20 TV Storylines We Can't Believe Are Real

Line of Duty spent years forging a sprawling storyline around a corrupt officer called H, who'd been orchestrating organised crime within the force. The British crime drama was filled with clues and complex conspiracies, which led to all sorts of fan theories. The narrative builds H up as a Moriarty-like mastermind, planning ten steps ahead of everybody else and having contingencies for every possible setback.

Which is why the reveal of Ian Buckells as H is simply laughable. From the beginning, Buckells is portrayed as incompetent, bumbling, and easily manipulated. Retconning the oafish officer into an evil genius stretches credibility to the breaking point, especially since earlier seasons never hinted that he possesses that level of intelligence.

Obviously, Buckells was putting on an act, but it comes across like the writers picked him as H because it's unexpected rather than it makes sense. There's no logical way to deduce Buckells was the big bad, since every hint surrounding H's identity was a red herring. 

In the end, the twist proved disappointing because it replaced a gripping mystery with an answer that neither fits the narrative nor satisfies expectations.