It was the morning after the slit throat night before, and we found DCI Gates - last seen bashed on the floor - miraculously intact, designer glasses unbent, and happening upon the scene as if passing, literally and metaphorically just about back on his feet, one besmirched whiskey glass withstanding.
Arnott loses his cool
Any fear there might have been that Anti-Corruption DS Arnott would not be a worthy adversary to Gates proved unfounded. Arnott was like a small dog, climbing over fences, breaking into cars in the police car park... he was a cartoon cop, comically unsubtle, even losing his rag in one of those tousled-suit moments.
He and Gates were like two butting goats, each circling each other, goading each other into a mistake... promptly made by both. Their exhibitionism was set against the more subtle manoeuvrings of Fleming (the wide-eyed Vicky McClure), but all three may yet come undone by unrelated events, and I think it'll be a race to the end to see which of them throws in the towel first.
Gates still has his wife's support - for now
What this episode, the third one of five, proved, was that crimes being uncovered, both in and outside the force, evidently have less to do with Columbo type policing, and more to do with a whole load of luck, as well as the ability to dance a gavotte around the quagmire of paperwork cluttering up the process, whether or not you happen to be "an officer from the south" as his boss all too delicately, and repeatedly, described Gates.
Last night's episode just left me with four questions...
Exactly how difficult is it to get rid of a glass? Not exactly a body, or a car, is it?
What exactly has Neil Morrissey done to warrant the 'AND Neil Morrissey' in the credits? Apart from donning a cane...
How long can Gina McKee stay in her captors' fridge? It was weird last night. McKee had been rubbish in both the previous episodes, but I kind of missed her.
Can I borrow Rita's line please, her of the police civilian status in the office? She tells Arnott, "My union protects me from talking to you, lest it cause me undue stress and anxiety."
Now that's a stock response I wish I could roll out whenever needed.
Line of Duty continues at 9pm on Tuesday BBC2. Pics below...
