Rebus finale - The big questions that need answering after episode 5?

We’re almost at the end of the Rebus reboot of Ian Rankin’s detective novels series starring Outlander’s Richard Rankin after episode five sees Rebus and his brother joining forces against Big Ger Cafferty and Darryl Christie helping out Siobhan.

After opening with Rebus suffering from a thumping hangover, his day only gets worse when his exasperated boss Gill takes him off the case because their witness Andy Rolland has been shot dead at his brother Michael's house, with Michael missing. Rebus gets a slap to add to his hangover from Michael’s wife Chrissie, although to be fair, it’s her husband who has caused the whole Cafferty/UDA drugs grab scenario and its violent repercussions.

Surprisingly, Malcolm Fox, who’s supposed to be unctuous, is coming across as amenable in that he’s the only one who makes any attempt to play it by the rules and doesn’t have zero to rage violent tendencies, isn’t against students/culture and bikeshares, plus he looks good in a suit. At least that’s what Siobhan thinks, but she’s learning fast that he’s not someone with whom she should overshare, especially if it’s to do with her boss John Rebus and his links with Ger Cafferty.

Richard Rankin who stars as Detective John Rebus in the BBC reboot of the series based on Ian Rankin's detective novels. Pic: BBC

Cafferty is keeping himself busy with Darryl Christie and Shaun imprisoned with his UDA colleagues who are employing a blow torch to extract information, in a neat mirror of the awkward dinner party scene where Rebus squirms as ex-wife Rhona’s new trust fund man Lachlan guides wee Sammy in the use of a creme brulee torch and the men almost bond over the teachings of Italian Marxist philosopher Gramsci.

Now that Cafferty knows Andy Rolland wasn’t the one who killed their man he gets Christie to set up a meeting with Michael and his gang and they make off with his cash.

Rebus discovers his old buddy George has committed suicide and doesn’t cover himself in glory by suggesting to Maggie that she shouldn’t have told him about their affair and that he’s not interested in her anyway. What he wants is his family back. But will Rhona be rushing to leave a mansion/trust fund/private school lifestyle for Rebus’ retro-decor-but-not-in-a-good-way tenement flat and empty fridge?

With Michael reappearing to tell Rebus he wants to kill Cafferty, the brothers now both have him in their sights. Will they succeed in their aims?

Meanwhile Christie helps out Siobhan with the location of the toasted Shaun and Big Boss Gill and a posse of squad cars arrive to arrest the Cafferty’s crew, but what does it mean for Siobhan to owe Christie a favour?

There’s yet another fan-pleaser view of Rebus’s (and Ian Rankin’s) favourite watering hole, The Oxford Bar in Edinburgh, the setting for a meeting between the detective and Big Ger. Sadly for Ger he doesn’t get over the threshold as Rebus has blabbed to his brother and Michael and his squad kidnap him and take him to their garage lockup HQ with the lovely views of the Forth. Which is when Rebus shows up. Will he be the one to finally finish Cafferty off for good?

So far so good, but is it really all over for Big Ger Cafferty? Which side of the law will Rebus choose in his vendetta against his nemesis? Will Siobhan decide she’s had enough of tongue-loosening candlelit dinners with Malcolm on The Shore in Leith and that her tribe is Rebus and his rule-bending-but-maybe-come-good-in-the-end avengers?

Let’s hope all of these questions and more are answered in episode six to tie up the series and see if fans think this is the best Rebus yet.

Rebus, episode six, the last in the series airs on Friday 21 June, BBC Scotland HD, 9pm, and Saturday 22 June, BBC One, 9:25pm, repeated on BBC One, Friday 28 June at 12:40am, and BBC One Scotland, 01:40am. All six episodes are available on BBC iPlayer now