One of the narrative threads that wasn’t examined in the last episode was Jen’s investigation into Robin Graham’s past during The Troubles. Jen has attacked this case with real zeal, using it as perhaps a way to prove to herself that she can do something worthwhile, as well as help Happy and, by default, Gerry.
In this penultimate episode, we see her own mum Nicola admit to Jen that she was part of the cover-up and when she was her daughter’s age and trying to make a name for herself in Special Branch. Indeed, the tentacles of The Troubles really did reach deep into everyone’s lives, affected everyone and have left wounds that are barely scarred over.
In the end, Jen is encouraged to drop the case.
Elsewhere, Lee Thompson’s grip on Mount Eden is tightening. The front room of his pub is like a doctor’s waiting room; each ‘patient’ is ushered in to see the great man and, like a benevolent dictator, he cancels debts and hands out money to his flock if they need it. Just like the original Mafiosi of the early 20th century, Lee Thompson is the law, the help, the man who gets things done when the government or police won’t. But, like most people who position themselves outside of the system and attempt to control a community ultimately for their own end, you always get the impression that collapse is around the corner.
Lee Thompson represents a very moral conundrum (if you’re a criminal and yet provide for your community, is that a bad thing?), and that’s where Blue Lights really excels. We’ve already had the morally grey area of covering up the transgressions of informants during the 1970s and 80s, we have Lee Thompson, and we also get Murray Canning’s way of doing things.
With Grace’s sharing-caring approach to police work rubbing up against the old way of doing things in series one, Canning’s collusion and violent tactics may get short-term results but are harmful in the long term. That’s what this series is really examining.
It was all happening in this episode (we also got some Grace and Stevie action, some more of Tommy saving the day and Annie’s future up in the air), and there was a really great and genuinely shocking final scene, which may (probably) mean the beginning of the end.
By far the best episode of the series so far. When it’s this good, Blue Lights is right up there.
Paul Hirons
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