Get Ready for Season 4 of “Line of Duty”

Nobody does British crime drama better than the BBC and the great news is that one of their jewels is back at the weekend. Line of Duty is an absolute cracker!

Returning this Sunday (March 26), for a fourth series, Line of Duty is one of the most popular dramas ever to appear on the national broadcaster and the new series has been promoted from BBC2 to BBC1.

The first three series built a reputation for dealing with hard-hitting topics and consistently strong writing and acting.

The plot-line centres around the activities of the police anti-corruption unit AC-12, headed up by Superintendent Ted Hastings, played by Adrian Dunbar.  His team includes Detective-Sergeants Steve Arnott and Kate Fleming, portrayed superbly by Martin Compston and Vicky McClure.  We have recently seen McClure as the devious Paula Reece in another excellent BBC drama, Replacement.

The previous Line of Duty series dealt with issues such as the failure of police to report crimes correctly, the death of a number of police officers while transporting a prisoner, and the shooting of a suspect in suspicious circumstances.

Sub-plots duck and weave their way around the main narrative.  We have heard talk of corruption, even within the anti-corruption unit, and suspicions of child abuse covered up by possible Masonic networks. Series 3 used the real-life Operation Yewtree in the plot with barely disguised references to a well-known TV personality.

A particularly powerful performance came from the versatile Keeley Hawes in Series 2 and 3. As the only survivor of an ambush on a police convoy she immediately fell under suspicion, both from the judicial process and her own internal investigators. As her case became clearer, only to unravel again, we saw the full range of her talents.

Another hugely talented actress arrives in Series 4, with Thandie Newton joining the party as Detective Chief Inspector Roz Huntley, Under intense pressure to catch and convict her suspects, Roz finds herself in conflict with her colleagues and eventually under the AC-12 microscope. She is a determined and unwavering career officer who also faces a battle to balance her work and home lives. With husband Nick (Lee Ingleby) and two children to worry about she will do anything to stop her life coming apart.

The anti-corruption team are seen by some as meddlers getting in the way of proper police work. The reality is that they just want to job to be done properly. This promises to be their most challenging investigation yet, with DCI Huntley a particularly devious opponent.

Writer Jed Mercurio has promised to keep “tormenting the nation” with more “diabolical plot twists”. His previous efforts have left viewers constantly on edge and Series 4 promises to be no different.

Each series works well as a stand-alone but to get that extra bit of engagement you can watch Series 1 & 2 on Netflix, with Series 3 being shown on BBC at the moment.  If you are a fan of the binge-watch, get involved.  We promise you will not be disappointed.

The post Get Ready for Season 4 of “Line of Duty” appeared first on Felix Magazine.