Sixth series of Line Of Duty on BBC 21st March

[Wayman C. McCreery]

I think it has always been nonsense but at the start it was fresh and interesting nonsense and it was creating the tropes it is now living off so it seemed more original and exciting.

Yeah, I think that's spot on actually. I think I mentioned earlier in the thread that it's lost its ability to shock, and what you've just said explains why.

[BeardFaceMan]

Though I feel like I always need to caveat any praise for the show with mention of just how dreadful the end of the last series was.

This. The dogshit ending of series 5 has spoiled my enjoyment of this series, I think. I'm not enjoying the ride anymore, I just want to get to the destination.

Seriously, who the fuck other than Jed thought the series 5 ending was a good idea?

[EOLAN]

This. The dogshit ending of series 5 has spoiled my enjoyment of this series, I think. I'm not enjoying the ride anymore, I just want to get to the destination.

Seriously, who the fuck other than Jed thought the series 5 ending was a good idea?

Yep quite ludicrous. Which gives me hope that Joy Davidson is related to Lindsay Denton who has  a vengeful twin sister which allows Keeley Hawes return sporting that fringe I so love.

[Fambo Number Mive]

Or Clark and his team.

[studpuppet]

It's getting to the point where they should call CI5 in, surely?

Or maybe Jack Cloth, crossing the line and not knowing which side he's on any more.

[gilbertharding]

It's getting to the point where they should call CI5 in, surely?

Steve and Kate did use the radio call signs '4-5' and '3-7' a few series back, so it could be on the cards...

[BlodwynPig]

Speaking of bad acting, I'm surprised to see praise for the chap who plays Ryan - I think he's by far the worst of the lot. The guy who plays Dr Buckles DI Buckells is excellent though.

They, plus Doe-eye Farida, have been the worst actors by a square mile. Classic BBC woodenness - see Dr. Who. If robots did acting.

[rjd2]

Ryan's giving Joffrey a run for his money in the 'annoying-faced, young, bastard villain' category.

The difference is sadly the chap who played Joffrey was a genuinely good actor while the kid playing Ryan is awful.

[phantom_power]

Isn't the actor playing Ryan just playing a character who is woodenly playing the character of a decent copper though? That change in persona when he was in the office with Davidson suggested that to me at least

[Utter Shit]

Same here. I think he's fantastic.

The actor is also about to be on This Morning if anyone cares.

[BlodwynPig]

Same here. I think he's fantastic.

The actor is also about to be on This Morning if anyone cares.

He is shit. I hate him.

[studpuppet]

Isn't the actor playing Ryan just playing a character who is woodenly playing the character of a decent copper though?

Charlie Brooker foresaw all this.

https://www.tvmaze.com/characters/160719/a-touch-of-cloth-pc-cardboard-cutout

[gilbertharding]

As it's the year of our Lord 2021, as well as watching a tv show, I am also enjoying a podcast where people I imagine are my friends talk about a tv show. In this case, Shrine of Duty.

Anyone bothering with this, or the official BBC one?

[phantom_power]

I listen to the official one and Dot is good value in it but they take it all a bit too seriously and toe the whole "unmissable TV, on the edge of my seat" bit too much. What is Shrine like?

[gilbertharding]

It's three Irish people who I have no idea who they are (are they well known?). It's quite funny - they're not at all reverent.

#edit# they're local radio presenters from Dublin, if that doesn't sound patronising...

[EOLAN]

I did a search for Line of Duty podcasts a while ago. All I got was a US Cops Union podcast. With episodes about how biased the media coverage was on the George Floyd killing and how to use guns better.

[BlodwynPig]

Balderdash. Why did they do an Andrew Lawrence pastiche? Savile, Dando... its the Beeb's greatest hits atm

[jobotic]

I'm sure it'll be seen as brave to tackle the corruption around the Stephen Lawrence murder but I'm uncomfortable with the idea put forward by the programme that there a bunch of good coppers who are outraged by it all and would put their jobs on the line to uncover their colleagues' racism and corruption.

Yeah, right.

[EOLAN]

Balderdash. Why did they do an Andrew Lawrence pastiche? Savile, Dando... its the Beeb's greatest hits atm

Was the photo fit of Jimmy Nesbitt shown before. As used for the old folks prisoner.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

I'm sure it'll be seen as brave to tackle the corruption around the Stephen Lawrence murder but I'm uncomfortable with the idea put forward by the programme that there a bunch of good coppers who are outraged by it all and would put their jobs on the line to uncover their colleagues' racism and corruption.

Yeah, right.

I know, but that's the fundamental flaw of Line of Duty - this romantic idea of there being a virtuous core of coppers sniffing out corruption and holding it all to account. To be fair to Mercurio, he's never pretended that it's something that can be easily solved, but that's largely because the series would end if AC-12 eventually sorted it all out and went for a pint.

He strikes me as a sincere, cynical, talented hack. He cares about the issues he touches upon, but as a dramatist he's more concerned with the twists and cliffhangers. Let's keep the whole thing churning on. Do you remember that terrible thing? Awful, wasn't it? Anyway, here's Steve in a helicopter.

[BlodwynPig]

I know, but that's the fundamental flaw of Line of Duty - this romantic idea of there being a virtuous core of coppers sniffing out corruption and holding it all to account. To be fair to Mercurio, he's never pretended that it's something that can be easily solved, but that's largely because the series would end if AC-12 eventually sorted it all out and went for a pint.

He strikes me as a sincere, cynical, talented hack. He cares about the issues he touches upon, but as a dramatist he's more concerned with the twists and cliffhangers. Let's keep the whole thing churning on. Do you remember that terrible thing? Awful, wasn't it? Anyway, here's Steve in a helicopter.

good post. if its one thing you care about...its bent coppers.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Thanks. Like and subscribe.

[jobotic]

A bent 'copter.

[Hat FM]

i still watch and, for the most part, enjoy line of duty but the constant catchphrasery from Hastings which it seems is inserted so that the show is meme-able really eats away at the credibility. also, others have pointed this out but unless you have binge watched it how are we supposed to remember minute details from series 1 etc? The wire used to show the consequences of events that had taken place in previous series' but not about 5 every episode.

[BlodwynPig]

i still watch and, for the most part, enjoy line of duty but the constant catchphrasery from Hastings which it seems is inserted so that the show is meme-able really eats away at the credibility. also, others have pointed this out but unless you have binge watched it how are we supposed to remember minute details from series 1 etc? The wire used to show the consequences of events that had taken place in previous series' but not about 5 every episode.

YES!

[EOLAN]

This seems to be a bit too much of the call backs from the past. I find it more enjoyable when there is a strong single season arc with small bits of the past called back now and then; or having a Caddy infiltrating the group. This season is too much of call back and make it seem the whole OCG thing ties all the season's together. And who is the fourth H or whatever will be finally be revealed but it just seems to be based on the whim of Mercurio than a carefully constructed narrative line that holds through.
I will say having Ryan - 'You Bent Bastard' as a cop I can kind of accept for the story but everything else is too vague to recall.

[kitsofan34]

Why do Kate and Steve call each other mate that often? Is it Mercurio teaching the audience that they're platonic friends, over and over again?

[BlodwynPig]

Why do Kate and Steve call each other mate that often? Is it Mercurio teaching the audience that they're platonic friends, over and over again?

It feels like an episode of This Life or something.

[Jerzy Bondov]

I'm really enjoying this series ACTUALLY. However I bet Jo shot Ryan because that would be the cheesiest shite outcome of the stand off.

[mjwilson]

I would be surprised if someone else hasn't entered the yard and fired at least one of the shots.