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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to not have a clue what is going on in Line of Duty? **SPOILERS, PROBABLY **

93 replies

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 17/04/2021 18:42

I've watched every episode, from "Oops" to "Mother o' God!"

I would say my level of understanding is roughly that of a dog watching a game of tennis - I have a hazy grasp of, say, Ball! Humans throwing! Exciting! Maybe some sort of game...? but if I tried to join in on the telly addicts thread, I would just be running around yapping and getting underfoot, while they waited for me to go away.

I can't be the only one, surely? And are there any kind and patient MNers out there who can explain to me (ideally as though I'm four) I'm how everyone is seemingly connected to everyone else? (I do know who Ryan is, and Terry, and James Lakewell - but in his case only because I googled him. I can't remember anything about the people he was in cahoots with).

In particular:

That woman Steve had a sleepover with - where did she get the money and why did Steve know to go looking for it?
How does she know Ted again? And Steve?
Is she a goodie or a baddie?
Why are they (the OCG I guess?) bothering to frame Terry?
Who in the police is a baddie? (apart from Ryan, who I have cunningly sussed out)

Feel free to join me if you are also clueless and ashamed.

OP posts:
Original poster
JesusInTheCabbageVan · 17/04/2021 20:27

[quote FourWordsImMuNiTy]I think this must be about the tenth time I’ve posted this link but it’s perennially helpful.

[/quote] I cannot emphasise enough how helpful this is! Seriously, thank you -going to watch it before every new episode I think.
OP posts:
minou123 · 17/04/2021 20:30

FOJN
I think the HMRC questioning the 50K is odd.
How do they know about it when its stashed in her attic?
My thoughts exactly. I think John had an account for his substantial OCG earnings and that is what HMRC are interested in.

There are a number of reasons behind HMRC asking questions. It is quite likely and happens in real life.

The most obvious thing that comes to me is HMRC powers under Proceeds Of Crime Act 2002. HMRC can, and do, seize money and assets from people who have earned money from crime. Usually once they have been convicted, but there are powers to seize money even if there hasn't been a conviction.

So, John Corbett did engage in criminal activity and did earn money. He died before he was convicted, but this wont stop HMRC. HMRC will be asking questions to see if there is any money or assets, such as the house, that came from crime.

I'm not sure if they asked about the £50k specifically, but it makes sense they are asking if any money/assets comes from crime.

HMRC are pretty successful at freezing Bank accounts and taking assets, so it is something to be concerned about.

scully29 · 17/04/2021 20:33

Don't just watch the recap though watch the whole lot from the start its too good not too!

Original poster
JesusInTheCabbageVan · 17/04/2021 20:46

@scully29 I want to!! When it comes to box sets though, DH and I are fundamentally incompatible 😬

OP posts:
Blueberrymuffin40 · 17/04/2021 21:36

Sounds like you need to re watch it. I don't get how you say you've watched it from the beginning but don't have a clue what's going on Hmm

Creamcustards · 17/04/2021 21:40

Oh I love this thread! I have a few questions if I may - did we ever figure out what was going on with Hastings last series? Dodgy shenanegans with a laptop if i recall? How was he framed and how do we now know he’s a good guy again?

FourWordsImMuNiTy · 17/04/2021 21:42

I got called in for a random income tax audit once and the staff member got briefly very excited about me apparently having too much money coming in from unexplained sources. She thought for one lovely moment that she’d caught a money launderer. Sadly I dashed her dreams by pointing out that she’d double counted the money that had been transferred from one savings account to another one. But it shows that they do keep an eye out for this stuff if you come to their notice for other things.

minou123 · 17/04/2021 21:51

@Creamcustards

Oh I love this thread! I have a few questions if I may - did we ever figure out what was going on with Hastings last series? Dodgy shenanegans with a laptop if i recall? How was he framed and how do we now know he’s a good guy again?
Not really.

His explanation about getting rid of his laptop was weak. He said he got rid of it because it had porn on it. Which is a bit of a feeble excuse.

He got a final written warning for accepting the money.

The frame stemmed from Gill Biggaloe, the lawyer for the police. She wound up John Corbett and told him Ted was H. Then she also stole hair from Ted's hair brush and planted it in the crime scene.
But in the final scene you saw it all came out and Gill admitted she was part of the OCG.
She tried to send a "Urgent Emergency Exit" text, like Cotton did, but noone came. But the young female police officer from AC 9 tried to kill her in the toilets.

FOJN · 17/04/2021 21:54

He was framed by the actions of Gill Biggeloe and Mark Moffatt. I think there were plenty of question marks left about whether he's one of the good guys. I think we are supposed to assume he is because he was set up but I'm keeping an open mind. I wonder if his misspelling of definitely (definately) will crop up again.

BashfulClam · 17/04/2021 21:56

@FOJN In season 5 we were told that John was taken off the police payroll when he went undercover but he was living in a flat and clearly his wife had an income, where was the money coming from? I'm assuming proceeds of crime as John was clearly earning money through OCG activities. I think the Ted with a brown envelope is a red herring and I don't think he was ever given 100K, I think Mark Moffatt double crossed Gill Biggeloe and kept some for himself

They have spoken about the money though in this series where she has said HMRC are asking questions about the money she has. The brown envelope was also in her loft.

Whereisthewarmth · 17/04/2021 22:01

Same op, I'm clinging onto sense by my finger nails...

But I'm more of a faces person than names!

FOJN · 17/04/2021 22:03

They have spoken about the money though in this series where she has said HMRC are asking questions about the money she has. The brown envelope was also in her loft.

There is a brown envelope in her loft, we don't know for certain where it or the money in it came from. There were enough seeds planted for us to conclude it came from Ted but no actual hard evidence that this was actually the case. I wonder if Steve noted down any serial numbers? If she had unexplained funds from John's OCG earnings then HMRC would be interested in that too. There could be a number of reasons she has discussed it with Ted, all of them would be about concealing dirty money.

TheZeppo · 17/04/2021 22:11

Someone mentioned earlier that if you ask Alexa who Jo Davidson’s relative is, she gives you a clue?! I don’t have an Alexa! What’s the clue please?!

amusedbush · 17/04/2021 22:20

I used the Alexa app - this is her hint about Jo Davidson Grin

AIBU to not have a clue what is going on in Line of Duty? **SPOILERS, PROBABLY **
colouringindoors · 17/04/2021 22:27

You need to hop onto the LoD thread in Telly Addicts - v helpful with the complicated plot and links to other Series - no way I'd know what was going on without it!

Creamcustards · 17/04/2021 22:32

Thanks 🙏

GrandmasNightgown · 17/04/2021 22:40

He was taken off the police payroll because he was undercover, but he was still a police officer carrying out his duties (until the broke contact). So they may have been paying him somehow until then at least (perhaps to spouse, who OCG should not have known existed) and he'd have been accruing his pension. I don't think he'd been sacked before he was murdered, so death in service payouts could still have happened.

He managed some contact with his wife, and probably did have OCG dosh too, so the money in the attic could have come from him (we never saw explicitly what Hastings did)

Could be important, could be red herring. But I doubt HMRC would be much interested in family assets of what to them would be a serving police officer.

It all came out later, and OCG knew he was a Rat, so they wouldn't be supporting his widow, would they? But would they leave her be?

Wellshellsbells · 17/04/2021 22:52

I rewatched them whole 5 series last week because I hadn’t a clue what was happening.I had to ask my cousin who the young police officer was that kate recognised!There’s so many characters and so much happening with such large gaps between seasons or else I’m just a dope!

TheZeppo · 17/04/2021 22:53

Thank you @amusedbush

But I’m not thanking Alexa 🤣

SmokedDuck · 17/04/2021 23:16

@Blueberrymuffin40

Sounds like you need to re watch it. I don't get how you say you've watched it from the beginning but don't have a clue what's going on Hmm
I've become increasingly mixed up, and I generally like complex plots. Part is the time between series I imagine, but I tend to think that when so many people are mixed up it suggests a problem in the show.

One thing I've noticed with CoD particularly is I start to lose track of names and so when things are referenced they don't get attached, mentally to the right set of facts. Then they aren't there in my brain to make connections with later. My sense is that this is common, for many people they remember characters by their faces more than names, especially when there are a lot of them. I think visual media have to be careful to make sure viewers have the two cemented together pretty well if they will be referenced after they are no longer a physical presence in the story, or give clues to jog the memory within the narrative.

metellaestinatrio · 18/04/2021 07:53

@Blueberrymuffin40

Sounds like you need to re watch it. I don't get how you say you've watched it from the beginning but don't have a clue what's going on Hmm
It’s ten years since the first series! I’ve had three children in that time! If you don’t have time to rewatch each series to remind yourself what happened it can be hard to keep up. I have a broad overview but definitely forget the little details that provide the clues.

@FourWordsImMuNiTy that summary is brilliant, thank you!

Original poster
JesusInTheCabbageVan · 18/04/2021 09:11

@Blueberrymuffin40

Sounds like you need to re watch it. I don't get how you say you've watched it from the beginning but don't have a clue what's going on Hmm
Because. It's. Complicated!

I don't get how you've read this thread from the beginning but don't have a clue why some of us are confused...(Hmm)

OP posts:
Cottagepieandpeas · 18/04/2021 09:27

@FourWordsImMuNiTy
That You Tube video is bloody brilliant !

MazekeenSmith · 18/04/2021 09:34

I've only just started watching it and watched all 5.5 series in 2 weeks which is why I'm following the long plots but if I hadn't I would be totally lost!

Cottagepieandpeas · 18/04/2021 09:36

I think 🤔 it must be the mark of a good series if people love it even when they’re not sure what’s going on!

@minou123 I’m sure people have spreadsheets and mind maps!

I can’t wait for tonight. I spend all week looking forward to it Grin