The Capture Season 3 Kicks Off with Jaw-Dropping Twists and Deepfake Deception
The third season of the gripping BBC drama, The Capture, has already thrown viewers into a tailspin with significant plot twists just one episode into its run. The series, which delves into the shadowy world of deepfake technology known as “Correction,” returned on Sunday, March 8th, bringing back Holliday Grainger as the formidable Rachel Carey. However, this season takes a dramatic turn, placing Carey herself squarely at the centre of the unfolding conspiracy.
Spoiler Alert: Proceed with caution if you haven’t yet seen the latest episode.
The new season opens in the wake of an inquiry into the illicit use of the UK intelligence service’s video manipulation programme, a scandal brought to light by Carey’s actions at the conclusion of series two. Now, Carey finds herself in the critical role of Acting Commander of the Counter Terrorism Command, a position she holds temporarily while MI5 searches for a permanent successor.
In the year that has elapsed within the show’s narrative, significant upgrades have been made to surveillance technology. New camera systems have been implemented, specifically designed to detect instances of “Correction” in real-time as the manipulation is occurring.
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament Isaac Turner (played by Paapa Essiedu) has ascended to the position of Home Secretary and is widely tipped to be the next Prime Minister. His political trajectory is dramatically cut short, however, when he is assassinated during a public speech, an event that unfolds directly before Carey’s eyes. Carey witnesses the assassin – portrayed by Killian Scott – as he fires the fatal shots. In a moment of intense suspense, the assassin then turns his weapon towards Carey, only to spare her life before making a swift escape.
When the surveillance footage is reviewed, Carey is left reeling. The identity of the assassin captured on camera has inexplicably changed. The man she saw commit the murder is replaced by an unfamiliar face, played by Joe Dempsie.
As the sole eyewitness to the assassination, Carey faces a new and bewildering challenge. She is introduced to the candidate who has successfully been appointed as her replacement as Commander of Counter Terrorism Command. Astonishingly, this new commander is none other than the assassin she witnessed killing Turner earlier in the episode.
This shocking revelation sends seismic waves through the season’s narrative. Carey is now tasked with convincing her superiors that the individual they have hired is, in fact, the very person they are actively hunting.
Killian Scott, the actor at the heart of this confounding twist, spoke about the immense pressure of keeping the show’s secrets. Known for his roles in Kaos and Secret Invasion, Scott admitted to feeling a constant anxiety about inadvertently revealing spoilers during the show’s press tour.
“It’s such an entertaining, twisty journey for the audience that I would feel terrible if I did anything to compromise that,” Scott stated, emphasising his desire to preserve the viewing experience.
Delving into the events of the premiere episode, Scott explained the dual nature of his character’s appearances. “I have two entrances in episode one, and they’re polar opposites at a level of who I am, and certainly as far as Rachel Carey and the audience are concerned.” He elaborated on the deceptive nature of the deepfake technology: “Everyone else in the show is unaware of what takes place. In terms of the assassination, they all think it’s Joe Dempsie because it’s Joe Dempsie’s face. Poor Joe is getting thrown under the bus!”
Addressing the bombshell ending, where he is revealed as Carey’s new superior, Scott highlighted the central conflict. “I’m head of intelligence now within MI5, and yet as far as she sees me, I’ve assassinated the guaranteed next prime minister. So what happens between those two things, and how can both things be true? That is the big conundrum for Rachel this season.”
Despite the extraordinary circumstances of their professional relationship, Scott indicated that Carey and his character will be forced to “sort of need to operate as something of a team.” However, he cautioned that Carey is “stuck in the ultimate paranoid freak out.”
“She’s certain of what she has seen, but no evidence can corroborate that, and no one else can plausibly believe her because they see all the footage and then they see me and they’re like, ‘This is just two different people.’ They think she’s had a traumatic experience and therefore things have not processed properly or whatever,” Scott explained.
Scott also hinted at further revelations to come, particularly regarding the mysterious reason behind his character’s decision to spare Carey’s life.
“He hesitated for reasons that no one needs to know just yet – there is a reason and the audience will find out,” he teased, adding an element of anticipation for future episodes.
The Capture originally premiered in 2019, with its second season airing in 2022. The series is available to stream on BBC iPlayer and continues to broadcast weekly on Sundays. The show’s intricate plot and exploration of contemporary technological anxieties continue to captivate audiences, promising a season filled with suspense and unforeseen developments.
