History Series / BodyguardUK2018

* YoungerThanTheyLook: When Budd is sent with DS Rayburn to interview Nadia in prison, she is accompanied by both her solicitor and an "appropriate adult", suggesting she is under the age of 18.

''Bodyguard'' is a British BBC One/ITV drama series, created and written by Jed Mercurio (showrunner of the critically acclaimed BBC police series ''Series/LineOfDuty''). Starring Richard Madden and Keeley Hawes in leading roles, the first episode aired on August 26, 2018 with a rating of 10.40 viewers in the country.

The show focuses on Sergeant David Budd, a Metropolitan Police Protection Command bodyguard and[[BadgesAndDogTags former British Army soldier]]. After successfully foiling an attempted train bombing, he is promoted to lead the security detail of Julia Montague, the Home Secretary. Montague, a controversial figure in British politics due to her support of [[SinisterSurveillance legislation that would intrude on civil liberties]] and hardline approach to tackling terrorism, is the opposite of Budd ideologically. He has become critical of British intervention overseas after experiencing [[WarIsHell war first hand]], and has now been entrusted to protect someone whose views he despises.

** Budd, who takes control of the ministerial car [[spoiler: when it comes under sniper fire, drives it in reverse outside of the snipers viewpoint, and confronts the shooter head on on his own when armed backup takes too long to arive]].
* {{Blackmail}}: Montague is given a tablet by a mysterious man named Longcross, which contains compromising information (regarding cocaine addiction and alleged sexual assault) on either the Prime Minister himself or somebody close to him. She has Budd drive her to Chequers, and confronts the PM unannounced. The next morning it is announced that the government will undergo a cabinet reshuffle, putting Montague closer to taking over as Prime Minister.
* BombDisposal: During the standoff on the train in the first episode, Budd keeps demanding that the CTSFO's allow a bomb disposal officer on board the train to deactivate the vest Nadia is wearing, instead of following their orders to shoot her. They eventually give in and allow the officer on board, who is able to remove Nadia's vest and deactivate it.

* CavalryBetrayal: [[spoiler: During the Thornton Circus sniper attack, Budd requests immediate armed backup to attend, but they keep getting delayed in reaching the location, causing him to take action and evasively manoeuvre the car out of the snipers line of sight and confront the shooter himself. Montague blames Sampson for the ARV delay, believing she purposefully ordered them to stay back as revenge for Montague showing preference to the Security Services over SO15]].
* [[CIAEvilFBIGood MI5 Evil, Met Police Good]]: Played with. MI5 are not shown in a particularly flattering light ( [[spoiler: urging Montague to not order visible preventive measures against a terror attack in case it tips the attackers off, and seemingly providing her with blackmail info against the Prime Minister so she can take stage a soft coup)]], whereas the Met's SO15 and Protection Command are shown to view her collusion with the security services as a threat to democracy. However, after [[spoiler: Montague is killed in the St. Matthews College bombing, it is the Met who are keen to close the case fast and pin blame on Tahir Mahmood, whilst MI5 appear unkeen to jump to conclusions and want to investigate properly]].

* ForcedIntoEvil: Nadia, one of the would be train bombers who Budd convinces to surrender at the start of the series. Whilst he is talking with her and preventing her from being shot by the trigger happy CTSFO's surrounding the train, she tells him her husband basically forced her into becoming a suicide bomber and she doesn't want to die.

** However, when [[spoiler: Montague is killed in the St. Matthews College bombing, it is suggested that elements of the government, such as MI5 Director-General Stephen Hunter-Dunn, Chief Whip Roger Penhaligon and Counter Terrorism Minister Mike Travis conspired to have her assassinated when she went against their plans and blackmailed the Prime Minister into organising a reshuffle at her own volition]].

* NoCommunitiesWereHarmed: The place where the [[spoiler: sniper attack on Montague's car]] takes place is a fictional area of London called Thornton Circus.

-->'''Sergeant David Budd:''' You've been brainwashed. He has, you have, and I know. I was in Afghanistan, some mates got killed, I nearly got killed myself and for what? Nothing. Politicians, cowards and liars. Ours and theirs. People full of talk but would never spill a drop of their own blood. But you and I? We're just collateral damage. Don't let them win Nadia. Don't let them win.
* RealityEnsues: [[spoiler: During the sniper attack on Montague's ministerial car, the bulletproof glass only prevents two shots from penetrating the driver's window, with the third managing to penetrate the weakened glass and kill her driver. Budd then tells her to stay low, as the sniper bullets will eventually penetrate the glass but won't be able to get through the cars armour plating]].

* SinisterSurveillance: Montague is the leading force in trying to pass an update to the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (dubbed RIPA 2018) through Parliament, which would allow the government unwarranted access to the public's data and internet activity without judicial review.

* BigDamnHeroes: The Metropolitan Police ARV that pulls in front of the school and immediately opens fire on the terrorists approaching truck, causing it to veer off the road and crash before it can reach the school gates. [[spoiler: Unfortunately, one of the occupants survives long enough to detonate the payload once the truck is surrounded by armed officers, killing 5 of them]].

** The fourth episode [[spoiler: starts with a BBC report that Julia died of massive injuries. In addition, Budd's illegal Makarov has been replaced with blank ammo instead of actual 9x18 Makarov ammo.]]

* BungledSuicide: [[spoiler: Distraught at Julia's death and his failure as a PPO to protect her, David attempts to commit suicide by shooting himself in the head with an illegal pistol he keeps hidden in his apartment. He is unsuccessful however, as it is revealed that somebody gained access to his apartment and replaced the bullets with blank rounds, resulting in only a ruptured eardrum, a painful burn and cuts from the copper casing shrapnel]].

''Bodyguard'' is a British drama TV series produced by BBC One, created and written by Jed Mercurio (''Series/LineOfDuty'') with ITV Studios Global Entertainment handling marketing and promotion of the show outside of the UK. It's scheduled to air a total of six episodes. The first episode aired on August 26, 2018 with a rating of 10.40 viewers in the country.

It stars Richard Madden and Keeley Hawes in the leading roles.

The show takes place in October 2018, where Police Sergeant David Budd, [[BadgesAndDogTags a British Army veteran who fought alongside Afghan forces in Helmand Province]] and currently stationed with the Metropolitan Police Service's Protection Command, manages to defuse a terrorist incident by [[MiddleEasternTerrorists a British couple of Arab origin]] inside a train prior to its arrival without anyone being shot at or killed. Due to his actions, Budd was promoted to work in close protection from foreign [=VIPs=] to being one of the close protection officers of Julia Montague of the Conservative Party, who is the current Home Office Secretary.

The problem is that Budd has grown critical of the British intervention overseas and has brought trouble for Europe and he can't stand Montague's view on supporting military interventions in the Middle East and Central Asia. Over time, he and Julia grow close and enter into an affair. But what makes it complicated is the MPS don't like the idea of her sidelining the MPS and other law enforcement agencies except for [=MI-5=].

Commander Anne Sampson of the MPS's Counter Terrorism Command and Chief Superintendent Lorraine Craddock of the Protection Command brought Budd in to do two things. One, find out what the Home Secretary is up to and two, to determine if she's part of a conspiracy to take advantage of terror incidents to get herself propped up someday as prime minister and give [=MI-5=] more power over the proposed RIPA 2018 bill to be passed in Parliament.

From there, Budd is in dangerous territory of keeping tabs on the Home Secretary without tipping her off that his superiors have planted him there as her [=CPO=].

* AffectionateNickname: Budds subordinate and fellow bodyguard PC Kim Knowles refers to him as "skipper" or "skip", a common casual term for Sergeants within UK police forces.

* RealityEnsues: [[spoiler: During the sniper attack on Montague's ministerial car, the bulletproof glass only prevents two shots from penetrating the drivers window, with the third managing to penetrate the weakened glass and kill her driver. Budd then tells her to stay low, as the sniper bullets will eventually penetrate the glass but won't be able to get through the cars armour plating]].

* NoPartyGiven: Averted. It is made clear from the outset the Julia Montague is a member of the Conservative Party, although considerably more right wing than the more moderate Conservative government and Prime Minister.

* ShellShockedVeteran:
** Budd suffers from rather serious PTSD from his time in the military, but has never declared it officially as it would have prevented him getting a job with the police. It is triggered briefly during [[spoiler: the sniper attack on Montague's car]] and later when she wakes him up and he instinctively begins strangling her. He attempts to manage it by drinking, but both his estranged wife Vicky and Montague herself tell him he needs proper treatment.
** Andy Apstead, Budds friend and former colleague from the army, who now runs the anti-war Veterans Peace Group. In addition to PTSD he also has severe facial scarring from an explosion whilst serving, and has an even deeper resentment towards the politicians that voted to send people like him and Budd to war.
* SinisterSurveillance: Montague is the leading force in trying to pass an update to the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (dubbed RIPA 2018) through Parliament, which would allow the government unwarranted access to the publics data and internet activity without judicial review.
* SWATTeam: Metropolitan Police [=CTSFOs=] are brought into the train hijacking in the first episode after Budd was able to get the conductor to call it in.\

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: A government Chief Whip (Roger Penhaligon) being an stuck up ass to a police officer (Budd), then immediately realising he might have said something that could be construed as very offensive bares many similarities to the real life [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plebgate Plebgate]] controversy, although within the show the comment is more race related than class related.

** Between Budd (Protection Command) and the [=CTSFOs=] from Specialist Firearms Command in the first episode after they stormed the hijacked train. Budd tries to difuse the situation so nobody is killed, but the armed officers have orders to kill the bombers if they can, and are only prevented from doing so by Budd placing himself between them.

* MarriageOfConvenience: What David and Vicky Budd's marriage seems to have become. They are separated and seeing other people, but are still legally married so David can remain in his childrens lives, and so they get his pension payout should be be killed in the line of duty.

* SWATTeam: Metropolitan Police [=CTSFOs=] are brought into the train hijacking in the first episode after Budd was able to get the conductor to call it in.
* TokenMinority: Press aide Tahir Mahmood is told by senior adviser Rob MacDonald that, much to his disappointment, he has only been hired to be a visible Asian minority within Montague's team to help improve her image in light of the controversy around her hardline views on terrorism and the RIPA '18 vote.
* WarHawk: Montague voted in favour of both the Iraq War and War in Afghanistan, and believes that despite the obvious failings of both that the government should not "apologise for the past".
* RealityEnsues: [[spoiler: During the sniper attack on Montague's ministerial car, the bulletproof glass only prevents two shots from penetrating the drivers window, with the third managing to penetrate the weakened glass and kill her driver. Budd then tells her to stay low, as the sniper bullets will eventually penetrate the glass but won't be able to get through the cars armour plating]].

** CTSFO: Counter Terrorist Specialist Firearms Officer, the grey clad armed response team who attends the attempted train bombing in the first episode. They are the highest level of armed officer in the UK in terms of training.
** PPO: Principal Protection Officer, the title given to Protection Command officerS such as Budd and Knowles who work details protecting cabinet ministers such as Julia Montague.

The problem is that Budd has grown critical of the British intervention overseas and has brought trouble for Europe and he can't Montague's view on supporting military interventions in the Middle East and Central Asia. Over time, he and Julia grow close and enter into an affair. But what makes it complicated is the MPS don't like the idea of her sidelining the MPS and other law enforcement agencies except for [=MI-5=].

** The third episode ends with [[spoiler: a bomb going off on stage as Julia delivers a speech in support of RIPA 2018, leaving her fate uncertain]].

** Mike Travis, the junior Minister of State for Counter Terrorism, is known as "Indigo".

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: A government Chief Whip(Roger Penhaligon) being an stuck up ass to a police officer (Budd), then immediately realising he might have said something that could be construed as very offensive bares many similarities to the real life [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plebgate Plebgate]] controversy, although within the show the comment is more race related than class related.

** Between Budd (Protection Command) and the [=CTSFOs=] from Counter Terrorism Command in the first episode after they stormed the hijacked train. Budd tries to difuse the situation so nobody is killed, but the armed officers have orders to kill the bombers if they can, and are only prevented from doing so by Budd placing himself between them.
** Even more so between Counter Terrorism Command and MI5, who are at eachothers throats regarding who gets to interview the train bombers and later accuse one another of corruption and leaking of sensitive information.

* SWATTeam: The Metropolitan Police's [=SCO19=] [=CTSFOs=] are brought into the train hijacking in the first episode after Budd was able to get the conductor to call it in.

** The second episodes reveals that the shooter who tried to attack Julia's [=BMW=] sedan was Budd's old Army comrade, Andy. He also turns the pistol on himself, deciding to not be arrested.
** The third episode ends with Budd, alongside civilians who have been injured inside an auditorium after a bomb detonated inside a suitcase next to Julia. It's not known if she survives the attack.

** PPO: Principal Protection Officer, the title given to Protection Command officer such as Budd and Knowles who are on Julia Montague's detail.
** MAST: Mutual Aid Support Trained, officers who have undergone specialist additional tactical training. The armed surveillance team who track and help to foil the terrorist attack on Budd's childrens school are MAST operatives.

* Acronym and Abbreviation Overload: Being written and created by the same guy who made the surprisingly accurate ''Series/LineOfDuty'', the show is full of UK police procedural acronyms, only some of which are explained on screen.

* AffectionateNickname: Budds subordinate and fellow bodyguard PC Kim Knowles refers to him as "skipper" or "skip".

** It is also suggested that elements of the government, such as [[spoiler: MI5 Director-General Stephen Hunter-Dunn, Chief Whip Roger Penhaligon and Counter Terrorism Minister Mike Travis conspired to have Julia assassinated when she went against their plans and blackmailed the Prime Minister into organising a reshuffle at her own volition]].

* ShellShockedVeteran: Budd suffers from rather serious PTSD from his time in the military, but has never declared it officially as it would have prevented him getting a job with the police, instead choosing to self medicate by drinking. It is triggered briefly during [[spoiler: the sniper attack on Montague's car]] and later when she wakes him up and he instinctively begins strangling her.

* JurisdictionFriction: Between Budd and the [=SCO19=]'s [=CTSFOs=] in the first episode after they stormed the hijacked train, due to the fact that the woman is armed with a suicide vest and they need to take her out.
* SWATTeam: The MPS's [=SCO19=] [=CTSFOs=] are brought into the train hijacking in the first episode after Budd was able to get the conductor to call it in.