Television Line Of Duty (BBC TV Series)

Mockney

Not the only poster to be named Poster of the Year
Joined
Jan 27, 2009
Messages
40,954
Location
Editing my own posts.
Starring Keeley Hawes, Vicki McClure, the dodgy looking lanky probation officer from Misfits, the evil Police officer from Psychoville, Neil Morrissey with a comedy limp, an Irish, and some bloke who looked about 12.

One of the best written & acted homemade procedurals on British TV for yonks. The closest we've come to the scando-drams that I've seen. It also bucked the trend of the usual pretenders (Broadchurch etc) by having a genuinely satisfying finale (at least from a plot POV) though the highlight was the 18 minute real time interrogation scene in episode 5.

It's obvious flaw was a lack of polish. It's not going to win any awards for cinematography or design, unless there's a category for "persistent needless zooming"

All episodes are on iPlayer at the moment for those in the UK. I'd recommend it.

Anyone else watch?
 
Last edited:

lesclaypool

Full Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2008
Messages
800
Location
"Paul Scholes is fecking awesome" - Olly
Yeah I thought it was outstanding too. The only disappointment I had was with the flashback scenes in the last episode. Given that there weren't any of these in any of the previous episodes, it seemed a bit out of place. But I guess they didn't really have a lot of time to work with to bring out what actually happened in another manner. Oh and Keeley Hawes was incredible.

Definitely a step up from the 1st series.
 

Mockney

Not the only poster to be named Poster of the Year
Joined
Jan 27, 2009
Messages
40,954
Location
Editing my own posts.
I know what you mean about the flashbacks, but in that situation the only other options were an exposition explanation (which may not have been believed) or a True Detective style "you don't find out all the answers in life" dealy, so I'm glad they went with the one they did.

Keely was indeed very good. I've always really liked her, but I can never quite place what it is I've liked her in (Ashes to Ashes was good, but I much preferred life on Mars & Spooks was sort of fun but bleh.)

I didn't realise it was a second series until I googled it, which explains the unexplained appearance of Gina McKee on a police computer file. Is the first worth watching?
 

lesclaypool

Full Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2008
Messages
800
Location
"Paul Scholes is fecking awesome" - Olly
Yep, definitely worth a watch mate. It's not as good as the 2nd series (IMO) but you'll still be able to recognise the style and features of the writer. Very enjoyable.

Do you know of any other programmes on the police like this? In a desperate search for something similar, I flicked through the channels the other day and watched The Bill for about 10 minutes before being unable to cope with how terrible it was.

I've seen both series of The Bridge which was superb but was looking for something closer to home.
 

Loon

:lol:
Joined
Aug 17, 2011
Messages
9,128
Location
No-Mark
Yep, definitely worth a watch mate. It's not as good as the 2nd series (IMO) but you'll still be able to recognise the style and features of the writer. Very enjoyable.

Do you know of any other programmes on the police like this? In a desperate search for something similar, I flicked through the channels the other day and watched The Bill for about 10 minutes before being unable to cope with how terrible it was.

I've seen both series of The Bridge which was superb but was looking for something closer to home.
Between the Lines was an excellent show with some similarities to Line of Duty (I've enjoyed both series of this and thought it was clever of Jed Mercurio to make this second series work). I'd also check out the superb The Shadow Line when it is repeated on the new London Now channel.
 

Parry Gallister

Full Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2014
Messages
3,121
Yep, definitely worth a watch mate. It's not as good as the 2nd series (IMO) but you'll still be able to recognise the style and features of the writer. Very enjoyable.

Do you know of any other programmes on the police like this? In a desperate search for something similar, I flicked through the channels the other day and watched The Bill for about 10 minutes before being unable to cope with how terrible it was.

I've seen both series of The Bridge which was superb but was looking for something closer to home.
Yeah, it wasn't as good but was on around the beeb roughly same time as the bridge started(?), but scouse... quick google - it's called good cop. Been about 4 years since it was on mind so may be getting mixed up but remember it being really similar in tone to line of duty
 

ZAGREB RED

Guest
I think watching the finale of Line of Duty this Thursday night could prove to be a less stressful evening for United fans than watching the Liverpool-Villareal game, although i will probably watch the other Semi and watch LoD on catch-up. Not seen a thread on it, but I binge-watched the first 4 episodes of Undercover last couple of days, it's a bit far-fetched (maybe not though), but a good watch, Sophie Okenodo is a great actress.
Anyone wanting to catch the first 2 seasons of Line of Duty, they are on Netflix - not sure if it's the UK or USA one though....VPN possibly required.
 

Zen

Full Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2008
Messages
14,445
Well, how about that. A bit bonkers 24-esque ending aside(two heavily armed guards for interrogations where no one is armed, nice setup and all, but come on)....that was pretty terrific, loved how they broke both Arnott on a load of fake circumstantial evidence and then got Cotton on a probably bluff in the end, both fantastically gripping interrogations.

I actually did enjoy the ending rush for what it was.....it was just a bit silly. As long as that kind of stuff is kept to a minimum though, not gonna complain given the rest of it is superbly written and acted. McClure is the fecking queen right now, chews up any meaty role shes handed....will she ever hit the big screen for proper role though or is she just too perfect for these short series?
 

ZAGREB RED

Guest
Well, how about that. A bit bonkers 24-esque ending aside(two heavily armed guards for interrogations where no one is armed, nice setup and all, but come on)....that was pretty terrific, loved how they broke both Arnott on a load of fake circumstantial evidence and then got Cotton on a probably bluff in the end, both fantastically gripping interrogations.

I actually did enjoy the ending rush for what it was.....it was just a bit silly. As long as that kind of stuff is kept to a minimum though, not gonna complain given the rest of it is superbly written and acted. McClure is the fecking queen right now, chews up any meaty role shes handed....will she ever hit the big screen for proper role though or is she just too perfect for these short series?
Agreed on the above, but yes it was a great end to the series...did i just miss it or did we not actually see who was driving the getaway car in the chase at the end ? Cottan and another armed guy - the other copper with him during the escape ? - were in the back but I don't think we saw who was driving ?
Season 4 already scheduled for next year, looking forward to it.
 

Zen

Full Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2008
Messages
14,445
I'd assume it was just one of his many connected corrupt coppers.....it'd be bonkers if it was anyone we'd be introduced too.
 

ZAGREB RED

Guest
I'd assume it was just one of his many connected corrupt coppers.....it'd be bonkers if it was anyone we'd be introduced too.
But when the "real" coppers arrived on the scene you didn't see anyone being taken away - dead or alive- or escaping the scene...I am wondering though if that might be part of plot the new series, but again if the driver had tried to run off after the getaway car crashed, surely Kate might have tried to shoot him ?
 

Mockney

Not the only poster to be named Poster of the Year
Joined
Jan 27, 2009
Messages
40,954
Location
Editing my own posts.
The "urgent exit" and McClure riding on the dump truck bits of the ending were great, but the getaway car bit, that first managed to knock her over with all the heft of a playground game of British Bulldog before proceeding to helpfully drive round and round in a circle until she had a good enough (but still massively implausible) shot at it, was a bit silly. Especially as it was seemingly driven by a group of Ex Machina Zovirax girls.

Like @Zen though, I still enjoyed it for what it was. The show probably needed it for spectacle too after the two half hour real-time interrogation scenes, which while utterly brilliant, were ultimately still a pretty hard and ballsy sell for a prime time series finale.

All in all that was probably the best finale of the 3 series. The last two episodes alone could potentially be two best, too. Denton's swansong in ep5 managed to be shocking and cliffhangeringy, whilst also redemptive and satisfactory too.

There was also significantly less silly zooming in this series, which is always a plus.
 
Last edited:

Mozza

It’s Carrick you know
Joined
Jul 13, 2002
Messages
23,353
Location
Let Rooney be Rooney
The interrogations are what make this show so compelling, the chase at the end was a little sloppy in execution
 

ZAGREB RED

Guest
Was I the only one who wanted to see Fleming kick Nigel Morton in the gonads in the finale, after he cracked her one with his walking stick and gobbed in her hair in Season 1, he deserved it.
I also thought it was a bit odd when they showed him mowing the lawn at home without his walking stick, which was shown sitting on the garden wall, in the final credits - he wouldn't need it as he was holding on to the mower's bars and it would have been difficult to have on hand on the mower and the stick in his other hand anyway ?
 

Alock1

Wears XXXL shirts and can't type ellipses
Joined
Nov 30, 2011
Messages
16,081
@langster will have definitely watched this by now and can give a review for those who havent
 

Alock1

Wears XXXL shirts and can't type ellipses
Joined
Nov 30, 2011
Messages
16,081
New season starts on Sunday night! Can't wait - brilliant, brilliant show.
 

Massive Spanner

Give Mason Mount a chance!
Joined
Jul 2, 2014
Messages
27,890
Location
Tool shed
Yeah it is brilliant. Hope the 1 year gap between the seasons (it was always 2 before) hasn't diminished the quality.
 

JON.B

Sloop
Joined
Jun 7, 2013
Messages
941
Thought the first series was good but after watching the second when the women got pushed out of the hospital window I didn't watch anymore, I just found it disturbing.
 

Alock1

Wears XXXL shirts and can't type ellipses
Joined
Nov 30, 2011
Messages
16,081
Yeah it is brilliant. Hope the 1 year gap between the seasons (it was always 2 before) hasn't diminished the quality.
It hasn't. New series started great! Generally Line of Duty is better as things unwind and the interrogations start so should only get better.
 

Alock1

Wears XXXL shirts and can't type ellipses
Joined
Nov 30, 2011
Messages
16,081
Just had a watch of it for the first time.

Interesting but far fetched.
Obviously it's high drama so is reaching somewhat but I'd only say that applies to the ending, and even then there are no doubt cases of similar things happening.
 

TheReligion

Abusive
Joined
Nov 22, 2006
Messages
51,446
Location
Manchester
Obviously it's high drama so is reaching somewhat but I'd only say that applies to the ending, and even then there are no doubt cases of similar things happening.
I just mean the basic things. Like you wouldn't have a DCI being in the thick of it, like at the start, nor would you have a 'bi lateral secondment' thingy from another force.

I guess this is why I tend to not watch Police shows. Too critical. That said they do get alot right and there are some nice touches.
 

sammsky1

Pochettino's #1 fan
Joined
Feb 10, 2008
Messages
32,841
Location
London
very promising start to a new series. Some interesting new characters along with the usual AC24 crew.

Looking very forward to next week.
 

Ubik

Nothing happens until something moves!
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
18,759
That's the first time I've seen it, thought it was a bit standard up to the end but that hooked me well enough.
 

Zen

Full Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2008
Messages
14,445
Umm, not overly certain what to make of it(final 10 minutes mostly)......but it seems like they moved toward bigger gimmicks to draw in the needed bigger BBC1 crowd I guess, though it really shouldn't matter at all anymore since most viewership is word of mouth/iPlayer anyway, which is why this blew up for it's superbly tight first two years. But as I said last year, it all went a bit 24 towards the end of series 3.....but it was acceptable, this one be the move too far.....see how it plays out for now, since the core leads will keep me interested for 6 more hours at least.
 

Mockney

Not the only poster to be named Poster of the Year
Joined
Jan 27, 2009
Messages
40,954
Location
Editing my own posts.
Yeah, bit unsure about that as an opener. Obviously the base level quality is so high that it's hard to be too harsh on it, but the initial "corruption" struck me as quite boring and low key for a Line of Duty scene setter, only for the last 10 minutes to go bonkers with it.

Also, I'm pretty sure more people die/KO from accidentally hitting their head on the edge of a table after a scuffle in 6 months worth of police procedurals than have ever done so in the entire history of real life crime. I genuinely watched it happen in two other shows last night, in addition to LoD.
 

Massive Spanner

Give Mason Mount a chance!
Joined
Jul 2, 2014
Messages
27,890
Location
Tool shed
Yeah, bit unsure about that as an opener. Obviously the base level quality is so high that it's hard to be too harsh on it, but the initial "corruption" struck me as quite boring and low key for a Line of Duty scene setter, only for the last 10 minutes to go bonkers with it.

Also, I'm pretty sure more people die/KO from accidentally hitting their head on the edge of a table after a scuffle in 6 months worth of police procedurals than have ever done so in the entire history of real life crime. I genuinely watched it happen in two other shows last night, in addition to LoD.
to be fair, she was only dead for like... 2 hours.
 

Pexbo

Winner of the 'I'm not reading that' medal.
Joined
Jun 2, 2009
Messages
68,412
Location
Brizzle
Supports
Big Days
I watched the first two seasons ages ago with my girlfriend and we somehow convinced ourselves we had watched all three so we were a bit surprised last week when we went back on iPlayer to jog our memory and found it was completely new to us. Absolutely brilliant season though.

As for this episode:

I'm guessing that a scuffle is about to ensue and she will end up killing him. Obviously it looks suspicious as hell too - Police officer under investigation by AC12 visits the officer that reported her at his own house, he has a nasty burn on his hand which looks like some sort of violent threat or torture and he ends up dead. Also at the scene is a bunch of false evidence which makes it look even worse.
 

Mockney

Not the only poster to be named Poster of the Year
Joined
Jan 27, 2009
Messages
40,954
Location
Editing my own posts.
Second ep was proper Line Of Duty. Everything the show does well. Long interrogations and bubbling character plot threads. It's set up nicely now.

My guess would be that McClure begins to side with Thandie after finding out her boss went all Mike Pence on their job drinks.
 

Massive Spanner

Give Mason Mount a chance!
Joined
Jul 2, 2014
Messages
27,890
Location
Tool shed
The blood splatter from her head still being there was a bit silly, I mean come on, she cleans up the entire place perfectly apart from one, open area where her own blood was, only to notice it as soon as she goes back the next day? A bit of a stretch for any show.

Overall a good episode there, although I'm not sure I like the Kate/Steve promotion angle they're running with. Seems needless so far.
 

Mockney

Not the only poster to be named Poster of the Year
Joined
Jan 27, 2009
Messages
40,954
Location
Editing my own posts.
The blood splatter from her head still being there was a bit silly, I mean come on, she cleans up the entire place perfectly apart from one, open area where her own blood was, only to notice it as soon as she goes back the next day? A bit of a stretch for any show..
True. As was the idea she'd be able to take over an investigation into her own subordinate's murder whilst under suspicion, but you've gotta run with some things in police fiction.

I think you need the Kate/Steve sub plot, otherwise they're just standard flat procedural investigators. Though it does seem to make Adrian Dunbar an out of character dick purely for the sake of it.
 

Massive Spanner

Give Mason Mount a chance!
Joined
Jul 2, 2014
Messages
27,890
Location
Tool shed
True. As was the idea she'd be able to take over an investigation into her own subordinate's murder whilst under suspicion, but you've gotta run with some things in police fiction.
Green ears? Green? Painted green hou..? OH MY GOD!