Line of Duty fans wowed by thrilling finale which unmasks sinister Balaclava Man
Millions tuned in to see the murderer shot dead as he held a gun to a policeman’s head
LINE of Duty fans were left gobsmacked by its thrilling finale which unmasked the sinister Balaclava Man.
Millions tuned in to see the murderer shot dead as he held a gun to a policeman’s head.
Anti-corruption boss Ted Hastings takes the final shot, picking up a weapon after a police marksman is gunned down.
And in a stunning twist it is revealed Balaclava Man was in cahoots with cop chief Derek Hilton and lawyer Jimmy Lakewell.
Hilton is later found dead in an apparent suicide. Lakewell and detective Jamie Desford are arrested for trying to sneak out of the police HQ.
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Fans of the BBC1 drama also saw series villainess DCI Roz Huntley finally confess to killing forensics expert Tim Ifield.
She claimed it was an accident and was jailed for manslaughter instead of murder.
And in the last seconds, viewers are left wondering if AC-12 boss Hastings turns evil in the next series after he tells staff to remove him as a corruption suspect.
The show has kept the nation guessing for six episodes, pulling in an audience of around nine million.
Catherine Oakes gasped: “Good god I stopped breathing for a bit there. So damn tense”.
Staci Culbert added: “Wow #LineofDuty was a fantastic watch. Great acting, gripping and a fantastic conclusion. Cannot wait for the next series.”
Bring on the next twists
THANK God it is finally over so I can finally take a breath.
That was one of the most tense 60 minutes of TV I can remember.
From Roz Huntley’s confession, to Supt Ted Hastings’ knowing look at the end, this had it all.
It was inevitable that Balaclava Man was somehow linked to a bent copper. But including police chief Derek Hilton in that storyline was a masterstroke.
ACC Hilton’s “suicide” in the spot where the sex-ring whistleblower was also found beautifully links the previous series to this one, and tees up the next one perfectly.
Line of Duty’s brilliance lies in the lengthy scenes you would never see in other dramas.
The sequence where Roz (Thandie Newton) finally confessed, before turning on her own lawyer was my TV moment of 2017. And I’m glad the writers avoided a situation where a police officer was donning the balaclava.
The twist that newbie Jamie Desford and dodgy lawyer Jimmy Lakewell were involved was brilliant.
The stand-off in AC-12’s offices after Hilton was tipped off was unbelievably tense.
And in Ted shooting Balaclava Man it means his own past secrets remain exactly that for a while longer.
Writer Jed Mercurio’s love for killing off main characters had me squirming in my seat. But I’m glad they kept intact the anti-corruption holy trinity of Kate, Steve and Ted.
As the three earlier series showed, anything can happen to AC-12 and that’s the beauty of the show: Genuine unpredictability.
Martin Compston and Vicky McClure have made themselves the best duo on television and their performances mean awards must surely follow.
Roll on Series Five.