‘Line of Duty’ Recap: ‘Season 2, Episode 5’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM. YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

When we last settled in to discuss the wonder that is Line of Duty, the situation was quite grim. For DI Lindsay Denton was in the custody of some crooked cops and AC-12 had uncovered the fact that DCC Dryden was involved some horrible and shady dealings, the kind that might include some unthinkable acts. Truly making it seem as though the next episode in this fascinating series was going to focus heavily on dark and dreary moments. The kind that would rob the audience of any hope for a happy or satisfying ending since it seemed impossible that Linsday was going to survive and that the odds were in Dryden’s favor, that he would find a way to quietly walk away from the charges he would soon be facing. Elements that were reinforced by the opening moments of the next episode in this tale.
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For this story immediately picked up with Lindsay and her kidnappers arriving in an abandoned parking garage. Which just so happens to be the perfect place to handle illegal business without prying eyes and once the torture got underway, it truly seemed as though there was no hope for Lindsay in the slightest, something that only help Dryden’s cause. But a little arrogance and infighting from her attackers, and perfect timing on her part, led to quite the surprise. For she was able to turn the tables on the last officer standing and garner a recorded confession from him that implicated Dryden at last and more or less cleared her name, and that brought about some happier days for DI Denton, which made for a nice break from the clouds hanging over this story.

Because her efforts to put corrupt cops away, landed her bail, and she was able to return home at last and enjoy some semblance of peace and comfort. And she clearly won over DS Arnott since he took the time to show her kindness and respect, something she hasn’t seen in quite some time. But while it was nice to see a little joy injected into the story, it was merely there to give us a moment to breathe before the heavy stuff got underway. For the survivor of Lindsay’s retribution, DS Manish Prasad, was pulling the immunity card, meaning that AC-12 was going to have to play hardball with DCC Dryden and that was a tough pill for Hastings to swallow. Because this was his chance to rise through the ranks and enjoy the benefits that come with that. But glory isn’t what drives Hastings, doing what’s right is what gets him up in the morning and that motivated him to let his team do their thing and well, that led to one powerful sequence of events.

For a search of Prasad’s vehicle revealed some incriminating and horrific photos, the kind that finally allowed for AC-12 to pull the trigger and bring Dryden in, something he refused to do peacefully. Which means a high-ranking officer was arrested and his troubles didn’t end there. Because the interrogation not only revealed that Denton was telling the truth about their affair, but also that Dryden was big on infidelity and abusing his position of power. But while that alone is nothing new from men like Dryden, nor is it horrifying in the slightest, it’s what the photos showed that truly made this an uncomfortable and disgusting sequence. Because AC-12 discovered that Mike Dryden, a middle-aged and married man, had sexual relations with fifteen-year old Carly Kirk and it would also seem that he ordered her death to keep the abuse of a child and his illegal activities quiet and that is about as awful as it gets. 

But while that scene makes one squirm in their seat, and ends this story on a dark note, there is some positivity to be found in this discovery. For the man that is responsible for Carly’s death is finally in custody, and Dryden will likely be going away for the rest of his life for this heinous crime. And at long last, Carly’s parents will find some closure as well since justice for their daughter will finally be served. If anything, this was quite the powerful tale. One that definitely provided the audience with sobering moments that stay with you long after this one has come to an end. But while it is wonderful to see some progress in this mess, the big pieces of the puzzle still remain unsolved. For all of the players in this grand conspiracy have yet to be revealed, and we still don’t know if Dryden gave the order to kill Akers and Tommy, and it should be interesting to see what other horrible truths await us down the line. Until next time.

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