The revelation that bumbling/incompetent/inept Buckells was the fourth man at the centre of corruption in the police force left many feeling underwhelmed. There was no major twist, no running through the street with guns, no urgent exit required finish. Just the depressing revelation that corruption doesn t need masterminds or intelligence to succeed, it just needs morally corrupt idiots.
We ve already had Martin Compston address the finish, and Nigel Boyle (Ian Buckells himself) defend the understated conclusion. Now writer and creator Jed Mercurio has set out his defence for the show s climax.
In a Twitter thread, Mercurio acknowledged that he knew a down ending would divide opinion amongst fans. However he argues that audience research shows a far less extreme picture than what the vocal Twitter-sphere may have you believe.