Line Of Duty – who’s guilty and who’s heading for tragedy explained

Line of Duty’s latest episode had 13 million viewers on the edge of their sofas as the BBC1 crime thriller really ramped up the action.

The suspects have been stacking up as anti-corruption team AC-12 tries to weed out bent coppers from the police force investigating a murder.

In the latest shocking cliffhanger, it was revealed that DCI Jo Davidson (Kelly Macdonald) is a blood relative of someone found on the police DNA database.

Meanwhile, threats were made and a ‘rat’ killed off by the terrifying OCG.

We also saw Supt Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar) face up to a bleak future and blundering DSU Ian Buckells (Nigel Boyle) interrogated.

Mother of God we’re confused.

With conspiracy theories firing up social media, we dig into the case to bring you our most burning questions.

Who is Jo Davidson’s DNA match?

In the dramatic cliffhanger, DS Steve Arnott (Martin Compston) showed his AC-12 gaffer Supt Ted Hastings a Very Important File.

After a second, more forensic search at Farida’s flat, DNA samples were found belonging to DCI Jo Davidson. This is no surprise as she’d been living there.

But hang on, DC Chloe Bishop (Shalom Brune-Franklin) had her confused face on.

The same DNA matched someone else on the police database, meaning this person must be Jo’s blood relative. But who are they?

As Hastings turned the page to see the new identity, the photo looked like Jo – does she have a twin? Or is this person her mother or sibling?

This must connect to the family photo she threw a glass of wine at in a rage. And this must be who or what the OCG has on her. But is the relative a criminal or victim?

Is Buckells bluffing?

DSU Ian Buckells (Nigel Boyle) is either a blundering buffoon or as bent as they come.

Under interrogation by AC-12, Buckells did a sterling job of claiming to have absolutely no idea what’s going on.

He denied and then admitted to a fling with a witness, but said it was “yonks ago”.

But did you notice, when AC-12 brought up his call and email history, there were mentions of DCI Tony Gates and TO-20, the bent cop and police division scrutinised back in series one.

Carefully placed clue or clever continuity?

Buckells delayed getting police to Terry’s flat. Dense or “decision dodger”?

Surveillance was accidentally removed for three hours, but Buckells said he was being scapegoated.

A friend of criminal Ryan? He said he’d never met him before. Gail Vella files in his boot? “It’s a fit up!”

The gormless copper looked out of his depth and Steve said, “He couldn’t organise a p*** up in a brewery.” But Kate thinks that’s his cover. Who is right?

What will happen to Ted Hastings and AC-12?

You follow the letter of the law, you dedicate your career to fighting police corruption, and do you get any thanks for being a stand-up fella? Hell no!

Poor old Ted went to visit top brass Tweedledee and Tweedledum, only to be told that he’s heading for the chop.

“No one wants to be vindictive here, you’ve done your 30 years,” said DCC Andrea Wise (Elizabeth Rider), while telling Hastings to retire and avoid disciplinary action.

We also discovered the force is planning to let a whopping 90% of AC-12 go, forced to reapply for other positions, while the team is merged.

Is this the end of AC-12 as we know it? Will corruption take hold?

Or if the top cops are actually bent and keeping Hastings off the scent, could there be an 11th hour save?

And as a crushed Hastings says: “When did we stop caring about honesty and integrity?”

Will Kate go back to the team?

They came for Hastings in series five, and while he survived being framed, clearly things were never the same again.

We now know the reason DI Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure) jumped ship from AC-12 to MIT (Murder Investigations Team) was because her gaffer was suspected of being ‘H’, one of four corrupt senior police officers working for the OCG.

“I know the displinary against me was definitely a factor. It put you and Steve in a really difficult position,” said Hastings to Kate in the team’s favourite dank underpass.

“Yeah, I’m not gonna lie,” agreed Kate, who also told Steve she was best off out of AC-12 and now realises most coppers are “normal, decent”.

Does she really believe this? She helped Jo by giving the heads up that Ryan was spying on her, so is Kate playing super undercover double agent or has she momentarily lost her bent copper rader?

We need Kate back on AC-12 so that Steve doesn’t leave and our fave duo is back.

What did Jimmy Lakewell know about the OCG?

No sooner has Steve found a way to crack open the OCG, than Jimmy Lakewell (Patrick Baladi) is killed off for being a rat.

It was revealed that the voice on Gail Vella’s audio file, a man being interviewed about police corruption, was Jimmy, a lawyer from series four who defended Roz Huntley (Thandie Newton) and her husband.

Lakewell was imprisoned after he was revealed to have been one of the attackers collectively nicknamed “the Balaclava Man” and involved with the OCG.

After Steve headed up a daring operation to break Jimmy out of jail, and they survived a car chase and gunshots, Steve hoped Jimmy would spill the beans.

What was the racist element of corruption Jimmy mentioned to Gail? What was she looking into? Who tipped off the prisoners about the operation and ordered Jimmy dead? Or did the leak come from AC-12?

And surely that shoot-out was no good for Steve’s bad back?

Is there something fishy about DS Chris Lomax?

DS Chris Lomax (Perry Fitzpatrick) is now giving off major Caddy vibes.

Just like bent copper ‘Dot’ Cottan, he’s always there like a silent assassin.. chewing his pen, taking all the calls, quietly getting stuck into absolutely everything in the background.

Buckells pointed out that it was Lomax, along with Jo Davidson, who interviewed the dodgy witness Deborah who framed Terry Boyle. Why didn’t he background check her?

Lomax also keeps pointing out the armed robbery links to the case and is heavily involved in hunting these “untraceable weapons”.

Conscientious cop or man on the inside? Place your bets now.

Who is least likely to make it past episode five?

Everyone needs to watch their backs now – the OCG is on pest control, killing off rats.

Farida has already had her wrist broken by a dodgy prison warden, the same one who burnt Lindsay Denton’s (Keeley Hawes) hands in series two. She’s been silenced, but certainly isn’t safe.

Meanwhile, Buckells could only look on as Jimmy was brought into his prison cell and strangled to death in front of him. “You watch what happens to a rat,” said the killer.

Buckells had better eat his porridge with his eyes and ears open.

Steve is definitely in danger, not only because he’s a straight-down-the-line anti-corruption cop and therefore a major threat to the OCG, but also because he’s popping painkillers like Smarties and we’re worried he’ll overdose.

But surely the most at risk is Jo, who just had a gun pointed at the back of her head by corrupt PC Ryan Pilkington (Gregory Piper).

Having clearly tampered with the evidence at Farida’s flat (did she mess with the DNA sample?), she tapped on her laptop: “All under control now. Job done. I’m finished” and threw her laptop on the floor.

We have a feeling that won’t go down well with the OCG, and murderous Ryan said he will not be posted off her team.

She’s under threat, she’s pushed Kate away, she may as well have a target on her forehead.

*Line of Duty continues Sundays, BBC1, 9pm.

Originally from https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/line-duty-whos-guilty-whos-23895492