THE A TO H OF LINE OF DUTY | FEATURE
Mother of God! Just a few episodes into series six and this show is taking over our lives. We all have so many unanswered questions – most importantly, the mystery identity of the final ‘H’. Until we find out who that person is, here’s a trip down memory lane – the A-H of Line Of Duty, as seen by Tonicha Luffman.
A – ARNOTT
Fan favourite DS Steve Arnott [pictured, below] has left many viewers concerned for his health since the start of the sixth series. Previously – series four – he was pushed down several flights of stairs by a balaclava-clad man at the corporate offices of Webber & Barratt Partners LLP, and left for dead. On being discharged from hospital, Arnott struggled to look after himself, undergoing rehabilitation therapy but suffering with pain and injuries to this day.
He has since been seen taking painkillers, sometimes washed down with a bottle of beer. Suffice to say Arnott is in a different place mentally since we first met him, and it looks like things aren’t getting much better.
B – BUCKELLS
Ian Buckells is a Detective Superintendent in Central Police, and has appeared in series one, four and six. The character, rather than being the main focus at any point, is one of those that is always there, without having any deeper relevance… or does he?
He’s the sort of police officer that makes a few mistakes, but never gets punished for it. It has made me ponder how he got the role of Superintendent in the first place; and the paradox of him being a background character, yet consistently mentioned. Is there something that we, the viewers, aren’t seeing? What is he trying to hide, I wonder? Could Buckells even be the missing H everybody is looking for?
C – CADDY
The Caddy, aka Craig Parkinson aka Dot, was the corrupt police officer who made life hell for everyone at AC-12 for the first three series. He got the codename ‘The Caddy’ as he became known as the golf bag carrier for Tommy Hunter, local gangster and leader of a clandestine organised crime syndicate, when he was a kid.
Parkinson became the first of the four Hs to be identified. We all found out that he was passing on messages to organised crime groups, but he wasn’t caught until the end of the third series, which gave us that epic “urgent exit required” scene.
D – DENTON
We first met Lindsay Denton in series 2, where she was AC-12’s prime suspect. Detective Inspector Kate Fleming worked out that Denton was undercover, and hatched a plan to catch her. As the series goes on, her life gets considerably worse: she is framed for assassination, assaulted whilst in prison and lost her mother. Finally, after refusing to except a bribe, The Caddy murdered her in a dramatic final scene.
E – ENDING MUSIC
Line Of Duty has one of the most recognisable theme songs from any British drama. When you hear it, you know that particular episode is ending, and it can trigger memories of so many iconic scenes from past series. Who could forget the epic moment the theme kicked in at the moment of Superintendent Ted Hastings being arrested? Like EastEnders’ famous “duff duff”, it invariably leaves you on a cliff hanger. It’s the perfect theme song for a police drama like this, just perfect.
F – FLEMING
The question on everyone’s lips: why did Kate Fleming leave AC-12? An unexpected twist in the first episode of season six saw DI Fleming appear to leave the AC-12 unit to work for another team. Arnott revealed that Kate left after suspicions of their boss, DSI Hastings, being the final H – but both Arnott and Hastings are still working for AC-12.
Lots of viewers are already speculating an affair between Fleming and newbie Joanne Davidson [both pictured, top]. We previously found out that Davidson and Sergeant Farida Jatri were in a relationship, breaking up prior to the beginning of series six. It seems Davidson is trying – or hoping – to hook up with Fleming; or is she trying to get on her good side to mask something corrupt? Maybe Fleming is undercover again (she has done that before), trying to understand what’s going on with Buckells and Davidson.
G – GATES
Going back to the beginning now, let’s retrace our memories to Tony Gates: the first policeman to go rogue, and the main subject of investigation in series one. First seen as the Detective Chief Inspector in Central Police, Gates worked his way up the ranks, becoming leader of the TO-20 – a serious crime unit of Central Police, closed down after the first series.
He realised the only way to protect his family was to die in the line of duty. That’s what happens when you keep covering things up. Everything comes out in the end.
H
Now on to arguably the biggest and most important – yet, to date, anonymous – character: the identity of the fourth and final ‘H’, the codename for the proverbial dirty cop(s) in the LOD universe. There have been so many theories as to who it could be; a few have particularly turned my head over the years.
Throughout the fifth series, there were subtle hints that Superintendent Ted Hastings could be the true identity of H. Arrested, though later released after it was revealed lawyer Gill Biggeloe set him up, Hastings is currently on his final written warning. With that in mind, it seems overly obvious that it was Hastings all along. I’m not too convinced.
Another intriguing theory is Steve Arnott as H. It’s speculated, certainly, that Steve may not be exactly who he says he is. He could have a whole new identity, and his name is actually spelt Stephen – with an H. The missing character: the H everyone is trying to find. The more I think about this theory though, the less I believe it. But it is still an option – for now.
As noted above, Ian Buckells is a sidelined character lacking a strong purpose in the show. The theory that he is behind the hidden identity of H is a tempting one. DSI Davidson has thrown Buckells under the bus, further demanding his house be raided, and at the time of writing I am convinced that he is H. But we WILL find out soon.
The next episode of Line Of Duty Series 6 is on Sun 18 Apr at 9pm. Info: here
words TONICHA LUFFMAN photos STEFFAN HILL