List of Line of Duty episodes explained

Line of Duty is a British police procedural and serial drama television series created and written by Jed Mercurio for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).[1] [2] Mercurio originally pitched the programme to BBC One, but was turned down and directed towards BBC Two,[3] which commissioned the series nine months later.[4] It premiered on 26 June 2012 with a five-episode first series which concluded on 24 July.[5] [6] The programme performed well and quickly earned a commission for a second series.[7] The six-episode second series aired from 2 February to 19 March 2014.[8] Although viewing figures were slightly lower than the first,[9] BBC Two commissioned a third and fourth series of the programme.[10] The third began broadcasting on 24 March 2016 and finished six weeks later on 28 April.[11] Series three surpassed the viewership of the first series and was the most viewed series on BBC Two in over ten years,[12] leading to the commissioning of a fifth series.[13]

Around the time of the commissioning of the new series, a restructuring of BBC television networks occurred, causing ownership over BBC One and BBC Two to become consolidated under Charlotte Moore.[14] Following these changes, the decision was made to promote Line of Duty to BBC One for the fourth series onwards.[15] Series four aired from 26 March to 30 April 2017[16] [17] followed by the fifth from 31 March to 5 May 2019.[18] [19] Following the fourth, the programme was also commissioned for series six.[20] A special mini-episode written by the Dawson Brothers aired on 13 March 2020 in support of Sport Relief.[21] An additional episode was produced for the sixth and final series of the show;[22] the series began airing on 21 March 2021 with its finale being broadcast on 2 May.[23] [24] Viewing figures increased significantly over the course of the series,[25] leading to record breaking broadcasts[26] and causing Line of Duty to become the highest-rated drama since modern records began in 2002.[27] The series has since been the subject of critical acclaim,[28] receiving nominations for several awards[29] and gaining a large cult following.[30]

The series primarily follows the actions of Anti-Corruption Unit 12 (AC-12), a task force located within the fictional Central Police Constabulary.[31] AC-12 is led by Superintendent Ted Hastings, portrayed by Adrian Dunbar.[32] Martin Compston and Vicky McClure also starred in all six series as AC-12 officers Steve Arnott and Kate Fleming, resepctively.[33] Each series features an additional actor who portrays a police officer that is being investigated by AC-12.[34] These roles were performed by Lennie James,[35] Keely Hawes,[36] Daniel Mays,[37] Thandie Newton,[38] Stephen Graham,[39] and Kelly Macdonald.[40] Other starring cast members include Craig Parkinson,[41] Jessica Raine,[42] Jason Watkins,[43] and Anna Maxwell Martin.[44] Over the course of the programme, an overarching storyline develops that connects numerous characters to an organised crime group which is found to be involved in a large conspiracy with high-ranking officers of the police department.[45] Produced by World Productions,[46] the series was primarily filmed in Belfast although filming for the first series took place in Birmingham.[47] It was distributed internationally by Content Media Group, which was eventually purchased by Kew Media Distribution,[48] and ultimately ITV Studios following Kew Media's collapse.[49]

[50]

Series overview

Episodes

Series 1 (2012)

See main article: Line of Duty series 1.

Series 2 (2014)

See main article: Line of Duty series 2.

Series 3 (2016)

See main article: Line of Duty series 3.

Series 4 (2017)

See main article: Line of Duty series 4.

Series 5 (2019)

See main article: Line of Duty series 5.

Series 6 (2021)

See main article: Line of Duty series 6.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 'Line of Duty', BBC Two: TV Drama That's Been Optimised For Twitter And iPlayer. Midgley. Neil. 7 April 2016. 27 March 2024. Forbes. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20240328060325/https://www.forbes.com/sites/neilmidgley/2016/04/07/line-of-duty-bbc-two-how-tv-drama-caught-up-with-twitter-and-iplayer/?sh=6edc7a5b2bd5. 28 March 2024. live.
  2. Web site: How Line of Duty set the benchmark for the police procedural. Conlan. Tara. 7 June 2018. 27 March 2024. Royal Television Society. 7 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220907142134/https://rts.org.uk/article/how-line-duty-set-benchmark-police-procedural. live.
  3. Web site: Jed Mercurio reveals BBC One initially turned down Line of Duty. Craig. David. 27 July 2020. 26 March 2024. Radio Times. 6 December 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231206221054/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/line-of-duty-rejected-bbc/. live.
  4. Web site: How 'Line of Duty' Got Made. Palmer. Bex. 30 April 2021. 9 May 2024. Backstage. 25 September 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230925160818/https://www.backstage.com/uk/magazine/article/how-line-of-duty-got-made-73184/. live.
  5. Web site: BBC Two England – Schedules, Tuesday 26 June 2012. 12 January 2024. BBC. 14 January 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240114120057/https://www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p00fzl97/2012/06/26. live.
  6. Web site: BBC Two England – Schedules, Tuesday 24 July 2012. 12 January 2024. BBC. 14 January 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240114120019/https://www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p00fzl97/2012/07/24. live.
  7. Web site: 'Line of Duty' renewed for second series by BBC. Sperling. Daniel. 25 July 2012. 10 January 2024. Digital Spy. 14 January 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240114120026/https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a395290/line-of-duty-renewed-for-second-series-by-bbc/. live.
  8. Web site: 'Line of Duty' Season 2 episode guide. 27 February 2014. 22 January 2024. Cult Box. 8 August 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220808135137/https://cultbox.co.uk/spoilers/episode-guides/line-of-duty-series-2-episode-guide. live.
  9. Web site: Line Of Duty to move to BBC One. 6 May 2016. 2 February 2024. BBC Media Centre. 31 January 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240131064506/https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/latestnews/2016/line-of-duty-bbc-one. live.
  10. Web site: Line of Duty set to return for third and fourth series. Sweney. Mark. 8 April 2014. 19 January 2024. The Guardian. 14 April 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140414084314/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/apr/08/line-of-duty-return-two-series-bbc2-mercurio. live.
  11. Web site: 'Line of Duty' Season 3 episode guide. 21 April 2016. 30 January 2024. CultBox. 26 January 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240126064344/https://cultbox.co.uk/spoilers/episode-guides/line-of-duty-bbc-season-3-episode-guide. live.
  12. Web site: Line of Duty outranks Wolf Hall to take BBC2 ratings crown. Plunkett. John. 28 April 2016. 29 April 2024. The Guardian. 31 December 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161231231131/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/apr/28/line-of-duty-wolf-hall-bbc2-ratings-finale. live.
  13. Web site: Line Of Duty to move to BBC One. 6 May 2016. 31 January 2024. BBC. 31 January 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240131064506/https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/latestnews/2016/line-of-duty-bbc-one. live.
  14. Web site: Line of Duty's Jed Mercurio on scrapped storylines, Steve and Kate's potential romance and "H". Hogan. Michael. 26 June 2022. 25 April 2024. Radio Times. 14 January 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240114120004/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/line-of-duty-jed-mercurio-rt-rewind/. live.
  15. Web site: Line of Duty promoted to BBC1 for two more series. Plunkett. John. 6 May 2016. 25 April 2024. The Guardian. 10 April 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230410034143/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/may/06/line-of-duty-bbc1-series-four. live.
  16. Web site: Line of Duty: Why the BBC series is the decade's best British drama. Stolworthy. Jacob. 24 March 2017. 27 April 2024. The Independent. 27 April 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240427063952/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/line-of-duty-series-4-is-the-saviour-of-british-tv-bbc-thandie-newton-jed-mercurio-martin-compston-a7648506.html. live.
  17. Web site: The best TV shows this week: Line Of Duty reaches its thrilling climax. 28 April 2017. 27 April 2024. The Guardian. 27 June 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230627085630/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/apr/28/line-of-duty-best-tv-this-week. live.
  18. Web site: When is Line of Duty on TV?. 31 May 2019. 4 June 2024. Radio Times. 30 September 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230930221545/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/line-of-duty-bbc1-air-date-time-cast/. live.
  19. Web site: Line of Duty series 5 finale draws biggest audience of 2019 so far. Anderton. Joe. 6 May 2019. 4 June 2024. Digital Spy. 19 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220119115336/https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a27371338/line-of-duty-series-5-finale-ratings-biggest-2019-drama/. live.
  20. Web site: Line of Duty commissioned for sixth series. 5 May 2017. 26 April 2024. The Irish News. 26 April 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240426054615/https://www.irishnews.com/news/2017/05/06/news/line-of-duty-commissioned-for-sixth-series-1018429/. live.
  21. Web site: Mother of God! Sport Relief will feature a Line of Duty sketch. Link. Thomas. 26 February 2020. 4 June 2024. Radio Times. 24 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210924125901/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/sport-relief-line-of-duty-sketch/. live.
  22. Web site: Line of Duty series six finale: BBC clears up running time confusion. Young. Gegor. 30 April 2021. 4 June 2024. The National. 21 May 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240521181646/https://www.thenational.scot/news/19271630.line-duty-series-six-finale-bbc-clears-running-time-confusion/. live.
  23. Web site: Line of Duty series 6 premiers on BBC One on Sunday 21 March. 16 March 2021. 4 June 2024. Northern Ireland Screen. 3 October 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231003204651/https://northernirelandscreen.co.uk/news/line-duty-series-6-premieres-bbc-one-sunday-21st-march/. live.
  24. Web site: Line of Duty season 6 finale: when is the final episode on TV, what will happen and will we find out who is H?. Leggat. Iain. 30 April 2021. 4 June 2021. The Scotsman. 13 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210613094847/https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/film-and-tv/line-of-duty-season-6-finale-when-is-the-final-episode-on-tv-what-will-happen-and-will-we-find-out-who-is-h-3221301. live.
  25. Web site: Line of Duty finale draws record 12.8 million UK TV audience. Campbell. Lucy. 3 May 2021. 27 March 2024. The Guardian. 30 July 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230730162417/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/may/03/line-of-duty-finale-draws-record-128-million-uk-tv-audience. live.
  26. Web site: 'Line Of Duty' Season 6 Finale Scores Record Ratings For BBC. Petski. Denise. 3 May 2021. 27 March 2024. Deadline Hollywood. 12 March 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240312104829/https://deadline.com/2021/05/line-of-duty-finale-record-ratings-bbc-1234748772/. live.
  27. Web site: 'Line of Duty' Finale Breaks Modern U.K. Viewing Records for BBC – Global Bulletin. Lang. Jamie. 3 May 2021. 3 March 2024. Variety. 22 December 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231222112044/https://variety.com/2021/tv/global/line-of-duty-bbc-netflix-1899-1234964851/. live.
  28. Attributed to multiple sources:
  29. Web site: Awards – World Productions. 5 May 2024. World Productions. 9 January 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240109151635/https://www.world-productions.com/awards. live.
  30. Web site: Exclusive: Line of Duty's Martin Compston says show will end on Jed Mercurio's terms. Alexander. Susannah. Robinson. Abby. 10 November 2019. 10 May 2024. Digital Spy. 4 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211104214416/https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a29749940/line-of-duty-end-jed-mercurio-terms-martin-compston/. live.
  31. Web site: 'Line of Duty' Star Martin Compston Talks Potential New Season of BBC Series: 'There's Definitely Scope for It'. Chapman. Wilson. 5 March 2022. 27 March 2024. Variety. 21 March 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230321082322/https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/line-of-duty-martin-compston-1235197040/. live.
  32. Web site: 'Line Of Duty' Star Adrian Dunbar To Headline ITV's Retired Detective Series 'Ridley'. Kanter. Jake. 2 June 2021. 4 June 2024. Deadline Hollywood. 24 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220924003800/https://deadline.com/2021/06/line-of-duty-adrian-dunbar-itv-ridley-west-road-pictures-1234767081/. live.
  33. Web site: Meet the cast of Line of Duty. Craig. David. 27 April 2021. 27 March 2024. Radio Times. 16 January 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240116102929/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/line-of-duty-cast/. live.
  34. Web site: Who's the baddie? Line of Duty's bent coppers, ranked. Hogan. Michael. 21 March 2021. 27 March 2024. The Daily Telegraph. 30 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210430103822/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/line-of-duty-villains-bent-coppers-ranked/. live.
  35. Web site: Line of Duty series 1 recap: everything you need to know before the BBC drama returns. 12 October 2018. 27 March 2024. Radio Times. 16 May 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230516201850/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/line-of-duty-series-1-3-recap-everything-you-need-to-know-before-the-bbc-drama-returns/. live.
  36. Web site: Line of Duty series 2 recap: everything you need to know before the BBC drama returns. 12 October 2018. 27 March 2024. Radio Times. https://web.archive.org/web/20240327201425/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/line-of-duty-series-1-3-recap-everything-you-need-to-know-before-the-bbc-drama-returns/?page=2. 27 March 2024. live.
  37. Web site: Line of Duty series 3 recap: everything you need to know before the BBC drama returns. 12 October 2018. 27 March 2024. Radio Times. https://web.archive.org/web/20240327201426/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/line-of-duty-series-1-3-recap-everything-you-need-to-know-before-the-bbc-drama-returns/?page=3. 27 March 2024. live.
  38. Web site: Thandie Newton signed up for Line of Duty series 4 without reading a single script. Jeffery. Morgan. 14 March 2017. 27 March 2024. Digital Spy. https://web.archive.org/web/20240327201425/https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a823480/thandie-newton-line-of-duty-series-4/. 27 March 2024. live.
  39. Web site: Who is John Corbett? Everything you need to know about Stephen Graham's character in Line of Duty. Griffiths. Elanor Bley. 5 May 2019. 27 March 2024. Radio Times. 6 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220706002501/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/line-of-duty-stephen-graham-john-corbett-dangerous-villain/. live.
  40. Web site: Line of Duty series 6 air date and time: Your guide to the next series of the crime drama. 23 April 2021. 27 March 2024. Radio Times. 15 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210315080157/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/line-of-duty-season-six-release-date/. live.
  41. Web site: Line of Duty star Craig Parkinson: 'I was shocked to find out the truth about Dot Cottan'. Cremona. Patrick. 27 February 2021. 27 March 2024. Radio Times. 29 May 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220529024509/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/line-of-duty-craig-parkinson-dot-cottan-exclusive/. live.
  42. Web site: 'The easiest way to kill someone? Be a cop' – Line of Duty, the police show for our times. Harrison. Phil. 12 March 2016. 27 March 2024. The Guardian. 23 October 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231023054326/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/mar/12/line-of-duty-season-three-jed-mercurio-vicky-mcclure. live.
  43. Web site: Meet the cast of Line of Duty series four. 9 November 2018. 27 March 2024. Radio Times. 30 November 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231130053453/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/meet-the-cast-of-line-of-duty-series-four/. live.
  44. Web site: Who is DCS Patricia Carmichael in Line of Duty and could she be 'the fourth man'?. Cremona. Patrick. 28 April 2021. 27 March 2024. Radio Times. 2 December 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231202013855/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/line-of-duty-carmichael-anna-maxwell-martin-profile/. live.
  45. Web site: Line of Duty ending explained – how season six revealed the identity of H, and all the important details from the finale. Griffiths. Elanor Bley. 2 May 2021. 27 March 2024. Radio Times. 16 January 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240116103033/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/line-of-duty-season-6-finale-ending-explained/. live.
  46. Web site: Channel 4 Sets New Six-Part Drama From 'Line Of Duty' Producer World Productions. Ntim. Zac. 25 August 2022. 27 March 2024. World Productions. 1 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221001075650/https://deadline.com/2022/08/channel-4-sets-new-six-part-drama-from-line-of-duty-producers-world-productions-1235099950/. live.
  47. Web site: The real AC-12: discover the police anti-corruption officers who inspired Line of Duty. Campbell. Duncan. 29 April 2021. 27 March 2024. Radio Times. 16 January 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240116103538/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/the-real-ac-12-discover-the-police-anti-corruption-officers-who-inspired-line-of-duty/. live.
  48. Web site: Kew Media Group Acquires Six Companies, Including Content Media, For $104M. Lodderhouse. Diana. 3 February 2017. 9 May 2024. Deadline Hollywood. 4 September 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180904052539/https://deadline.com/2017/02/kew-media-group-six-companies-content-media-104-million-line-of-duty-toronto-bbc-1201901690/. live.
  49. Web site: 'Line Of Duty': ITV Studios To Sell Season 6 Of Hit Police Drama After Kew Media's Collapse. Kanter. Jake. 9 June 2020. 27 March 2024. Deadline Hollywood. 9 June 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200609233515/https://deadline.com/2020/06/line-of-duty-itv-studios-to-distribute-season-6-kew-media-collapse-1202953608/. live.
  50. Web site: BBC One – Line of Duty – Episode Guide. 4 June 2024. BBC One. 25 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210425143518/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00yzlr0/episodes/guide. live.

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