credit for this shout.

The big interview was with Buckles. The man they were looking for was Buckles. It transpired that he had a mansion, a luxury SUV, and a Cayman Islands structure! Buckles sneering at Ted and crew that he made mugs of them!

Buckles doing the morning talk shows.

The correct answer was/is Ian Buckles.

Jesus Christ fella





This is the second time you've quoted your own post to self praise you guessing what numerous others did - both here, on Reddit and Twiitter


And also:

He's not H

There is no H

Dot was indicating there was 4 people in the force involved in corruption and working for the OCG. AC 12 misinterpreted his dying declaration the first time around

Buckles was just the 4th one they had to catch. He is no higher up the chain than Hilton or Gil Biggeloe

Buckles isn't the top dog

It's why Hastings repeatedly said "we're looking for the fourth person, formerly thought to be known as H"

Choochtown

FunLover18 wrote: »

I think Chloe said they cross referenced his spelling and syntax. Do it wasn't just one word.

Is it not a bit strange that the story focuses on that 1 word and yet that is the very word that Ted mis-spells in Series 5?

Choochtown

dobman88 wrote: »

That was explained at the time. He was using the same spelling to try and convince the person they were talking to was who they thought.

Oh right. Sorry I missed that.
Was it explained in the episode before he types it?
Strange that the check on documents with that mis-spelling wasn't done until last night's episode.

ShineOn7

FunLover18 wrote: »

I've seen a lot of people online praise the theme and say it is a more realistic and pragmatic ending with there being no mastermind and the real bad guy being mere greed and incompetence and that would be fair point but this show hasn't been realistic or pragmatic for a long time and that kind of ending only goes to make our heroes look like naive mugs for the last few seasons.

This is the part that's annoying me a lot more than it should

Mercurio:

"Here's storylines of a man getting thrown 20 feet down three flights of stairs onto his back and head and still living.

Here's "Urgent Exit Required" and all the Hollywood style madness that followed.

Here's Dot's dying declaration, it's Morse code for "H". No - wait - strike that, it's Morse code for there being 4 corrupt men/women"

Also Mercurio:


"Here's an ending grounded in reality. Because sometimes that's the way things are in real life"

This is total b@stard bollix and Mercurio knows it, he wrote himself into a corner he couldn't get out of

dobman88

Choochtown wrote: »

Oh right. Sorry I missed that.
Was it explained in the episode before he types it?
Strange that the check on documents with that mis-spelling wasn't done until last night's episode.

Dunno when it was explained, it's been that long since I've seen it but that was the reason given. He wanted to spell things the same way as the person usually typing would.

Was part of the reason Ted became a suspect which was later shown to be bollox.

dobman88

No idea what to think of this absolute nonsense.

https://twitter.com/martin_compston/status/1389239295202955273?s=19

joe40

I think there will be another season, it was left very open ended. Hastings is going to challenge his enforced retirement, there is more corruption hinted at etc. They could even start a new story arc and move on from H/ fourth man character. Plenty more mileage left with Kate and Steve, Chloe was also good character worth exploring.

Obviously I don't know but I feel they have a lot of options for continuing the story and it is still popular.

I agree though there were a lot of plot holes in this series.

Fitz*

I think I have a new theory.

During the interview scene with Buckells, there was a line about the 4th man and Buckells was about to talk about who he is but Hastings cut him off quite quickly.

Hastings didn't feel any guilt or remorse about having Corbett killed off, until after being confronted by Steve & Kate. He then gave himself up to Carmichael regarding this, maybe thinking that if this becomes public knowledge, then any links between him being H, or the 4th man, would be instantly struck off.

H actually is Hastings, and is the real 4th man, but also hidden from from public view of the lower level bent coppers. A proper smart person who is capable of it too.


. He's a bent copprr

Squeaksoutloud

dobman88 wrote: »

Dunno when it was explained, it's been that long since I've seen it but that was the reason given. He wanted to spell things the same way as the person usually typing would.

Was part of the reason Ted became a suspect which was later shown to be bollox.

The definately spelling was the ultimate breakthrough in closing out the whole programme. Yet Ted was aware of this in the previous season and using it when going undercover. So why was he all surprised when it became their breakthrough clue to topple the whole House of cards.

That's the biggest plot hole of all if you ask me..

ShineOn7

Fitz* wrote: »

During the interview scene with Buckells, there was a line about the 4th man and Buckells was about to talk about who he is but Hastings cut him off quite quickly.

Yes this was quite noticeable

Ted has acted strange loads throughout all seasons and we never got a real explanation for the laptop disposal

dobman88

Squeaksoutloud wrote: »

The definately spelling was the ultimate breakthrough in closing out the whole programme. Yet Ted was aware of this in the previous season and using it when going undercover. So why was he all surprised when it became their breakthrough clue to topple the whole House of cards.

That's the biggest plot hole of all if you ask me..

Yep. Shìt loads of holes in this season and especially the last 2 episodes. Can't remember ever being this disappointed with a show. It went downhill rapidly and for me, it has lost the status it held.

PieOhMy

ShineOn7 wrote: »

Yes this was quite noticeable

Ted has acted strange loads throughout all seasons and we never got a real explanation for the laptop disposal

He said it was coz he was looking at porn and was embarrassed

ShineOn7

PieOhMy wrote: »

He said it was coz he was looking at porn and was embarrassed

Which was clearly a lie

Fitz*

PieOhMy wrote: »

He said it was coz he was looking at porn and was embarrassed

A very convenient cover up for when he was actually communicating with the OCG.

dobman88

Fitz* wrote: »

I think I have a new theory.

During the interview scene with Buckells, there was a line about the 4th man and Buckells was about to talk about who he is but Hastings cut him off quite quickly.

Hastings didn't feel any guilt or remorse about having Corbett killed off, until after being confronted by Steve & Kate. He then gave himself up to Carmichael regarding this, maybe thinking that if this becomes public knowledge, then any links between him being H, or the 4th man, would be instantly struck off.

H actually is Hastings, and is the real 4th man, but also hidden from from public view of the lower level bent coppers. A proper smart person who is capable of it too.


. He's a bent copprr

Nah, if Ted is even the slightest bit bent or compromised, it makes a complete mockery of the entire show where nothing would make sense.

He is the one we are all rooting for, has his demons but tries to do his best and be as straight as possible. Him being bent, never mind being H, would just make it laughable.

PieOhMy

Squeaksoutloud wrote: »

The definately spelling was the ultimate breakthrough in closing out the whole programme. Yet Ted was aware of this in the previous season and using it when going undercover. So why was he all surprised when it became their breakthrough clue to topple the whole House of cards.

That's the biggest plot hole of all if you ask me..

Was there any actual new information revealed last night?
Some things were revealed to the carachters and other things were added up in a way (ctrl-f 'definatly') but was theres anything I know now that I didn't know this time yesterday?

The spelling was known before.
The senile peado was known before and went nowhere
Steve's self medication was known before and went nowhere.
Hastings being the one who touted on Stephen Graham was known before.
Buckles being bent was kinda known but in a different capacity.
The mysterious crate was introduced and explained away a lot of things the viewer always knew.

Madelyn

ShineOn7 wrote: »

Which was clearly a lie

I dunno.if it was a lie.. though that was convincing tbh.. He was embarrassed and ashamed, he has such high morals after all.

He did look a bit shady last night but i think that was to put us thinking.

It cant be hastings. That would be stupid and make a mockery of the whole show.

Ferris_Bueller

Majorly underwhelming finale, it just felt like it was all over the place in comparison to most other line of duty episodes. The H storyline dragged on for way too long, it got trapped in a corner and would have been very difficult to have a fitting ending that lived up to the rest of the show.

It just felt like there were so many unanswered questions and so many red herrings that ended up being completely pointless. Was there a need to have Fairbanks or Thurwell in it at all?

Not sure what I'd want to happen now. Obviously would love another season but I don't know if it would be worth it for another season of "who's the man at the top of all of this?", it could probably do with a refresh if it is to continue.

Sunrise_Sunset

Watched a couple of interviews with Nigel Boyle for morning tv. Feel a bit sorry for him really. He's taking the brunt of the fact that no-one wanted him to be the guy.