Heart-Stopping Drama Finally Gets The Recognition It Deserves: Line of Duty Series Four

Sunday, April 30, 2017


It’s the programme which has gripped the nation over the last six Sundays and left millions constantly on the edge of their seats wondering whatever’s next in the complex world of policing. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, then where have you been for best part of the last two months? After making the bold move from a mid-week slot on BBC Two to being prime-time Sunday night BBC One viewing, Line of Duty has become one of the most popular British Drama’s to date, with the nation at fever pitch time and time again.

Line of Duty is different from any police drama we have ever seen before. Instead of focusing on the traditional ‘cop vs criminal’ narrative, we see an aspect of the service we usually hear very little about – Anti-Corruption, police investigating police when all is not as it should be. These guys are good, too, with a track record of bringing corrupt coppers to justice no matter how much they protest they are most absolutely “NOT BENT”, so if you’ve got these lot knocking on your door or turning your office upside-down, you’re in trouble. From tampered evidence to missing statements: you name it, AC-12 have dealt with it, and have no fear that you will be found out – one way or another.

At the heart of AC-12 are our main protagonists; D.S Steve Arnott, D.S Kate Fleming and Superintendent Ted Hastings. These three are the driving-force of the unit, skilled, fully-committed and without them a lot of very guilty people would still be walking free. Scotland-born Martin Compston deserves a BAFTA for his English accent alone, but him, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar have all excelled in their roles, taking characters from words on a page and over the four series’ turning them into complex and multi-layered individuals who you can’t help but root for.

With a show like this which has pulled in over five million viewers per episode (that’s without the number of times we’ve re-watched it on catch-up to try spot any hidden clues), you would expect social media to be a barren wasteland, deserted as the clock strikes nine, while the nation watches on in the hope that the corrupt few (or many – it seems every copper has twisted the law in some shape or form) will finally get their comeuppance. But no, avid viewers provide a running commentary of the episode, discussing theories and reacting to the OH MY GOSH moments as they happen. Not to mention the long-standing jokes and phrase bingo- how many times did Ted call someone “Fella” this week?, and if we haven’t been reminded that the officer in question “has the right to questioned by an officer at least one rank senior” to them, then we were clearly watching the wrong show. And, most brilliantly of all, after Steve took a rather involuntary tumble from the third floor after single-handely trying catch a suspicious looking Nick Huntley without back-up (he never learns, does he?), Twitter rejoiced, producing some rather fantastically relatable responses, including a Photoshopped Jesus, showing D.S Arnott rising from the dead on Easter Sunday. What more could you want from a T.V show, highly gripping drama and all the memes you could wish for to go with it.

Not only have characters developed over the years, so has the show in itself. Since the beginning composer Carly Paradis has provided the soundtrack which is enough to make your heart stop on its own, but on a whole each series the bar has been raised. An interview scene can last ten minutes, and your concentration is never once lost. The cinematography, editing and overall quality of the show has become a lot more polished, consequently bringing in bigger names to take on starring roles, including Keeley Hawes and more recently Thandie Newton. Creator Jed Mercurio has managed to do all of this, still without losing the programme’s raw authenticity. Geniously, he's finally got the audience exactly where he wants them - trusting no one and questioning everything.

Four series and twenty-three episodes in, it’s becoming increasingly obvious that this is only the tip of the iceberg and a much more serious and larger scale cover-up is going on, involving people from the very bottom of the police ranks all the way up to the top dogs. Last night’s dramatic ending even left audiences wondering whether the nations favourite Superintendent is not all he seems, following some very cleverly placed window decoration gave us a shot showing Ted looking on anxiously from “behind bars”, which cut to some very sketchy glances shared between Kate and Steve in the final few seconds of the series finale. Not our Ted, surely. Him (and his officers) “do things to the letter of the law, the letter!”

Despite a fair few loose ends being tied up and Roz getting what she deserves, the ambiguous ending has left viewers with unanswered questions and a desperation for more. With a fifth series being tipped to not be screened until 2019 (2019!!), a long wait lies ahead to see what’s next for AC-12.

Perfectly scripted, acted and produced, Line of Duty has gone from strength to strength over the years with this being by far its best and most ambitious series yet. Awards are definitely on the cards as well as an audience who when the time comes, will be right where you left them, eagerly waiting for more. 

 

If you're one of the very, very few people who have had the misfortune of missing out, then you can: 

Watch series four in it's on BBC iPlayer
Catch up on series one and two on Netflix
Get the boxset and binge-watch to your heart's content
Join the conversation at #LineofDuty

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