This review contains spoilers
I wouldn't like to be DS Arnott right now.
As we come pelting towards the final episode, everything has started coming to a head for the main characters of Line of Duty. Arnott is uncomfortably close to the truth, DCI Gates' world is the tiniest nudge away from crashing down completely, DC Fleming has revealed herself to be AC-12 after taking a smack to the face by DC Morton's cane (in full view of other officers), and DS Cottan has told AC-12 that Gates gave the order for him and Deepak to abandon their posts for 10 minutes towards the beginning of the series, during which two murders happened.
Before I go any further, however, I want to register just how much I'm hoping that the despicable excuse for a child that keeps cropping up gets more punishment than he got at the end of this episode. Seriously. I'm not sure I've ever hated and had so much anger towards a character in any TV show or film before. Not even Joffrey. Joffrey might be a sadistic bastard, but he lives in a fantasy world. This kid is set in a realistic drama in Britain, and I have never wanted someone to pay so badly. If this is the intention, then the young actor playing him deserves a BAFTA, because I can feel my hatred rising with each minute he's on screen. To me, he's the real villain of the show. Why isn't he in school? I bet he took part in the London riots. Absolute scumbag. I hope his trial takes place in the adult court at the end of the series. Harry Potter was tried in an adult court for the tiniest use of magic, so this cretin certainly should be. When people talk about youngsters having no respect today, this is the sort of person they mean, times infinity. The plot of the show should have been refocused to focusing the police's efforts on gathering evidence to arrest this kid, rather than anything else. In many ways, if he doesn't suffer serious, serious consequences at the end of the series, I'm going to be majorly annoyed. He'd better not die, either, because that's no form of punishment. He needs to atone for his appalling attitude, and lack of respect to the rest of the human race. I would allow Gates to resign quietly and without fuss if it guaranteed this kid saw his punishment. They've only got an hour to do it however, so they'd better gather some evidence quickly. The way he and his other cretinous companions treat the poor chap with clear disabilities is one of the most disgraceful acts that someone can do, and I can feel the fury building within me at the thought of it even now. I can remember those ridiculous public petitions to free Deirdre from prison in Coronation Street all those years ago; where were the petitions to have this piece of sputum locked away?
Yes, yes, I know he's got a shitty home life, and I know that's the reason, and in real life I'm a very, very sympathetic person to this sort of case, but this is a television show so I'm allowed not to care about that.
In less important matters, the acting is the strongest that I've seen it all season. I need to single Neil Morrissey out for particular praise here, because I think he gives the strongest performance of all the cast in this episode. I still know him only as Tony from Men Behaving Badly, so to see him in this sort of role ups my respect for him as an actor (which was already very high) even further. It's almost unfair to single anyone else in the cast out lest it seem like the others aren't up to scratch, but Lennie James particularly has been giving an award-winning performance week in week out. His conflict and increasing despair and panic as the series has gone on has been a particular highlight. I don't know what awards (if any) the show won, but it deserves them all.
Line of Duty is speeding towards its climax, following an episode full of huge moments in the lives of all the characters, and it's going to be a sad but terrific buzz when it finishes. As I've already seen Series 2, they really, really need to hurry up and get Series 3 and 4 finished and broadcast!
Below are spoilers for Series 2
I don't for a minute believe that Gates gave Dot the order to leave early. Knowing a very small hint of what happens at the end of this series with regards to Dot's storyline, I'm fairly positive that he made the call himself because he's in on this gang's drug-related activities, in his role as 'The Caddy' (or whatever the codename was). I'll be very surprised if it's anything different, but then it'll be a pleasant surprise.
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