The Capture season 2: Ending explained and will there be a season 3?

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published 15 September 2022

Need The Capture season 2 ending explained? The highly anticipated BBC show returned to much fan delight this September.

The Capture season 2 has been the perfect programme for audiences to sink their teeth into whilst awaiting upcoming dramas Crossfire and Inside Man starring acting heavyweights David Tennant and Stanley Tucci. Viewers have been hooked since series one, with the show delving into the world of digital intelligence and surveillance.

I May Destroy You star Paapa Essiedu joined the cast for series 2 as Isaac Turner, a young rising star MP with ambitions for the very top. And it's safe to say his character proves to be an important part of the second season's storyline. Some have already watched ahead to the show's explosive finale and many are wanting The Capture season 2 ending explained. Which is exactly what we've done.

The Capture season 2: Ending explained

The ending of The Capture season 2 sees DI Rachel Carey's plot to expose correction finally come to fruition in a bombshell live broadcast.

The start of the final episode picks up after DI Carey is kidnapped in episode 5. We see her taken to an interrogation room with a bag over her head, where she is then questioned by Frank Napier, the CIA agent working for Correction.

DI Carey demands that DSU Gemma Garland be present for the interrogation, but is falsely told by Frank that she isn't there. However, Garland later intervenes over the intercom, questioning DI Carey over who else has been involved in her plot to expose Correction.

DI Carey ultimately ends up agreeing to rejoin Correction, at which point focus is shifted to her ally, BBC journalist and Newsnight presenter, Khadija Khan. She has also been plotting to expose Correction, alongside Carey. Khadija agrees to withhold on exposing the information she has on Correction, in exchange for an exclusive story and to be a secret operative for the government.

The Correction programme is aiming to bring down Gregory Knox - the tech mastermind who manipulates footage in order to boost politicians' success. Carey and the Correction team enlist Khadija to interview a deepfake version of politician Isaac Turner, who is working with Knox.

However, DI Carey deceives the Correction team and takes the opportunity to expose them. During the broadcast, the deepfake's script is changed to reveal Correction to everyone watching. The real Isaac Turner is actually in a taxi to Piccadilly Circus, and the deepfake tells people to travel there to see Correction's powers for themselves - as they will see him "live" on TV as well as in Piccadilly Circus.

Does Patrick Flynn die?

In episode 1, we see DI Carey's former colleague and close friend, Patrick Flynn, get shot. While he survives this, he remains in hospital and is shot dead in his hospital bed in episode 3.

The killers removed all traces of themselves from the crime scene in the hospital, deleting all the incriminating CCTV footage.

Series creator and writer, Ben Chanan, admitted that he actually considered killing Patrick off in series 1, but brought the character back for the second series as fans had so much love for him.

He said: "I think I probably did consider it [doing away with the character]. But you know, we all love Patrick. We all have that in common. He's just awesome. It did cross my mind, but I'm glad I didn't."

What happens to DI Rachel Carey?

In the final episode, we see DI Carey expose Correction, a team she joined at the end of series 1.

The end of episode 6 of the second season saw DI Carey looking pretty pleased with herself as masses of people turn up to Piccadilly Circus to see Isaac Turner in person.

Now that she's exposed them, it's unclear what will happen to Rachel. Will Correction get their revenge? And what turn will her career take next?

These are all questions that could potentially be answered in another season.

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How many episodes of The Capture season 2?

Episode 1 - 58 minutes
Episode 2 - 59 minutes
Episode 3 - 57 minutes
Episode 4 - 59 minutes
Episode 5 - 59 minutes
Episode 6 - 69 minutes

There are 6 episodes of The Capture season 2 in total, just like the first season of the show.

Will there be a season 3 of The Capture?

The BBC haven't confirmed a season 3 of The Capture yet - however, this doesn't mean that a third season won't happen. Season one aired at the end of 2019, and a second season wasn't confirmed until June 2020.

So there is plenty of time for a third season to be confirmed. And Holliday Grainger, who plays DI Rachel Carey has said that she'd be "really interested to know where [show creator] Ben would take it."

She told RadioTimes.com: "It goes on such a journey from the beginning, Carey and the plot. It goes on such a massive journey throughout season 2 that where we're left, the world and Correction as we leave it at the end, I want to know what happens next. So I'd love to watch season 3 for sure [laughs]. I'd love to know where Carey went."

And considering only one key character has been killed off, there's plenty of scope for a season 3!

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Robyn is a freelance celebrity journalist with ten years experience in the industry. While studying for a degree in Media and Cultural Studies at London College of Communication, she did internships at Now and Heat magazines. After graduating, she landed a job at Star magazine, where she worked her way up to features editor. She then worked at Future as Deputy Celebrity Content Director across Woman, Woman’s Own, Woman’s Weekly and Woman & Home magazines.