Line of Duty - series 1, anyone?

[HouseOnTheLake]

I'm pretty late to the party with this one but, after watching and thoroughly enjoying Bodyguard, I've just started watching the first few episodes of Line of Duty based on its rave reviews.

Anyone else watching/watched it recently? I'm not finding it nearly as riveting as Bodyguard but I can't deny it's good. Although I'm enjoying most characters, I have a few gripes:

1. Is it just me that thinks that Martin Compston was miscast as DS Steve Arnott? He's clearly a great actor but I find him entirely unbelievable as a DS going up against CI Gates. He just seems too softly spoken and "wet", more like a character from The Office than a law-enforcer to be feared.

1. I'm finding Gates' two sidekicks really annoying, in a Tweedledum and Tweedledee way. They just seem like the station idiots and not who I would expect to be behind the great officer of the year that is Gates.

This is just based on 2.5 eps so maybe the characters will develop in ways I wouldn't imagine!

DO NOT be dissing Martin Compston. 😂

*DrewBarryless

Oooooooh! Come back and post again when you have watched all of Series 1 and then again when you have watched all of them. I want to see your face when you reread everything you’ve written above OP 😂🤣*

^ THIS

I'm glad a few others see what I mean about Arnott - I thought it was just me! No dissing Compston from me Stoorie!! Just not who I would have chosen for that role!

I do love these police dramas where everyone knows their place. It's all "sir" this and "ma'am" that for anyone above their category!

I am enjoying it, I love a good British drama and it's very well made, but I'm a little distracted every time Arnott is on as I see him more as a back room, paperwork PC. I feel another actor in that role would be more convincing but I guess I'm in the minority! We'll see if I still feel the same after series 2!

Also, Compston does very well at hiding his Scottish accent and putting on a SE accent but I keep hearing an Australian twang which is also a little distracting! I think I would have preferred him with his real accent, maybe it's the fake one that makes him sound a little "soft"?

Btw, my accent is SE so I'm not dissing it, I'm just trying to figure out why I don't find him convincing in that role!

I couldn’t stick with the body guard. It bored me. But I watched LOD and thought it was bloody brilliant. I watched the first 3 series in about 3 weeks! It’s been a long time since I’ve watched anything so gripping and with such shocking and unexpected plot developments. Great stuff.

I’m very jealous that you get to watch this for the first time- it’s easily the best police drama I’ve ever watched, and up there as one of my favourite ever tv shows.

Series one is good, S2 is better, S3 is fantastic and S4 is AMAZING.

It’s also filmed in Belfast so DH and I have great fun pointing out that the police head quarters is actually the big library in town etc.

THANK YOU for posting this OP - I didn't realise all four series were now on Netflix!! I missed Series 4 when it was on tv and have been dying to watch it.

I enjoyed Bodyguard but Line of Duty is faaaaaar superior in my opinion. It's the best police drama I've ever seen and so cleverly written.

Does anyone know if they've made a fifth series? I'm wondering if that's why they've put series 4 on now [hopeful]

I've just put S4E1 on and I'm on the edge of my seat already. Excellent to see Thandie Newton in a decent (non-Hollywood) role.

I believe Series 5 is in the pipeline (or being filmed now?) but the writers had a hiatus for a bit.

I thought exactly the same about DS Arnott in the first few episodes. Bit of a pussy.

By the end of series 3, I quite fancied him!

Series 5 is coming early next year- the teaser trailer was shown after the Bodyguard finale

Trailer for Series 5 here:

www.radiotimes.com/news/2018-11-09/when-is-line-of-duty-back-on-tv/

Hurrah

It’s also filmed in Belfast
Ooh, I didn't know that. Good to know!

I thought exactly the same about DS Arnott in the first few episodes. Bit of a pussy. By the end of series 3, I quite fancied him!
Lol chocolate! I wish I did fancy him as it makes watching telly just that little bit more pleasurable! Maybe it'll hit me in series 3!

I quite fancied Richard Madden in Bodyguard but, alas, it was just the character I was into as, when I watched him in interviews, try as I might I just couldn't feel anything for him

House keep watching closely!! Some of the character development is very clever. I watched S4 on tv and just recently went back and binged on S1,2,3 to get the back story. Cannot wait for S5 next year. Love Adrian Dunbar's character- 'fella' 😃

The last episode of series 3 is one of the best tv episodes I’ve seen. I‘Ve had a girl crush on Vicky McClure since This is England and she is superb in series 3

keep watching closely!!

Will do!! You've all got me really excited about how this develops!

I love Line of Duty. I'm so glad they made and are making more series!

The characters definitely develop over time. The "villains" are so good in all series (wait til you get to Lyndsey Denton!).

Proper good TV. Might need to re-watch soon!

Can only echo everyone else. Envy you OP! Lindsay Denton is one of my all time favourite tv characters. Keeley Hawes was so so good in that role.

Wooo Lindsey Denton was goooooood.

Thandie Newtons character is series 4 was bloody good though!

I didn't go much on Bodyguard, but the later series of LoD are fantastic. Better than the first ones.

We've just finished LoD series 4 this weekend. I must admit I had to laugh at your post about Gates' sidekicks...as others have said please do come back and tell us how you feel once you've finished the series

Jed Mercurio is a fantastic writer, although I think The Bodyguard is one of his poorer efforts, particularly when compared to LoD. He does write brilliant female characters, though.

Oh, you're in for a treat, OP!

Yeah the sidekicks were an annoying waste of time.

Series two though - you’re going to need a bigger thread.

unashamedly marking my place for when OP comes back after binge watching 4 series! Easily one of the best shows I’ve watched

I think we're supposed to see Arnott as a bit of a pompous twat, but you know he's trying to prove himself after the reason why he was moved from front line policing. I love the chemistry/banter between him and Kate (Vicky McClure us absolutely amazing) and the relationship they all have with Ted Hastings, like a family.

I just love the way the characters under suspicion just keep digging themselves further in, there's nothing black and white about it. Whether or not they are guilty of corruption you get to see things unravelling for them and really sympathise with them. Not your typical 'goodies Vs baddies' show.

Enjoy!