When a drama begins with news of a ‘Chis handler’ receiving ‘intel graded A1 on the matrix’ that causes a ‘conflab with the SFC’, it can mean only one thing: you’re watching a new series of Line of Duty. And just to confirm it, shortly afterwards a bunch of armed police carried out a raid that didn’t go to plan — possibly because it was being led by a bent copper.
As ever, too, there’s a big name playing the potential wrong ’un, with Kelly Macdonald (Trainspotting, No Country for Old Men) guest-starring as DCI Jo Davidson, leader of the Murder Investigation Team. More unexpectedly, Jo’s underlings include Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure), who’s left the anti-corruption unit AC-12 — although maybe not for long, given that Sunday’s episode was largely concerned with getting the old band back together.
About a third of the way through, the heretical thought crossed my mind that Line of Duty was running out of steam
Its other two members, admittedly, didn’t start off in great shape.
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