Line of Duty (BBC) **Spoilers**

JP Liz V1

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01k9pm3

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2011/08_august/24/line.shtml

Following one multi-stranded investigation over five hours, Line Of Duty sees Detective Sergeant Steve Arnott (Martin Compston) transferred to AC-12, a fictional anti-corruption unit, after a mistaken shooting during a counter-terrorist operation. Alongside Detective Constable Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure), they are assigned to lead an investigation into the alleged corruption by a popular and successful officer, Detective Chief Inspector Tony Gates (Lennie James). While Gates cleverly manipulates his unit's figures, DS Arnott questions whether Gates's being made a scapegoat for a culture of institutionalised spin, or is guilty of darker corruption?

Starts tonight at 10pm with Lennie James in a lead role (very underrated actor imo)

Richard Dower

http://www.cultbox.co.uk/interviews/syndicated/4025-vicky-mcclure-line-of-duty-interview

Skid

At least Wimbledon didn't overrun so it should start on time tonight.

This is a notorious fortnight for Dramas scheduled on BBC, the schedules can be very fluid.

cargo

Skid wrote: »

At least Wimbledon didn't overrun so it should start on time tonight.

This is a notorious fortnight for Dramas scheduled on BBC, the schedules can be very fluid.

It actually starts at 9pm and not 10 as stated above.

mike65

Its no the wire Between the Lines, well not yet.

Kiwi_knock

Did not think it was that good. Will continue to watch because it does have some potential and there is not too many episodes.

ejmaztec

I dont know how the little guy who looks like he's about 16 got recruited for the lead. He must be the smallest cop on TV. I though Adrian Dunbar was going to put him on his shoulder, or in his pocket.:pac:

K-9

Better second episode and a good twist at the end, didn't see that coming at all, didn't see the durtee phone call coming either! Bit cringe worthy.
Acting is good, even Neill Morrissey isn't that annoying.

I've a feeling Dunbars character is linked in with the dodgy property company in some way

mike65

Yeah it was better last night, esp the revelation about McKees character and what then happened at the end.

K-9

mike65 wrote: »

Yeah it was better last night, esp the revelation about McKees character and what then happened at the end.

Good twist.

The McKee character was getting a bit annoying. I suspect now she's gone, it'll get more into the politicking. There was a hint or 2 dropped in the first episode that the Dunbar character is up to something, and how she was murdered the night before the interview seems a bit too convenient.

mike65

True that.

DeepBlue

Good finish to ep2. Wasn't expecting that at all. :eek:

One thing about the show is that the grunt work and bureaucracy has the smell of authenticity and would put off anyone thinking of joining the police. The Bill was never like this.

K-9

DeepBlue wrote: »

Good finish to ep2. Wasn't expecting that at all. :eek:

One thing about the show is that the grunt work and bureaucracy has the smell of authenticity and would put off anyone thinking of joining the police. The Bill was never like this.

The "extra 6 pages of paperwork" line was very cold but funny! They also show how targets can be manipulated and some crimes ignored. Even the stereotypical estate is portrayed authentically, the young lad doing the drug running in particular.

K-9

Didn't think that episode was as entertaining but a clever change of direction. Sets up the the last 2 episodes nicely.

brian_t

I liked that episode and the whole series so far.

Still not sure who's good and who's bad among the police though, although I'm rooting for Gates.

All will be revealed next week or maybe not.

ejmaztec

As long as the charming little lad (Ryan?) gets his comeuppance, I don't care what happens to the rest of them.:mad:

I'm wondering whether he's based on someone who bullied the writer when he was a kid.

K-9

brian_t wrote: »

I liked that episode and the whole series so far.

Still not sure who's good and who's bad among the police though, although I'm rooting for Gates.

All will be revealed next week or maybe not.

The politics is portrayed well, the showdown between Dunbar and the police head was excellent, Dunbar played it well but the tables were turned when Gates was put in charge of the Al Queda operation.

Very good series overall. Anybody know how Gates knew to look at the CCTV for the warehouse? I presume it was a Laverty Holdings building so that narrowed the list down!

DeepBlue

K-9 wrote: »

Anybody know how Gates knew to look at the CCTV for the warehouse?

I think Gates was just trawling through the CCTV hoping to find the warehouse based on the distinctive windows and what he knew of the area i.e. beside a road, slightly underneath road-level. He obviously pulled an all-nighter before he struck lucky.

I thought Dunbar was the weak link in this series as he seemed a bit hammy to me in the earlier episodes but he played a blinder in the latest episode.
And c'mon who isn't just a little happy to see the sanctimonious Arnett

getting his fingers chopped

?

I can't wait to see Gates face when he realises Kate has been playing him all along.
The best bit about this series is the tightrope it walks in terms of who you sympathise with most and who you most want to see "win".

TwoShedsJackson

ejmaztec wrote: »

As long as the charming little lad (Ryan?) gets his comeuppance, I don't care what happens to the rest of them.:mad:

I'm wondering whether he's based on someone who bullied the writer when he was a kid.

I really hope that little pri<k gets shot in the head next week. Or run over by Gates' Jag at the very least.

ejmaztec

TwoShedsJackson wrote: »

I really hope that little pri<k gets shot in the head next week. Or run over by Gates' Jag at the very least.

Too quick, they should spread the pain out over 6 more episodes., the little sh1t.

FloatingVoter

I think the point is Gates was a slightly bent but efficient copper at the start who manipulated his crime stats / played offside and used his rank to get a freebie for the kids. Now he's fully in the pocket of a gangster thanks to the efforts of the anti-corruption mob.
I still have my suspicions about Adrian Dunbar's motives. How easy would it be for a lad from Northern Ireland to do a Scottish accent ?

ejmaztec

FloatingVoter wrote: »

I think the point is Gates was a slightly bent but efficient copper at the start who manipulated his crime stats / played offside and used his rank to get a freebie for the kids. Now he's fully in the pocket of a gangster thanks to the efforts of the anti-corruption mob.
I still have my suspicions about Adrian Dunbar's motives. How easy would it be for a lad from Northern Ireland to do a Scottish accent ?

It's probably 75% of the way there already.

K-9

FloatingVoter wrote: »

I think the point is Gates was a slightly bent but efficient copper at the start who manipulated his crime stats / played offside and used his rank to get a freebie for the kids. Now he's fully in the pocket of a gangster thanks to the efforts of the anti-corruption mob.
I still have my suspicions about Adrian Dunbar's motives. How easy would it be for a lad from Northern Ireland to do a Scottish accent ?

The last episode cleared up my suspicions of his involvement. It's an excellent series that way, you never really know the motives behind the characters which leaves the final episode really open and genuinely very hard to tell what will happen. Gates genuinely seems to have just got caught up in a spiral of events from covering the initial hit and run up, one lie leading to another............

I'd have thought the wife will come into it more, that seemed to be settled a little too easily.

mike65

Last episode bump - and yes I hope the little scrote has a long painful exit!

K-9

Not enough Gates in the first half hour and Dunbar's character was wasted. Not a bad watch at all, but it seemed to be aspiring too much to a Luther dramatic ending. Could have done with a full 12/13 episode series.

TwoShedsJackson

I always find it odd when they do those 'Mr. X was never prosecuted...' summaries on fictional programmes. Just add another episode and show it!

ejmaztec

TwoShedsJackson wrote: »

I always find it odd when they do those 'Mr. X was never prosecuted...' summaries on fictional programmes. Just add another episode and show it!

They seem to usually do 6 episodes for this kind of series, and it was odd to me that there were only 5. Perhaps the Beeb decided to cut costs by putting episode 6 in amongst the credits?

mike65

Didn't like the final revelation as it basically came out of nowhere and when you think about it, was a hell of a lot of work when easier routes to that end could have been taken.

The series has been a ratings success for BBC2 so a second is on the way.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/jul/25/line-of-duty-second-series

brian_t

I enjoyed the series as a whole but I agree that the End captions were out of place.

I was also a bit surprised that none of the police batted an eyelid at Dots need to have a private word with the crime boss in the back of the van.

K-9

brian_t wrote: »

I enjoyed the series as a whole but I agree that the End captions were out of place.

I was also a bit surprised that none of the police batted an eyelid at Dots need to have a private word with the crime boss in the back of the van.

I assumed they thought he was going to give him a few digs as he was part of Gates team.

Good to see it getting another series, enjoyed it over all.

K-9

mike65 wrote: »

Didn't like the final revelation as it basically came out of nowhere and when you think about it, was a hell of a lot of work when easier routes to that end could have been taken.

The series has been a ratings success for BBC2 so a second is on the way.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/jul/25/line-of-duty-second-series

Highest ratings for a BBC2 drama apparently.

Second series starts this day week at 9pm. Interview with Martin Compston, a couple of spoilers in it so beware:
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/02/03/line-of-duty-martin-compston-interview_n_4717755.html

dwayned

and all filmed in Belfast, myself and my girlfriend worked as extras on this over a few weekends.

really looking forward to seeing how this plays out

somesoldiers

Really enjoyed this last night, repeat on Sun around 11 for anyone that missed it

dwayned

they have just posted a trailer for ep2 as well, can't view in work but will have a look when i get home

** could be spoilers

ep2 preview

evilivor

Terrific episode tonight after quite a bit of silliness.

Should be a great finale next week.

somesoldiers

how did everyone else find the finale, I thought it was all a bit rushed tbh and am a bit confused- will have to watch it back. But overall I really enjoyed the series

dwayned

i liked it, seen a good article earlier on their twitter page re the ending

** SPOILERS INCLUDED **

somesoldiers

ah- all makes sense now, pity I didn't catch season one. Also a pity that

your one out of Call The Midwife got defenestrated ep 1 was hoping to see a bit more action from her

dwayned

lol

yeah i had seen people tweeting about how they were looking forward to seeing her in it before it had started and we already knew her fate. we were able to get hold of tickets to an advance screening of Ep1 in Belfast 3 weeks before it aired so had to bite my lip

somesoldiers

cool

would have liked to have seen her without her bike

evilivor

somesoldiers wrote: »

how did everyone else find the finale, I thought it was all a bit rushed tbh and am a bit confused- will have to watch it back. But overall I really enjoyed the series

I'm glad it wasn't just me - I found it terribly confusing in the end and I had seen series 1.

K-9

I was trying to think who the actress who played DI Denton was, only dawned on me watching it last night in the repeat, Zoe from Spooks Series 1,2,3 and maybe 4!

somesoldiers

that's her- wonder why they call Spooks "MI5" in the US? in case they think it's about ghosts maybe

evilivor

somesoldiers wrote: »

that's her- wonder why they call Spooks "MI5" in the US? in case they think it's about ghosts maybe

Spook also has an older, racist meaning in the US.

somesoldiers

oh right, that wouldn't do

Basq

Looks like this is back for a third series shortly.. seeing as there's a preview of the first episode of series 3 early next month!

http://www.bafta.org/whats-on/tv-preview-line-of-duty-qa

trashcan

K-9 wrote: »

I was trying to think who the actress who played DI Denton was, only dawned on me watching it last night in the repeat, Zoe from Spooks Series 1,2,3 and maybe 4!

I watched the whole thing without copping that DC Fleming was Lol from This Is England (Vicky McClure). (In fairness I hadn't seen TIE in ages)

Looking forward to Season 3. First two were excellent.

Basq

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-f7ObpcbaQ

brian_t

Basq wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-f7ObpcbaQ

Looking forward to it.

somesoldiers

Great- that and Happy Valley, will keep me happy for a while

Harry Palmr

Just showed the trailer on BBC One, no actual date though.