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shallownessBodyguard episode 4
A relatively quieter episode, as some of the questions from the last episode were answered, but, mainly, more were raised. Julia died in surgery – I appreciated that it was shown in the family moment witnessed by David and then confirmed on TV.
I didn’t think that trying to make us think David was dead was a good move, as I flat-out didn’t believe they were going to kill both leads (and as we met him first and he’s the ‘bodyguard’ of the title, David Budd is the protagonist). This took me out of the moment to the Doylian perspective, tbh.
Having said that, David getting so low – the guilt and failure and inability to act on top of all his mental health issues – was believable and the fact that someone had removed the bullet was intriguing. Vicky really should have dragged him into the hospital for help, but it would have killed the drama dead, and I suppose you can argue she’s locked into a pattern of helping him cover his issues up. But dude, if you want your kids to avoid growing up without a father who has killed himself, er… That’s picky, I was mostly sympathetic towards her.
We followed the investigation – the forensics seemed slow. It’s still not actually confirmed that the bomb was in the briefcase. The fact that the briefcase had been handed to the suspected bomber by a SPAD came out, beautifully, with the Commander having to follow the evidence while keeping the friendlier-to-the-police acting Home Sec on side. We got to see that that gentleman was in on it, but that ‘it’ was typical political skulduggery, not bombing.
Nobody seems to be thinking through the fact that the fact that the security service has dirt on the PM could mean other international organisations could have it too. Or that that dirt makes him an inappropriate head of government. Not that I’m in favour of how Montague got the information on him or what she did with it. (And in the previouslies, that offer to David to become her boyfriend publicly when she was manoeuvring to be PM rings false.) Granted, few people know all this.
David was under suspicion, and most heavily under the cosh because he inspected the fateful (or was it?) suitcase, but he needed something to do (I had notes on the interview with Nadiya and I’m not a trained interrogator) so he ran his own investigation.
We and that sergeant are left to ponder his theory that it was the security services, and it’s all a linked conspiracy. I tend to think no. Hiding their trail in giving Montague the tablet (which David read) – that’s them. Building two bombs and setting up the assassination attempt – it seems a lot of really cold-blooded work to get more power than the police. And they thought they were controlling Montague until she went to the PM.
They have been given the fewest dimensions – they’re just oily.
It feels as if it’s more about Montague – the motivations that drove ‘Adrian Smith’ and churned up David, rather than terrorism. The question of how they got the bomb to the college seems crucial.
I don’t know if the answers will hold up. But this episode was literally less explosive, if still gripping, but it did lead to hole-picking (eg IF the aide who was blown up was a Muslim, Mr Posh Spad, I don’t think you’d have ‘patched things up’ over a pint or two) about the writing.
Still, Richard Madden is living up to all the close-ups he’s getting, showing Budd’s distress.
A relatively quieter episode, as some of the questions from the last episode were answered, but, mainly, more were raised. Julia died in surgery – I appreciated that it was shown in the family moment witnessed by David and then confirmed on TV.
I didn’t think that trying to make us think David was dead was a good move, as I flat-out didn’t believe they were going to kill both leads (and as we met him first and he’s the ‘bodyguard’ of the title, David Budd is the protagonist). This took me out of the moment to the Doylian perspective, tbh.
Having said that, David getting so low – the guilt and failure and inability to act on top of all his mental health issues – was believable and the fact that someone had removed the bullet was intriguing. Vicky really should have dragged him into the hospital for help, but it would have killed the drama dead, and I suppose you can argue she’s locked into a pattern of helping him cover his issues up. But dude, if you want your kids to avoid growing up without a father who has killed himself, er… That’s picky, I was mostly sympathetic towards her.
We followed the investigation – the forensics seemed slow. It’s still not actually confirmed that the bomb was in the briefcase. The fact that the briefcase had been handed to the suspected bomber by a SPAD came out, beautifully, with the Commander having to follow the evidence while keeping the friendlier-to-the-police acting Home Sec on side. We got to see that that gentleman was in on it, but that ‘it’ was typical political skulduggery, not bombing.
Nobody seems to be thinking through the fact that the fact that the security service has dirt on the PM could mean other international organisations could have it too. Or that that dirt makes him an inappropriate head of government. Not that I’m in favour of how Montague got the information on him or what she did with it. (And in the previouslies, that offer to David to become her boyfriend publicly when she was manoeuvring to be PM rings false.) Granted, few people know all this.
David was under suspicion, and most heavily under the cosh because he inspected the fateful (or was it?) suitcase, but he needed something to do (I had notes on the interview with Nadiya and I’m not a trained interrogator) so he ran his own investigation.
We and that sergeant are left to ponder his theory that it was the security services, and it’s all a linked conspiracy. I tend to think no. Hiding their trail in giving Montague the tablet (which David read) – that’s them. Building two bombs and setting up the assassination attempt – it seems a lot of really cold-blooded work to get more power than the police. And they thought they were controlling Montague until she went to the PM.
They have been given the fewest dimensions – they’re just oily.
It feels as if it’s more about Montague – the motivations that drove ‘Adrian Smith’ and churned up David, rather than terrorism. The question of how they got the bomb to the college seems crucial.
I don’t know if the answers will hold up. But this episode was literally less explosive, if still gripping, but it did lead to hole-picking (eg IF the aide who was blown up was a Muslim, Mr Posh Spad, I don’t think you’d have ‘patched things up’ over a pint or two) about the writing.
Still, Richard Madden is living up to all the close-ups he’s getting, showing Budd’s distress.
