MOTHER OF GOD THE LINE OF DUTY FINALE

[Ohdobequiet]

I don’t apologise for the caps lock. I’m so disappointed.

Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the wee donkey, what the hell was that ending?!

I was disappointed it wasn’t Lomax. he was so reminiscent of Dot that I had him down as a wrong un from the start!

I have several creative degrees with extensive knowledge of cultural criticism so presumably, I'm allowed to comment?

I didn't mind the conclusion in theory but the exposition was lacking. It was poorly paced and sequenced, there were glaring plot holes and it didn't compare to the previous series. It lacked police work and plot development and read like a series of set pieces.

I did like elements of it. The underpass swap was neat and satisfying and I liked Carmichael's subtle development as a character. It didn't need a fourth man and it makes sense that institutionalised corruption is just that. Buckells is fine as a reveal but it should have been show, not tell. It's hard to see him as the double life living corrupt officer, just because he's described as such in one poorly written interview. For a show that relies on close watching, there was no need to watch any of it. A 20 second statement to camera from Jed saying "Buckells was more instrumental than you thought. He's rich and was corrupt throughout his career. Slightly inept and lacking charisma, but he benefited from years working in a corrupt environment with bent senior officers from the top position down. Thank you for your time" would have done it.

Series 7:
Carmichael and Chloe gunning for Osbourne- possibly OCG corrupt, possibly personal, political, ambition corrupt at the expense of going after OCGs.
Steve dies because he hasn't got a gun.
Not sure about Kate- possibly working with Carmichael and Chloe.
Ted fighting his retirement.

Boom.

I tried to sleep on it to see if I felt any more positive about it today, but i don’t. Just feel deflated, mostly because if there isn’t a series 7 I can’t believe the previous five series lead up to that 😩

@MichaelBoltonsLeftLeg

I wonder how much they paid James Nesbitt to play a photograph on a computer screen.

I was thinking that, what was the point.

*MichaelBoltonsLeftLeg

I wonder how much they paid James Nesbitt to play a photograph on a computer screen.*

I wondered exactly the same thing! And I sat there wracking my brain thinking, has he appeared in previous series??? Did I miss something??? But I don't think he did, did he? Weird!

James nesbitt was never meant to actually be in it, it was because of a joke he made about wanting to be in it.

Did he get a credit at the end titles?

I actually liked it although I think it could have included a bit more excitement, Urgent Exit Required style. I was fine with Buckells and the overall message though, it worked for me.

One thing that doesn't work so well for me is the Jo Davidson storyline. I get she had a difficult upbringing but does that totally excuse all the bad choices she made such as luring Kate to her death? What would have happened if she hadn't done that, I was expecting she had a sister or something that they were threatening. I feel like we were supposed to feel like she earned her happy ending but I'm not sure.

Also, where's the idea this was the last series come from? I didn't see that announced, is it official? Considering how massively successful it's been I'd be surprised if they stopped now.

I think it just became a victim of its own success. As soon as they killed off Hilton (Paul Higgins), there wasn’t another logical option so they had to introduce the stupid morse code ‘oh there’s actually FOUR Hs’ and it just lost it. They also tried too hard to end every episode on a cliffhanger so the reveals were all shite and lost in the episode. Ryan’s whole character was built up over nine years then killed off for a cliffhanger and never explored further.

"Creator Jed Mercurio told Radio Times said: "We're in a situation where it's not entirely clear that there will be a seventh series.” “We would hope there could be. But we're having to do our planning coming out of Covid, and a whole bunch of other things around the idea that these things aren't guaranteed at all now.”

You never know. After the viewing figures LOD has had I would be surprised if there wasn't another series.

Caption this photo of a young Martin in Monarch of the Glen.

“Lexie! The boiler has broken again and all I can see is a pile of bent copper.”

@Winecheesesleep

I actually liked it although I think it could have included a bit more excitement, Urgent Exit Required style. I was fine with Buckells and the overall message though, it worked for me.

One thing that doesn't work so well for me is the Jo Davidson storyline. I get she had a difficult upbringing but does that totally excuse all the bad choices she made such as luring Kate to her death? What would have happened if she hadn't done that, I was expecting she had a sister or something that they were threatening. I feel like we were supposed to feel like she earned her happy ending but I'm not sure.

I thought that about Jo, but then perhaps if someone is still pulling the strings, maybe it was more of a thank you for not outing me and for your years of assisting. Just a random thought. I don't think they whipped up enough sympathy for her to think that ending would be pleasing to a lot of the audience.

And here’s the photo.

My degrees in creative subjects with extensive cultural criticism have taught me nothing also fine

I’ve always found that intelligence is a bit like wealth. When you have it - you don’t feel a need to point it out - or try to prove it.

@Alternista totally agree with you. Just rewatched it and damp squib is a great description. It might have been saved if the interrogation scene with Buckells had been better but it to me it all fell really flat.

@Carolduckingbaskin

My degrees in creative subjects with extensive cultural criticism have taught me nothing also fine

I’ve always found that intelligence is a bit like wealth. When you have it - you don’t feel a need to point it out - or try to prove it.

Quite

I agree it was a disappointing ending - and a bit of a disappointing season too.

Conceptually, I like the ending - corruption not just being big, evil deeds but also turning a blind eye for personal gain. Charmichael and the Chief Constable might not be criminal masterminds, but their attitude to letting police officers just do their job has a touch of the banality of evil to it.

What I didn't like was the constant change of focus across this season. First there was Nicholson fudging investigation into Vella; then there was Vella's journalism, then there was the Lawrence Christopher murder (which really came out of nowhere with a very long 'tell don't show' exposition from Chloe); then there was Nicholson plotting to kill Kate and Kate shooting Ryan Pilkington; then there was Nicholson's heritage and links to the OCG; then they identified Buckells from his bad spelling and it all petered out. The pacing was off, there were too many changes in plot direction and (for me at least) too many different strands to hold onto. It just felt like a confusing mess.

Also, as far as I could see, the OCG was no longer doing any meaningful organised crime. Killing cops and mucking with police investigations sure, but you don't do that for fun - it's supposed to be too enable criminal activity, but this series there wasn't any. Perhaps that was part of the point - that it was the washed up remnants of an organisation scrambling for personal gain, but it started to feel pretty circular.

I think covid might have played a part in how dull it was.

The entire H storyline has been poor so the resolution was bound to be weak as well. They should have had H be Hilton and left it at that. The OCG could still exist but there wouldn't have been any top dog to go after.

It jumped the shark when Kate went running after Dot at the end of series three. This season has had no mystery to it and season 5 was just six episodes of misdirection in having us think Hastings might be bent.

I don't want OTT gun fights. But LoD has introduced that sort of storytelling since the move to BBC1 and so to have the finale contain nothing like that doesn't fit.

@InvisibleDragon

I agree it was a disappointing ending - and a bit of a disappointing season too.

Conceptually, I like the ending - corruption not just being big, evil deeds but also turning a blind eye for personal gain. Charmichael and the Chief Constable might not be criminal masterminds, but their attitude to letting police officers just do their job has a touch of the banality of evil to it.

What I didn't like was the constant change of focus across this season. First there was Nicholson fudging investigation into Vella; then there was Vella's journalism, then there was the Lawrence Christopher murder (which really came out of nowhere with a very long 'tell don't show' exposition from Chloe); then there was Nicholson plotting to kill Kate and Kate shooting Ryan Pilkington; then there was Nicholson's heritage and links to the OCG; then they identified Buckells from his bad spelling and it all petered out. The pacing was off, there were too many changes in plot direction and (for me at least) too many different strands to hold onto. It just felt like a confusing mess.

Also, as far as I could see, the OCG was no longer doing any meaningful organised crime. Killing cops and mucking with police investigations sure, but you don't do that for fun - it's supposed to be too enable criminal activity, but this series there wasn't any. Perhaps that was part of the point - that it was the washed up remnants of an organisation scrambling for personal gain, but it started to feel pretty circular.

Who the hell is Nicholson? 😐

But that’s the thing, Buckles wasn’t the criminal mastermind.
No, and that's what made it convincing and realistic –if dispiriting.
Someone who is clever enough to shill for the OCG, but not clever enough to see how his story will end, is much more likely to be targeted and used by an OCG than a 'mastermind'. Not to mention much more likely to exist in the first place.
Those saying we watch LoD for entertainment/twists, not for social commentary, IMO that's half right –I love the entertainment, the chases etc. But the other half of it is realistically dull and frustrating –form-filling, adhering to correct procedure and being hamstrung by bureaucracy. The dull stuff is what makes it so compelling but simultaneously believable.

Nicholson 😂
I’ve just binged it and enjoyed watching but then I don’t have huge expectations which probably helps

@Neonprint

I've been having a few days where I feel like the world is full of thick people. The reactions to this aren't helping this feeling. Did everyone just want guns go big bang bang? And a daft plot twist of an ending?

The reactions to this really show why our political culture is so crap. People are looking for simple explanations of a bad guy when that's not how things are. I thought the ending was really good.

Also no wonder so much TV is so shit if people are just looking for the type of ending you're all up in arms about not getting. Just go and watch the Da vinci code or any number of ITV dramas for that shit.

Dear God Wind your academic neck in. Half of us on here have degrees it doesn't make you clever, just proves you can study to a certain level. Your sneering attitude is cringeworthy, amazed you even watch this type of TV.