The show creators are going into incredible detail for series 6
Series five of Line of Duty wasn't good for Ted Hastings. With the OCG sick and tired of AC-12 digging into their business, they turned their attention to framing Hastings as the illusive 'H', or at least part of a network of dirty cops. The show did well to convince a lot of viewers that he, the man hellbent on 'nicking bent coppers' could be the villain all along too. Takes one to know one, right?
As it panned out, Steve and Kate got to the bottom of it, as they always do, and Hastings was able to return to his role as superintendent of the anti-corruption unit, but he did not emerge from the investigation unscathed. Mud sticks, and it's clear from the first instalment of series 6 that his colleagues are trying to edge him out slowly, excluding him from meetings and so on.
And it appears as though that will be an ongoing theme throughout the series, if this easter egg some eagle eyed viewers picked up on is anything to go by.
You might remember the magazine cover seen in Sunday night's episode with murdered journalist Gail Vella on the front cover. The magazine displayed a QR code, the type you can using your phone camera, which takes you to an online link.
Some inquisitive viewers decided to scan the code and discovered that it revealed a Google Drive folder containing documents regarding Ted Hastings and Steve Arnott.
The document on Hastings is a letter from the show's Chief Constable Philip Osbourne, addressed to DDC A Wise, expressing concern about Ted's leadership, suggesting the unit should be led by someone else after the accusations of corruption levelled at him.
The other document is less revealing but the level of detail is impressive nonetheless. Series 6 episode 1 showed Steve stocking up on codeine to deal with the ongoing pain issues that stem from the time he was pushed down the stairs while chasing Ros Huntley's husband.
This QR code shows fans of the show a prescription for his pain meds. And if you really love detail, his health number is the date that Line of Duty's first ever episode aired: 12/06/2012.
Now try scanning the code. It works.
