Line Of Duty - General Discussion

[Meredith Quill]

A place to discuss particular episodes, arcs and moments from the show's run.

[molshoop]

This is one of the best series I've ever seen on TV.  And yet, I don't like any of the three leads.

Lennie James (Season 1), Keeley Hawes  ( Season 2) and Thandie Newton (Season 3) were the real

stars of the show, giving brilliant performances. 

[tkc]

I do like the three leads, but I agree with you that the three actors you've mentioned have been wonderful.  I'm in the middle of watching S4 right now (Thandie Newton's series).  At this point, I think Keeley Hawes has been the best of the three, but that's no slight on the other two.

[Ceindreadh]

1 hour ago, tkc said:

I do like the three leads, but I agree with you that the three actors you've mentioned have been wonderful.  I'm in the middle of watching S4 right now (Thandie Newton's series).  At this point, I think Keeley Hawes has been the best of the three, but that's no slight on the other two.

I only started watching in S4, and was half hoping that the suspect would get away with it, solely because of the (IMO) smugness of the lead characters!  Might have felt differently if I'd watched the previous seasons first - only picked up on this one because I like Lee Ingleby. 

[Drumpf1737]

On 9/10/2017 at 9:46 AM, tkc said:

I think Keeley Hawes has been the best of the three, but that's no slight on the other two.

Thanks for the reminder I'm going to rewatch her season. I agree with you it is by far the best. While the other two are really good, Keeley's is the stand out. 

[catrice2]

So happy to see this forum! I have asked about it before.  Totally agree, I am always watching more for the leads than for the team..and of course for "The Caddy."  I personally think Lennie James' season was the best and my favorite. 

[LakeGal]

We finished watching season 4 today.  I love this series.  

They really do cast great villains.  The writing and the acting is great. 

Thandie Newton was intriguing.  I don't want to say too much and give away the outcome to anyone that hasn't watched it yet.  But I kept changing my mind who balaclava man was.  I was suspecting everyone of wrong-doing.

I certainly hope they have a season 5.

[tkc]

From what I've read, there is a commitment to a series 5 and a series 6, but production won't begin until 2018.  The prediction is that we won't see new episodes possibly until early 2019.  In the meantime, showrunner Jed Mercurio is working with Keeley Hawes on a different show.

[skyways]

Before I read  posts I just want to say YES! YES! YES! FINALLY!!! What were you guys waiting for to bring this show on here???? I was waiting and waiting and checking over and over... Fantastic show and series. 

[Trey]

Just finished Series 4.  What a gripping series this is.  Now I can't wait for Series 5.

[atlantaloves]

This show is addictive from the very first episode. Comcast has free Acorn channel this week, and I am now up to the end of the second series. WOW....I can't figure out if Miss Hawes is guilty or innocent.  Whoa.  She is as evil as sin though, that's for sure.  This is so much better than any of our American shows. Totally gripping, and brother, they don't care who they kill off in this series!

[skyways]

Keep watching! You still won't know who's bent and who is not. What are they waiting for to bring the next season?

[atlantaloves]

Okay, now I have finished through season 4. wow oh wow oh wow....Oi, when does season 5 come to America? Help me you wonderful British people.  Thank you.  Damn they really have some evil women detectives, they seem to mean well, but to me they are still bent! 

[atlantaloves]

Hey friends, can someone tell me if the actor who plays Steve is part Asian? He's a little doll.  I know he is Scottish, but I think he sort of has an Asian look, it's in the eyebrows. I just found this series and watched all four seasons in a few days, totally hooked! 

[Irlandesa]

I absolutely loved Thandie Newton in the past season. 

3 hours ago, atlantaloves said:

Oi, when does season 5 come to America? 

It hasn't even aired yet in the UK.  It just wrapped filming. 

[atlantaloves]

Whew! Thanks, I can breathe easy now...Will Thandie return, well, parts of her?

[Irlandesa]

4 hours ago, atlantaloves said:

Whew! Thanks, I can breathe easy now...Will Thandie return, well, parts of her?

I don't know the answer to that. There is usually some kind of thematic thorough line with the seasons but it's not always linear. 

[catrice2]

Debuting tomorrow!  I cannot wait!!

[atlantaloves]

Is it coming to the USA? Or are you in England, many thanks! 

[orza]

On BBC One at 21:00.

[atlantaloves]

Well rats....I'll have to wait for BBC America or probably Acorn to get it, thanks for letting me know honey child! Enjoy! 💋

[Stuffy]

30 minutes ago, atlantaloves said:

Well rats....I'll have to wait for BBC America or probably Acorn to get it, thanks for letting me know honey child! Enjoy! 💋

The old episodes are on Hulu, but I have no idea what network if any shows the new seasons in the US. 

[catrice2]

Acorn has the rights to the new season.  Speculation is that it will debut a day after the UK...I can only hope. I literally cannot wait...and then next week I believe Killing Eve is back.....

[Irlandesa]

3 hours ago, catrice2 said:

Acorn has the rights to the new season.  Speculation is that it will debut a day after the UK...I can only hope. I literally cannot wait...and then next week I believe Killing Eve is back.....

Unless Acorn TV is planning to surprise us, which I'm not sure why they would since they clearly see it as a big enough draw to secure first-run US rights, I don't think it's going to debut on Monday. 

[catrice2]

Any UK watchers that can put info in spoilers? I don't care about being spoiled before I watch...I am going to watch anyway...

[Door County Cherry]

This comes to the US via Acorn on May 13th. 

[palmaire]

Ahem.

I rewatched the series this past week and got so annoyed with Kate and her crappy undercover work! All she did in every office was stare suspiciously at people and ask intrusive questions that made her stand out like the snitch she was. Most of her supervisors immediately picked up that something was off and tried to get rid of her.

Even after binging, I still didn't catch if Kate is still living in her car or not. And did she reveal her dire financial condition to her superiors in accordance with professional conduct section 238[d](1)? 

Those fucking prison matrons made me angry all over again. Lindsay being a venomous snake doesn't make it okay.

Sorry, but Steve is too short and Charlie Brown-ish to be the suave ladies man the show would like us to believe he is.

[catrice2]

I can't wait to see this in the U.S.  I agree, I love his acting, but Martin Compston is not what I would call wildly attractive.  I think that as in real life, women would be drawn to his intellect and the fact that he is so unassuming. That does have a certain appeal. 

[dleighg]

On 4/22/2019 at 10:51 PM, catrice2 said:

Martin Compston is not what I would call wildly attractive.  I think that as in real life, women would be drawn to his intellect and the fact that he is so unassuming.

I guess I agree-- but I find him very attractive. But it's more his manner and intensity.

[LisaM]

Just started watching Season 1 in anticipation of the new season debuting here in the US on Monday. The press has been very good and I'm looking for another British show to binge now that I'm finished with Vera and The Coroner. I liked The Bodyguard so I'm hopeful that I'll like this as well. 

[dleighg]

6 hours ago, LisaM said:

Just started watching Season 1 in anticipation of the new season debuting here in the US on Monday.

Tell me where! I am now on Season 3 and am totally taken in by this season (and have a bit of a crush on "DS Stephen Arnott." Somehow I just find these British police procedurals completely addictive.

[LisaM]

Season 5 premieres on May 13 on Acorn TV in the US. The earlier seasons are now streaming on Acorn. (I'm on Season 1, Episode 3 and am hooked.) 

[dleighg]

Ah. I'm watching LoD on Hulu. I may have to sign up for a free trial of Acorn to binge Season 5. I'm near the end of Season 3 and similarly hooked)

[catrice2]

Love this show!  I thought it premiered in June!  I know what I am doing all week after work! 

[PaulaO]

I binged Season/Series 5 yesterday via Acorn.  Lots of gasps and shouts from me.  It's very intense. 

[Ina123]

Binged 5 in two nights. Awesome.

[Writing Wrongs]

I just watched all 5 seasons. I love the show, but I get so frustrated watching it. The characters are so horrible. I started with Season 4 and I hated the Thandie Newton character so much I thought I would have an aneurysm while I talked back at the tv. LOL And Lindsay Denton wasn't much better!

On 4/22/2019 at 10:31 AM, palmaire said:

Sorry, but Steve is too short and Charlie Brown-ish to be the suave ladies man the show would like us to believe he is.

I can't believe he slept with a witness and almost with a suspect. What the hell, dude? 

I really like the AC-12 boss.

[MakeMeLaugh]

Just finished the last episode. Which was ridiculous with the nonstop interrogation of the arrestee, the same thing (document 69, page 20, paragraph 3, blah blah blah). We get it, painstaking work, but omg I was falling asleep. Needed a lot more cuts with Steve and Kate racing around at the same time to get statements and evidence from random witnesses. Really weak compared with the first 5 episodes, and imo this whole season was really weak compared to the previous ones. Not enough of a story so it kept going in circles imo. Still worth watching. Hope the next season is more complex.

[Door County Cherry]

The long interrogation scenes can feel a bit too long sometimes but overall, I was fully addicted this season as well.

The only thing I wish is that Acorn wouldn't drop full seasons on Mondays because, unless I take the day off of work, it's impossible to binge it the way I want to.  

[MakeMeLaugh]

Definitely this season was still better than almost anything else I have watched, but the never-ending interrogation at the end really took me out of the story as I was just waiting for that part of the episode to end. 

[dleighg]

On 5/14/2019 at 12:49 PM, PaulaO said:

I binged Season/Series 5 yesterday via Acorn.  Lots of gasps and shouts from me.  It's very intense. 

just signed up for a free week with Acorn (and may stick with it as I am addicted to British police dramas). Steve with a beard, oo la la 🙂

Edited May 23, 2019 by dleighg

[PaulaO]

Acorn rocks.  When you are done with LoD, watch George Gently.  Or Foyle’s War. Or Midsomer Murders.  There’s a ton of British police dramas....

Edited May 24, 2019 by PaulaO

[LisaM]

I'll add Vera and Brokenwood Mysteries to that list. 

[dleighg]

1 hour ago, PaulaO said:

Acorn rocks.  When you are done with LoD, watch George Gently.  Or Foyle’s War. Or Midsomer Murders.  There’s a ton of British police dramas....

43 minutes ago, LisaM said:

I'll add Vera and Brokenwood Mysteries to that list. 

Thanks for the suggestions! I think a couple of those are on Netflix (which I also have) but I do just love British police dramas.

[PaulaO]

Brokenwood is also on Acorn.  Not sure about Vera.

[LisaM]

Vera is on both Acorn and Britbox. 

[Desperado]

On 5/17/2019 at 11:13 AM, Writing Wrongs said:

I just watched all 5 seasons. I love the show, but I get so frustrated watching it. The characters are so horrible. I started with Season 4 and I hated the Thandie Newton character so much I thought I would have an aneurysm while I talked back at the tv. LOL And Lindsay Denton wasn't much better!

I can't believe he slept with a witness and almost with a suspect. What the hell, dude? 

I really like the AC-12 boss.

I know!! The “bad cop” actors are SO good. I just finished Season 3 and The Caddy absolutely drove me nuts!!!

I thought the chase at the end was ridiculous though. As is everyone sleeping with each other - it gets worse with each new season.

[Superpole2000]

The finale of Season 5 was poor. Too much screen time was spent interviewing Hastings (I actually dozed off once or twice), who we all knew wasn't going to be the real catch, while the work to nail the actual criminal went on mostly off screen.

But what annoyed me the most was the return to Dot's dying declaration video. While he had a giant fatal wound in his chest, apparently he was tapping out messages in Morse code? Get real. That's so incredibly implausible, and now they're going to build an entire sixth season off of that ridiculous premise.

And all of the non-case stuff like Steve's back injury and Kate's relationship problems didn't go anywhere. I still want to see Season 6, but I felt like Season 5 was the show's low point so far.

[bybrandy]

On 4/22/2019 at 10:31 AM, palmaire said:

Sorry, but Steve is too short and Charlie Brown-ish to be the suave ladies man the show would like us to believe he is.

I'd bang him.   

Worried he's developing a drug dependency though.  

Biggest ah moment for me is that Ryan kid joining up at the end of season 5.  I'd like to think he being mentored by a straight copper means he won't be bent, but just the idea of Steve bumping into him.

[LGraves65]

Just started S2 - Midwife Jenny!