Line of Duty (BBC) **Spoilers**

Talisman

I finished rewatching the second series last night, there are a few nuggets of information that relate to this season.

2x01 : at the DS Jayne Akers funeral, DCC Dryden says

And it's clear to me there's another attack on the police... an insidious and, ultimately, more devastating one. Our numbers have been cut back. Public safety has been jeopardized. There's no clearer indicator than the fact that on that night we weren't even able to protect ourselves.

2x02 : DCC Dryden traveling in the car with the PR woman (Jo?) says

The Chief Constable's as concerned as I am about any leak that a police officer might've been an accomplice. We're looking at using anti-terror legislation to keep a lid on it.

The PR person (Jo) was about to get a taxi to Hillside station when Denton caught up with her outside City Hall.

Dryden instructed Hastings to bring Cottan into the investigation.

I'll open up Witness Protection to your team. There's a DI in AC-9. He's your man. You'll second him.

2x04: The dialogue from his first meeting in the AC-12 interview room, suggests Dryden did not previously know Cottan.

Dryden: I think we can safely discount that theory, DI...
Cottan: Cottan, sir.
Dryden: Cottan. That's right. The witness protection expert from AC-9.
Cottan: That's right, sir.

The obvious question is, who told Dryden about the 'witness protection expert'?

2x05:
Inspector Barlow was chosen to attend the event on the night of the ambush by somebody at Dryden's office, he was not selected by Dryden himself. This facilitated Denton being in place to take the call.

Dryden to Arnott:

The real villain in all this is whatever toerag leaked that story, to bring me down because the politicians and the PCC don't like me telling the truth about service cutbacks.

2x06 : DS Manish Prasad could have been talking about Buckells when he said

(Jeremy) Cole couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery.

Cottan to DC Morton:

You provide a statement saying Cole boasted of underworld connections and attempted to recruit you into a clandestine network of corrupt police officers.

Dryden to Hastings:

I've made a catastrophic error of judgment. And I need to make amends. You and Les Hargreaves still haven't found out who orchestrated the ambush. You've got to get to the bottom of this, Ted. I don't want my last, most important case to end in failure. There are things I can do to help. ... You've got the gunmen but you need the people who ordered the ambush. I can be of help.

DC Morton is the 'toerag' that leaked the story about Dryden, he also has the backup of Cottan's burner phone.

I told ya

In relation to the van turning over, IIRC, the stinger device was not used on the van, only the escort vehicles. This would have allowed the driver to topple the van at the building the sniper was in, then pick your window.

funkey_monkey

oneilla wrote: »

Seems to be in the business of drugs, trafficked prostitution, bit of fun running and there was some sort of connection to a paedofile ring.

Nothing that gangs don't currently do without the need for such widespread insiders in the police.
Although fun running is something I've been guilty of doing myself - I guess the police here were more pre-occupied with the troubles at the time and I slipped through the net :pac:

oneilla

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Nothing that gangs don't currently do without the need for such widespread insiders in the police.
Although fun running is something I've been guilty of doing myself - I guess the police here were more pre-occupied with the troubles at the time and I slipped through the net :pac:

Meant gun running obviously

Comprehensive list of the OCG's business activity here:
https://lineofduty.fandom.com/wiki/Organised_Crime_Group

Lia_lia

I’ve seen a theory that Jo’s relation is Lakewell. Could be why Ryan P told her how he died. But of course could also be just telling her so she’ll be scared..

Spocker

https://twitter.com/bbcpress/status/1381877783920533505

Fan favourite Anna Maxwell Martin to return to #LineOfDuty as Detective Chief Superintendent Patricia Carmichael this Sunday! https://bbc.in/3a2WzDy

Fitz*

She in charge of AC-3, isn't it? I can't remember who is over AC-9 now.

With the merging of the 3 units, we were bound to see her eventually.

ohnonotgmail

Fitz* wrote: »

She in charge of AC-3, isn't it? I can't remember who is over AC-9 now.

With the merging of the 3 units, we were bound to see her eventually.

she has to be the front runner for heading up the merged unit.

Sardonicat

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

she has to be the front runner for heading up the merged unit.

What are the different remits of the different Anti-corruption units

ShineOn7

Spocker wrote: »

https://twitter.com/bbcpress/status/1381877783920533505

Fan favourite Anna Maxwell Martin to return to #LineOfDuty as Detective Chief Superintendent Patricia Carmichael this Sunday! https://bbc.in/3a2WzDy

Hmmm, the BBC don't need to full American TV with mild spoilers like this

Especially with the cliffhanger on Sunday saying Jo is related to a character we know

I don't think it's Carmicheal. But I now strongly think that Kate is undercover for her

Behave yourself BBC

ShineOn7

TomSweeney wrote: »

David Brent's boss ...

MfMan

I told ya wrote: »

In relation to the van turning over, IIRC, the stinger device was not used on the van, only the escort vehicles. This would have allowed the driver to topple the van at the building the sniper was in, then pick your window.

So the van driver was bent also...?

Talisman

Spocker wrote: »

https://twitter.com/bbcpress/status/1381877783920533505

Fan favourite Anna Maxwell Martin to return to #LineOfDuty as Detective Chief Superintendent Patricia Carmichael this Sunday! https://bbc.in/3a2WzDy

Excellent to have Carmichael back in the show - it'll be interesting to see who is on her staff.

Isn't it strange that they released this information?

Exclamation Marc

Talisman wrote: »

Excellent to have Carmichael back in the show - it'll be interesting to see who is on her staff.

Isn't it strange that they released this information?

Massively. I hate it.

Nobody is going to suddenly tune in because she's in the episode. It just ruins the surprise.

Talisman

Sardonicat wrote: »

What are the different remits of the different Anti-corruption units

AC-3 is the same as AC-12 but its area of operation is the East Midlands Constabulary. AC-9 is a smaller group and focused on witness protection.

I told ya

MfMan wrote: »

So the van driver was bent also...?

Yes, that would be my view.

Off the top of my head looking back, an AFO was there to aid Dot's escape, a PC attempted to murder Gill Biggeloe, the prison officers attacking Denton and Jatri and facilitating the murder of Lakewell. Not a big leap to assume that the driver was in league with the OCG.

The stinger was not used on the white van, enabling the driver to place the van for the sniper.

It was clearly indicated that the van had some sort of armor. That would make it a lot heavier than a normal cargo van and harder to turnover. A properly trained SWAT driver would know his/her anti-ambush drills - don't stop, drive as fast as you can out of the ambush.

Also, for such a high profile target, the security was under resourced. No floating patrols/back up teams, marked cars directed into the area of the route at the last minute. Maybe even top cover.

Listen fella, it all adds to the excitement.

Talisman

Lia_lia wrote: »

I’ve seen a theory that Jo’s relation is Lakewell. Could be why Ryan P told her how he died. But of course could also be just telling her so she’ll be scared..

She didn't really react to what Ryan said until he mentioned the cause of death as "Being a rat". That would suggest to me that she had no connection to Lakewell.

funkey_monkey

Lia_lia wrote: »

I’ve seen a theory that Jo’s relation is Lakewell. Could be why Ryan P told her how he died. But of course could also be just telling her so she’ll be scared..

Would Ryan know this information?

eagle eye

Talisman wrote:

She didn't really react to what Ryan said until he mentioned the cause of death as "Being a rat". That would suggest to me that she had no connection to Lakewell.

Yeah it suggests she has been blackmailed or pressured into doing stuff for H.

DeepBlue

Have to admit that DCI Buckells' AC12 interview did remind me a bit of Jason Isaac's version for Sports Relief.

Arguably Isaac's had the more competent legal representation since there wasn't a peep out of Buckells' people. :pac:

Hollyworth

DeepBlue wrote: »

Have to admit that DCI Buckells' AC12 interview did remind me a bit of Jason Isaac's version for Sports Relief.

Arguably Isaac's had the more competent legal representation since there wasn't a peep out of Buckells' people. :pac:

The whole thing has come to resemble a Comic Relief sketch. Nothing but botched police convoys and Ted Hastings wheeling out his greatest hits catchphrases. My, how this show has fallen.

legrand

Looking for the great plot twist (or maybe not so great). Currently thinking Hastins is our man H. The folks in White Hall or wherever made to look like bad guys when they're just political sleevings. Am I alone on this one?


Not read back on previous posts for any such speculation.

Lockheed

At what point would it be more beneficial for the police to give up on all the other stuff and focus on vetting people who try to purchase black Range Rovers? Bit of a trope at this point

trashcan

legrand wrote: »

Looking for the great plot twist (or maybe not so great). Currently thinking Hastins is our man H. The folks in White Hall or wherever made to look like bad guys when they're just political sleevings. Am I alone on this one?


Not read back on previous posts for any such speculation.

You’re wrong in my view. Last series resolved that for me. Ted is clean.

On the comic relief sketch, I’d love to see Jason Isaacs as the main guest star for the next series. I think he’d be great.

Wallet Inspector

Ooh yes, Anna Maxwell Martin is superb as Carmichael. An absolute thundering weapon!

legrand

trashcan wrote: »

You’re wrong in my view. Last series resolved that for me. Ted is clean.

On the comic relief sketch, I’d love to see Jason Isaacs as the main guest star for the next series. I think he’d be great.

You could be right, but there were only 3 in Hastings office when they decided to spring the lawyer from jail. The logistics managed by the attackers of the van (suspending disbelief of course) was stunning and so assuming it was Hastings. Oh wait, maybe (gasp) it's Steve :-)

ohnonotgmail

DeepBlue wrote: »

Have to admit that DCI Buckells' AC12 interview did remind me a bit of Jason Isaac's version for Sports Relief.

Arguably Isaac's had the more competent legal representation since there wasn't a peep out of Buckells' people. :pac:

I love that Ted pockets the fiver at the end.

On season 3 rewatch here now.. brilliant scene at the end of the fourth ep where Dot is watching Lynsey Denton being released from prison on the news and then there’s about 25 mobile phones going off on poor Dot!!

Talisman

legrand wrote: »

You could be right, but there were only 3 in Hastings office when they decided to spring the lawyer from jail. The logistics managed by the attackers of the van (suspending disbelief of course) was stunning and so assuming it was Hastings. Oh wait, maybe (gasp) it's Steve :-)

I wonder if Steve may be Carmichael's victim this time.

Talisman

Kassandra Easy Preschool wrote: »

On season 3 rewatch here now.. brilliant scene at the end of the fourth ep where Dot is watching Lynsey Denton being released from prison on the news and then there’s about 25 mobile phones going off on poor Dot!!

That's a great scene alright.