Line of Duty

Season #1 Episode #1
Synopsis: After a mistaken shooting during a counter-terrorist operation, Detective Sergeant Steve Arnott is transferred to AC-12, a police anti-corruption unit. Alongside Detective Constable Kate Fleming ,they are assigned to lead an investigation into the alleged corruption by a popular and successful officer, Detective Chief Inspector Tony Gates. While Gates cleverly manipulates his unit's figures, DS Arnott questions whether Gates is being made a scapegoat for a culture of institutionalized spin, or is guilty of darker corruption.
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
  5 wins & 23 nominations.
 
IMDB:
8.5
NOT RATED
Year:
2012
60 min
1,007 Views


NB IN LATER EPS THIS DEVICE MIGHT SERVE FOR RECAPS.]

NB THE CITY IS NEVER MENTIONED BY NAME. THE LOCAL

CONSTABULARY IS NEVER MENTIONED BY NAME. ALL POLICE UNITS ARE

FICTITIOUS.

DESPATCHER:

Units en route. Flat 56, Regal

Court. Vehicles en route. Forward

units arriving Regal Court.

OSBORNE:

Silver Command, copy.

DESPATCHER:

Bronze Command same Southern 257.

ARNOTT:

Southern 257, copy.

DESPATCHER:

Forward units on foot.

ARNOTT:

Southern 257, copy.

OSBORNE:

I have Alpha team coming in low,

Bravo team high.

ARNOTT:

Silver, Southern 257, copy that.

Bravo overlooking, moving into

position.

OSBORNE:

Waiting on Gold. Order imminent.

ARNOTT:

Southern 257, standing by. Bravo

seconds away.

OSBORNE:

Alpha sit rep.

"Line of Duty" Episode 1 Shooting Script 18.08.11 2.

ARNOTT:

Alpha in the building.

SMASH CUT TO:

1/1

INT. TOWER BLOCK. STAIRWELL. DAWN. DAY 1. 1/1

A fire door bursts in.

Muzzles of high-velocity rifles jab through.

Then come 6 burly blokes in bullet-proof vests.

They charge up dirty concrete steps.

Leading is SERGEANT COLIN BRACKLEY (mid-late 30s), wearing an

earpiece and microphone:

BRACKLEY:

(Into mike.)

We’re in; going up.

The squad charge upstairs.

CUT TO:

1/2 EXT. TOWER BLOCK. ROOF TOP. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/2

Snipers scramble up onto the roof. They’re out of breath,

clearly rushing.

CUT TO:

1/3

INT. TOWER BLOCK. STAIRWELL. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/3

Brackley’s squad pass a door that reads FLOOR 1 and keep on

sprinting up the stairs.

BRACKLEY:

(Into mike.)

ETA less than a minute -- we need a

decision.

CUT TO:

1/4

EXT. TOWER BLOCK. LOCK-UP GARAGES. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/4

On the other end of the radio is DETECTIVE SERGEANT STEVE

ARNOTT (late 20s), “Bronze Command”.

"Line of Duty" Episode 1 Shooting Script 18.08.11 3.

Police back-up and ambulances have established a temporary HQ

in the grounds of the block; another police vehicle skids in.

ARNOTT:

(Into mike.)

Southern 257, still waiting on the

order.

CUT TO:

1/5 EXT. TOWER BLOCK. ROOF TOP. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/5

Hyperventilating, the snipers scramble into position, and

quickly load their rifles.

CUT TO:

1/6 EXT. TOWER BLOCK. LOCK-UP GARAGES. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/6

Arnott studies a clutch of surveillance photos and floor-

plans in his hand.

ARNOTT:

(Into mike.)

Fifth floor.

CUT TO:

1/7 INT. TOWER BLOCK. STAIRWELL. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/7

The Firearms Squad keep on going, fit guys getting out of

breath as they go up another flight (door = FLOOR 2).

CUT TO:

1/8 EXT. TOWER BLOCK. ROOF TOP. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/8

Hyperventilating, the snipers train their rifles on a row of

flats, scanning through telescopic sights till they swing

onto a window, partially curtained, in which we can just make

out a dark-skinned man with his back to us.

CUT TO:

"Line of Duty" Episode 1 Shooting Script 18.08.11 4.

1/9 INT. TOWER BLOCK. FLAT. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/9

Dark-skinned hands tie the waistband of combat trousers. The

man slips a bottle of coloured fluid into a thigh pocket.

CUT TO:

1/10 INT. TOWER BLOCK. STAIRWELL. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/10

The squad get up to the next level (FLOOR 3).

CUT TO:

1/11 EXT. TOWER BLOCK. LOCK-UP GARAGES. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/11

Arnott studies surveillance photos of the flats, a similar

view to that of the snipers.

ARNOTT:

(Into mike.)

Southern 257. Bravo, are you

visual?

CUT TO:

1/12 EXT. TOWER BLOCK. ROOF TOP. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/12

The snipers struggle to get a clear view; the flat interior

is partially obscured by curtains and washing, and by the

occupant’s movements out of view.

SNIPER:

(Into mike.)

Negative.

CUT TO:

1/13 INT. TOWER BLOCK. FLAT. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/13

A black strap gets pulled across the man’s front. He ties the

buckle very tight.

CUT TO:

1/14 INT. TOWER BLOCK. STAIRWELL. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/14

The squad reach the fourth floor.

"Line of Duty" Episode 1 Shooting Script 18.08.11 5.

BRACKLEY:

(Into mike.)

Where’s that bloody order?

CUT TO:

1/15 EXT. TOWER BLOCK. LOCK-UP GARAGES. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/15

Arnott gets a buzz in his headset.

OSBORNE (O.S.)

Southern 257, Gold confirms: shoot

to kill.

ARNOTT:

(Hesitates. Into mike.)

Say again.

OSBORNE (O.S.)

Shoot to kill.

Arnott looks very uneasy.

CUT TO:

1/16 INT. TOWER BLOCK. STAIRWELL. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/16

The squad jog up towards the next landing. A door is signed

FLOOR 5. The squad pause for breath, gasping, but at

attention, guns at the ready.

BRACKLEY:

(Finger to earpiece, into

mike.)

We’re there, what’s the bloody -

CUT TO:

1/17 EXT. TOWER BLOCK. LOCK-UP GARAGES. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/17

Arnott must overcome his misgivings.

ARNOTT:

(Into mike.)

It’s Go.

(Consulting floorplan.)

Out of the door, turn right.

CUT TO:

"Line of Duty" Episode 1 Shooting Script 18.08.11 6.

1/18 INT. TOWER BLOCK. STAIRWELL. DAY 1. 1/18

Brackley doesn’t hesitate.

BRACKLEY:

(Quietly.)

Go, go, go!

The squad slip through the door.

CUT TO:

1/19 EXT. TOWER BLOCK. WALKWAY/FLAT 56. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/19

The squad creep out into eerie dawn light and Brackley turns

them right.

CUT TO:

1/20 EXT. TOWER BLOCK. ROOF TOP. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 1/20

Through the sniper’s sight, we see the squad scuttle along a

walkway.

CUT TO:

Rate this script:3.5 / 2 votes

Jed Mercurio

Jed Mercurio (born 1966) is a British television writer, producer, director and novelist. He is reported to be one of the few British script-writers to work as a U.S.-style showrunner. A former hospital physician and RAF officer, Mercurio has been ranked among UK television's leading writers by TV-industry magazine Broadcast. more…

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