Sixth series of Line Of Duty on BBC 21st March

[Crabwalk]

I saw it last year* and enjoyed it as a standalone without having seen the previous series, but I'm not enjoying this much and after seeing the first two episodes I'm quite bored by it.  Also I'm left confused because almost every copper seems bent, or is that what I'm supposed to think at this stage?

_{*Or was it longer than a year ago?  it seems much longer but it must just be a year, right?}

It's two years since the previous series I think. If you enjoyed that I'd definitely recommend going back and starting from Series 1, both because those earlier series are especially enjoyable and also because you'll get a lot more out of this latest one.

[Utter Shit]

Is it just me or is Kelly MacDonald a really terrible actor? I've never seen her in anything so I don't know if I'm just misunderstanding what she is doing as an actor and I'll appreciate her as the series continues, but Christ almighty. Ryan Pilkington has been more convincing with his occasional smirk and Shifty-Simpsons-dog looks than anything she has done.

[Crabwalk]

I do think she's been a bit shaky in this, but she was great recently in 'Giri/Haji'. And she of course more than held her own in No Country for Old Men in a very different role, sharing the screen with Oscar winners. So I don't think she's a terrible actor, but maybe needs better dialogue in LoD.

[mjwilson]

I saw it last year* and enjoyed it as a standalone without having seen the previous series, but I'm not enjoying this much and after seeing the first two episodes I'm quite bored by it.  Also I'm left confused because almost every copper seems bent, or is that what I'm supposed to think at this stage?

_{*Or was it longer than a year ago?  it seems much longer but it must just be a year, right?}

All Coppers Are Bent

[Phil_A]

The one bit I found really clunky was the obvious green-screen insertion of Andi Osho into the AC-12 Greatest Hits video montage, particularly the way the camera would pan across to show her standing in exactly the same position every time. Maybe if it had just been one they would've got away with it, but multiple times it just looked a bit silly.

[BlodwynPig]

I saw it last year* and enjoyed it as a standalone without having seen the previous series, but I'm not enjoying this much and after seeing the first two episodes I'm quite bored by it.  Also I'm left confused because almost every copper seems bent, or is that what I'm supposed to think at this stage?

_{*Or was it longer than a year ago?  it seems much longer but it must just be a year, right?}

doe eyed nervous glances, twitches, ominous music - speaks to a lack of imagination and depth that they lean too heavily on these tropes. As others have said, its just light entertainment so I shouldn't be too tough on it - I'm enjoying it, like I enjoy a trifle.

[bgmnts]

Kelly McDonald banging against the car windows brought out a big guffaw from me, fair play.

[jobotic]

I assumed it was a tribute to The Ice Cream Man Cometh

[Old Thrashbarg]

I found the explicit mentions of Savile (and Daniel Morgan, for that matter) to be quite jarring. I've always found references to real events within fiction, where it isn't part of the actual narrative, to be slightly discordant though.

[BlodwynPig]

Kelly McDonald banging against the car windows brought out a big guffaw from me, fair play.

The moment she lost my good will for her acting in the series. Embarrassing.

[kalowski]

I found the explicit mentions of Savile (and Daniel Morgan, for that matter) to be quite jarring. I've always found references to real events within fiction, where it isn't part of the actual narrative, to be slightly discordant though.

Pretty sure there's been a Savile theme running through for a while now.

[chveik]

The moment she lost my good will for her acting in the series. Embarrassing.

she's usually pretty good, it must be a wider directing/writing problem.

[BlodwynPig]

she's usually pretty good, it must be a wider directing/writing problem.

she is...I suspect the rest of the 'bad acting', i.e. the interview scene, may be indicative of outside controlling influences making her (the character) petrified. That's what it came across as, someone petrified yet trying to remain dominant in the face of accusation.

[Old Thrashbarg]

Pretty sure there's been a Savile theme running through for a while now.

Yeah, this was certainly not the first time he's been referenced. I think at the very least there was an image of him shaking hands with the retired cop who was a child abuser.

[Mobius]

Kelly McDonald is fine.

STOP SLAGGING OFF THE BEST SHOW EVER

[BlodwynPig]

Kelly McDonald is fine.

STOP SLAGGING OFF THE BEST SHOW EVER

At last, some much needed objectivity.

[gib]

Yeah, this was certainly not the first time he's been referenced. I think at the very least there was an image of him shaking hands with the retired cop who was a child abuser.

Dale Roach



from a Metro article 2016

Though never referred to by name – merely as a 'celebrity' and 'clapped out' DJ – the deceased television personality and fund-raiser is pictured on friendly terms with former police officer Patrick Fairbank and former councillor Dale Roach.

As a sidenote, kudos to the Line Of Duty team for the reference to Cyril Smith, a former MP for Rochdale (we see what they did there), who has come under serious allegations of child abuse since his death in 2010 (and also many during his lifetime).

For those who may have forgotten, Smith was well-known for his obesely rotund appearance – not unlike Dale Roach in Line Of Duty. The former MP for Rochdale and Savile were friends in real life, with the former appearing on the latter's television show from the early 70s, 'Clunk-Click' (another episode also starred, wait for it, Gary Glitter).

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

Kelly McDonald is completely innocent.

I'm calling it now.

[gib]

i don't think anyone's betting against you after that final scene where she was slapping the inside of her car windows

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

i don't think anyone's betting against you after that final scene where she was slapping the inside of her car windows

Could be a double bluff. You know what yer man Mercurio's like.

[Old Thrashbarg]

I'm pretty sure there was a fly in the car.

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

Is the dialogue deliberately stilted, btw? What's the name of the Irish feller leading good old AC 12, the feller who uses words like " banjaxed", in case you forget he's Irish? He's got a lovely old hairstyle on him. Next time I get me 'air cut, I'm asking for one of those.

This Is England Lady narkedly saying " You always pick right shit 'oles"  made me smile.

[gib]

Could be a double bluff. You know what yer man Mercurio's like.

nah, why would she be getting all upset in the car

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

nah, why would she be getting all upset in the car

I refer you to my learned colleague Old Thrasberg's comment.

[studpuppet]

If you view the last scene again, you'll realise that she was

Spoiler alert

using the International Car Window Slapping Code to form the letter 'H'.

[close]

[Mobius]

The OCG have got her mum or something, judging by her staring at the photo in episode 1.

Reckon Kate is already undercover for Hastings.

Buckles interviewed that Ryan bloke when he was a little shit on a bike in like Series 1. Although Buckles is so incompetent he probably doesn't remember

Not sure why John Corbett's wife is back but Hastings did bung her 50 grand last season, so he's probably gonna land himself in trouble again. Also wonder if Steve faked his back problems to have a snoop around whilst she was out at the car.

[Mobius]

Is the dialogue deliberately stilted, btw? What's the name of the Irish feller leading good old AC 12, the feller who uses words like " banjaxed", in case you forget he's Irish? He's got a lovely old hairstyle on him. Next time I get me 'air cut, I'm asking for one of those.

That's Ted Hastings. Hastings like the battle. He's only interested in one thing and that's bent coppers.

[BlodwynPig]

If you view the last scene again, you'll realise that she was

Spoiler alert

using the International Car Window Slapping Code to form the letter 'H'.

[close]

The package she picked up at the end was inscribed "From H" if you look closely!

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

What's the name of the Irish feller leading good old AC 12, the feller who uses words like " banjaxed", in case you forget he's Irish?

Police Chief Jed Bannockburn.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

This series must make no sense whatsoever to anyone who's never seen Line of Duty before. It's so full of callbacks to seemingly minor characters and plot points from years ago.

I quite like the fact that Jed Mercurio is making this entertainingly mad shite up as he goes along. It's amusing.