Line of Duty season 6 review: The British crime drama continues to be a cut above the rest

The AC-12 unit is back as they hunt for the mysterious puppet master pulling the strings of ‘bent coppers’ involved in organised crime.

Line of Duty Season 6

Story: After the dramatic events of season 5, Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure) quits the anti-corruption unit of the British police, AC-12, and joins a Murder Investigation Team (MIT) under DCI Joanne Davidson (Kelly Macdonald) as a DI. At the AC-12, Superintendent Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar) has a reputation to rebuild and DS Steve Arnott (Martin Compston) has second thoughts about continuing with the AC-12. But when DCI Joanne Davidson is suspected of deliberately sabotaging the murder investigation of a prominent journalist, the AC-12 decide to take action.

Review: British crime dramas offer a unique aesthetic that sets them apart from their American counterparts. There is an element of realism ingrained in them thanks to their grounded narratives. Line of Duty is arguably the gold standard of British crime dramas, and oddly enough, it is relatively lesser-known outside of the UK when compared to other BBC productions such as Sherlock or Luther. One might argue that the lack of an enigmatic lead character in the mould of Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock Holmes or Idris Elba’s John Luther might be an underlying factor as to why Line of Duty has failed to attain mainstream recognition. However, it is also what makes Line of Duty the crème de la crème of British crime dramas.

The inevitability of a sixth-season slump that most long-running TV shows endure has not affected Line of Duty. However, there are moments throughout the season where the narrative does become unnecessarily convoluted with the overuse of British police jargon. While it certainly does not affect the overall quality of the show, it shackles it from matching the excellence of previous seasons. It is by no means a suggestion that season 6 has witnessed a significant downgrade. In fact, Line of Duty remains a cut above the rest when pitted against most recent TV shows. And this is largely thanks to its riveting screenplay and Kelly Macdonald’s nuanced portrayal of the conflicted Joanne Davidson.

As in the case of most police officers investigated in previous seasons, Joanne Davidson is a complex character. And the casting of Kelly Macdonald is in line with the casting of previous antagonists or central adversaries, where well-known stars such as Thandiwe Newton, Keeley Hawes, Lennie James, and the criminally underrated Stephen Graham were roped in. As one would expect, MacDonald slips into her character with aplomb. The narrative constantly teases the audience regarding the true nature of her character and the very obvious trauma she is enduring. Showrunner Jed Mercurio and the rest of the creative team have opted for a different approach in fleshing out her character arc.

Vicky McClure as DI Kate Fleming, Martin Compston as DS Steve Arnott, and Adrian Dunbar Ted Hastings continue to excel in their roles. The series also featured Hastings’ trademark references to the Battle of Hastings and his iconic one-liners that often contain the words ‘bent’ and ‘coppers’. The trio also face an uphill task of fighting the system, as the powers that be decide to dissolve several anti-corruption units, including the AC-12. This is in fact a social commentary on the alleged real-life issues surrounding law enforcement under the various Tory governments in the UK. There is also a reference to the real-life links between the deceased sexual predator and paedophile Sir Jimmy Savile and senior police officers. And the central theme of the series continues to focus on systemic corruption within law enforcement. Season 6 also explores the historical abuse of power to cover up racism by the British police.

The season finale and the final twist in the tail might not go down well with its dedicated fan base. This is the case of most TV shows that work their way towards a big reveal in the finale, only to end up alienating a vast majority of the fan base. This is primarily due to the fact that the actual ending might not be as shocking or extravagant as the many online fan theories floating around on social media.

Verdict: Line of Duty season 6 is yet another engrossing addition to the acclaimed British crime drama series. Despite a few minor inconsistencies, the series remains the benchmark for police procedurals in the UK and beyond. The creators have announced that the series will return for a shorter seventh season to wrap up the story. While it could be argued that the sixth season finale does give the impression of a series finale, it must be noted that the organised crime syndicate responsible for all the heinous crimes are yet to be unmasked.

Line of Duty season six is available on BookMyShow Stream.

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