As the third episode of Trigger Point begins, Lana Washington (Vicky McClure) continues working on the bomb at the mosque while the man screams at her nearby. Outside, DI Thom Youngblood (Mark Stanley) tells civilians to move back and police officers to wear a lid. Lana looks under the door and tells the man to be still and quiet as Thom yells that she has 90 seconds left. The man, Ali Hussein (Mo Idriss), pleads with Lana to help him. She uses a screwdriver to remove the pins from the door’s hinges. Danny (Eric Shango) runs in screaming for Lana while she continues hammering away. Inspector Lee Robins (Cal MacAninch) looks at his watch and says they only have 30 seconds left. With 20 seconds left, Danny tries to get Lana to leave although she wants to remove the door. They make a run for it as Ali continues screaming from inside. They run out of the mosque and scream hard cover just before the bomb inside explodes.

We jump ahead to that night. After Danny and Lana get into the vehicle, Danny tells her he is sorry. Back at the base, we hear Thom asking about getting the audio file traced. He also asks if Security Services has any updates on their priority targets. Lana joins them as Thom says he wants CCTV footage from around the mosque. They’re under pressure to get this resolved so they should mark off any extremists in custody or already under surveillance. DSU Marianne Hamilton (Nadine Marshall) walks in and thanks everyone for working throughout the night on the incident at Amburiq Mosque. The incident will now priority for all counter-terror units. Since she has an ELG meeting in five minutes, she needs something to take into the meeting. Thom plays a recording for her that they received. The individual says this is payback for Westhaven and Amburiq is the start of the fight back. We call on the white race to take up arms. We are the Crusaders. When the recording stops, DI Samira Desai (Manjinder Virk) says the audio source is heavily encrypted.

The team is working on it although it could be a dead end. The team looks at a picture of a crusader flag that was used as a gag for the victim, but it didn’t have any prints or DNA. Hamilton asks if the Crusaders are known to their friends at Thames House. Thom reveals Agatha Jack tried to take English Flag into the mainstream and that led to the formation of a few splinter groups. They’re not sure about the Crusaders though. As for the victim, Ali Hussein was the muezzin so he held many responsibilities including keeping the mosque clean and welcoming newcomers. Desai walks them through CCTV footage of a white man with a black baseball cap walking into the mosque carrying a blue bag. She explains it was Jummah and Friday prayers so there were many people coming and going. The man entered at 13:56 and left at 14:09 without the bag. Since his head is down, they believe he is a pro who is trying to avoid the cameras. Hamilton thanks Lana for coming in to give them her report.

When she is asked if there is anything about yesterday they need to know, she says the device appeared to be designed to stop them from gaining access to the room where Ali was found. She found a secondary time switch with a countdown and tilt switch. Once she admits she ran out of time, she asks Sonya Reeves (Kerry Godliman) if she has the video file. While they watch the video, Lana says the impact confirms they used a high explosive. It is like the compound at the bomb factory and the main charge at Westhaven, but they’ll need a chemical confirmation. Hamilton orders them to get on top of this. As Danny loads the robot, Lana approaches John Hudson (Kris Hitchen) to say they could’ve used a second EXPO unit. She is mad that she never got assistance although John says the Ten Liner request never mentioned a second EXPO team. Hassan Rahim (Nabil Elouahabi) backs him up as he says it is the Senior’s role to ask for additional support.

That was her responsibility so John says she needs to get some sleep and sort her head out. Lana goes after him and pushes him against the squad car. It is quickly broken up with Lana rushing away. She goes to the locker room where she sees Nutkins’s locker empty. She slams it shut. As she tries to calm herself, Billy Washington (Ewan Mitchell) calls. She picks him up from the police station and calls him an idiot for being involved in a scuffle with Halal butchers. Once they reach his place, Lana tells him he is allowed to clean up before learning Becky went to her mother’s. She urges Billy to get his hand checked since it could have glass or something in it. When she asks whether he likes it here, he jokes about it being a palace. She opens the curtains and he asks her to close them back. Then, he asks her not to mention this to their mother and father. She agrees. Once she asks what they’ve ever done to him, Billy says they killed Nut.

He goes on to say people like them did that to Nut so they’re at war. She scolds him for saying that they’re at war with Halal butchers. Lana tries to go to sleep later, but she can’t stop hearing Ali screaming for her assistance. Before long, she gets a message from Sonya saying about the HMX-319 being classified and not letting her trace it. She calls Sonya who says the HMX-319 comes from Porton Down, but they wouldn’t tell her anymore about it. It is classified at a level above the bottom-feeders like themselves. Lana promises to speak to Hamilton or Thom about it. They wonder what they’re dealing with and what kind of bombers have this type of access. While going for a run, Lana stops to call Thom from a park bench, but he doesn’t answer. After that, she decides to meet up with Karl Maguire (Warren Brown) at his mechanic shop. She is quickly introduced to Elly’s gorgeous dog Nelson. They leave and share Vietnamese weasel coffee.

They talk about Lana getting drunk and letting loose the other night. As for Karl, he says he has too much upstairs so he can’t do it. He reveals he still has an evac pack next to his bed just in case they call him out. She understands how that feels and worries about telling her mates because they’d think she was losing it. Karl argues they lose part of themselves out there that they’ll never get back. He grabs her hand and begins running through the streets. He takes her to a pub which he calls paradise. They play a game of pool and Lana quickly wins, but Karl says she sharked him. They agree to play for double or quits. As they play, Lana asks Karl whether it gets easier.  He says it does. Then, he corrects himself by saying it still hurts and he still feels like he is lost. They discuss not being able to shut off their training when they return. Lana admits she was cocky when she returned although she almost died on her first call out.

She missed a secondary that Terry had put in the hallway and Nut had to scream for her to stop. Lana confesses she froze at the mosque so she is afraid it’ll happen again when she steps up to a device. Karl says fear is what drives them on and she should be worried when she loses that fear. She says Nut would’ve disarmed that device, but Karl isn’t sure about that. He encourages her not to be herself up over something she doesn’t know. Later, Lana eats dinner with Thom who reveals they managed to get clearer CCTV pictures of the mosque bomber. The man has already been identified as Nic Roberts (Neil Stoddart) and he has a lengthy record including violent assault and armed robbery. He was a member of English Flag until last year. Thom says they have an alert out for him so it is only a matter of time before he is captured. Once Thom steps away from the table, Lana gets a message from Karl who says he let her win.

When Thom asks about it, Lana claims it was just Danny sending a stupid GIF. She asks Thom whether Hamilton has heard anything from Porton Down about HMX-319. Thom only says they’re on it. Karl sends another message asking if she is down for a rematch. She blames it on Danny again. Thom takes her cellphone, puts it aside, and says they haven’t talked about the mosque. Lana says his name was Ali, he had two kids under three, and she failed him. Thom refutes that by saying there was nothing she could do since it was a complex device. He wants her to know she can always talk to him because he loves her. He has been thinking about it for a while and he thinks it might be a good idea for Lana to move in with him. Although she doesn’t say one way or another, Thom believes it is sorted then.

Later, Danny walks in and finds Lana lounging around playing a game on her phone. John walks in behind him and asks Lana if they’re okay. She apologizes although he says it is okay because they’ve all been there. Once he admits he was wrong too, she says they shouldn’t be fighting amongst themselves since there is a nutter out there. A news report comes on the television as it confirms the Crusaders say they’ve carried out the attack. The former shadow defense minister, Ayesha Campbell, is standing as the Labour parliamentary candidate leading a progressive alliance made out of the Green Party. John asks Lana if she thinks it is some loon doing this. He questions what they think in CT and whether they have a name or anything. He suspects her fella tells her things, but Lana doesn’t say. He says here we go when Ayesha begins talking on the television. John argues it is a typical lefty siding with the enemy. Lana gets a message from Sonya asking her to come to the lab immediately.

She meets with Sonya and learns they’ve got their confirmation for the HMX-319 compound. Sonya explains it is the same exact levels used at Westhaven. The Crusaders are lying about the mosque being revenge since it has been them all along. There is nothing from Porton Down since Youngblood hasn’t even asked Hamilton for clearance yet. Sonya insists she needs to tell Thom to get on it. Lana asks if she would know about her and Thom if she hadn’t told her because she doesn’t know how John knows. Sonya admits it isn’t that obvious. Lana gets a call from Danny about another device allegedly planted by the Crusaders. As they rush to the scene, Lana learns from Thom that there is a stationary black van outside an LGBT pub called The Five Oaks. There is a noticeable sag in the rear axle. Then, we see a black van with Elsom Brewers on the side parking outside of the club.

Once Lana arrives, Desai tells her it arrived at 6 PM and the bar staff thought it was a beer delivery until the driver did a runner. At 6:25 PM, the Crusaders sent them an encrypted message claiming responsibility. Since the van is sagged down so far in the back, Lana suggests there are enough explosives to take down the whole street. Danny drives the robot toward the van. Once he gets the front door open, Danny says it must be a rental because nobody keeps their motor that clean. They don’t see any wires upfront so they decide to move to the back of the van. Then, a sniper begins shooting at the robot. The robot stops working as Thom and the others try to locate the sniper. Thom and Robins run across the street and take shelter behind another building. The sniper takes aim at the van while Robins tries to find out where the sniper is hiding. Robins sees the sniper on the top floor so Thom quickly radios that information to the others.

They run back across the street before Thom joins Desai and requests air support. Randall and PS Carney (Michael Akinsulire) are told to head towards the target as the bullets begin flying. The air support will be there in roughly three minutes. The front tire of the van is shot and flattened. Thom joins Lana who says the bomb will total the whole street if it functions. A single shot could enable the device. Lana tells Danny to get the pig stick bag right now. She asks Robins for smoke grenades. The green team redeploys to the tower block while Lana prepares to move in with the pig stick. She throws two smoke grenades. The sniper takes several shots at her while she moves toward the back of the van. While Robins and his team prepare to storm the apartment complex, Lana rushes to set up the pig stick and disarm the explosive device.

Danny screams that the smoke is thinning while Lana responds by saying she is nearly there. Lana screams for Danny to take the shot as soon as she reaches the corner. As the helicopter arrives, the gunman begins shooting at it with a handgun. Lana makes it back to Danny who takes the shot and disarms the explosive device. Lana confirms over the radio that the device has been neutralized. Meanwhile, Robins and his team wait for the elevator. When the elevator arrives, a man steps off with his face covered and a suicide vest around his body. Robins calls for EXPO after the man is shot and killed. Another officer searches one of the rooms and finds a police officer’s vest and hat sitting in a chair in the middle of the room. When he walks over to the items, he is attacked from behind and his throat is slit. Lana arrives to deal with the suicide vest. Thom watches as she removes the trigger from the man’s hand and unplugs a few wires.

She says it is clear. As Thom and Danny walk in, Lana says it is real so Danny should get ready to set up a controlled explosion. The man’s mask is pulled down allowing Thom to confirm it is Nic Roberts. When Thom and Lana walk outside, she tells him she’ll ask Sonya about forensics on the device. He tells her that was good work with the smoke grenades although it wasn’t by the book. He reminds her they’re not in Afghanistan. Desai calls for Thom who goes inside with her. They go inside and join Carney and Robins to discuss the dead officer. Robins tells Carney he’ll need to report for forensic recovery. Before he goes, he tells them that the man’s missus is six months pregnant. Brown is told to go write his report and both should get some rest. Back at the office, Hamilton tells everyone about the murder of Simon Randall. She believes they have a bombing campaign carried out by one group, the Crusaders. Nic Roberts was one member, but there has to be at least one other.

She lists their targets while saying they’re highly skilled with weapons and explosives. They suspect that the Crusaders wanted their van to be traced to the bomb factory although they’re not sure why. When Desai begins talking, she says they know Andy Phelan (Rick Warden) was Nic’s cellmate in Ashcombe Prison for three months in 2015. During an interview, he is asked about Nic. Andy asked what that psycho has to do with anything. He reveals he stopped sharing a cell with Nic because he attacked him and tried to stab him in the neck. Desai suggests Nic had a personal grudge against Andy so the Crusaders decided to use him as a patsy. Hamilton says it is a worrying development that the far-right is now using suicide vests. The CCTV footage says there is a second police officer at the apartment complex and he is unaccounted for. He is tracked getting into a white Prius with license plate RX10-XMG. They haven’t been able to find the vehicle yet.

Desai says the attackers knew where the CCTV cameras were. Since Nic had no gunshot residue on him, the second Crusader had to be the gunman. Lana says he knows how to move and behave like a firearms officer. Hamilton wants them to focus on tracking down the second Crusader. She suggests doing that by studying all of Nic’s contacts. Then, Lana says Nic didn’t have bomb-making training. It was either number two or someone else. We see someone getting out of the white Prius and dealing with the license plate. The car is blown up as the person walks away from it. Next, Lana tells Sonya to come look at this because she feels like something is staring her in the face. Sonya admits they haven’t had any luck tracing the device from the pub van yet. She looks at the picture and asks if it is from Vauxhall. Sonya compares it to the picture from Westhaven and the way the wires are twisted and cut.

She is convinced it is the same technique. Lana believes it is military training since that is how she does it too. She tells Sonya it has to be an inside man because they know so much. Later, she listens as Hass jokes about Danny’s aftershave. They ask Lana to come with them, but she stays to finish the paperwork. While she is alone, she tries to break into John’s locker. She breaks in and finds a pamphlet that says something about being proud of being English. She finds a map book of sorts and a page that has a card for Zipcom Facilities and Andy’s name on the other page. The Westhaven Estate has been circled. Another page says deliveries on Monday to Friday at 18:00. On that page, Vauxhall is circled. The next page contains information about the mosque. Lana snaps pictures of everyone on her phone before locking it back.

 

Trigger Point Review

Trigger Point is pretty much heading in the direction I expected without too many surprises. However, I didn’t expect the bomb to go off at the mosque. Regardless, the show still has many of the same issues that hurt it before. It doesn’t help that we don’t have a clearly defined menace since there is nobody to despise. Since this series is about dealing with explosives, I would expect it to be a lot more action-packed.

However, a good portion of each episode is crammed full of dialogue that can become pretty boring. It doesn’t deliver the impact that the writers probably wanted. The primary storyline isn’t the most interesting or original story they could’ve gone with. At times, I think they would’ve been better off not carrying the same storyline through six episodes.

It might’ve been better with a new unrelated bomb threat in each episode with a loose storyline interlinking them because the story is likely the weakest aspect of the show. When this show works, it does well. It actually feels intense, but these scenes are too far and few in between. The episode scores a 6 out of 10. Trigger Point recaps can be found on Reel Mockery here. Find out how to support Reel Mockery by following this link.