Line Of Duty Season 3 (2016) Review

With Line of Duty Season 6 coming out, I am continuing my watch of the previous seasons and here is my review of season 3. The premise of the season sees an armed response officer being investigated by AC-12 when it is suggested he unlawfully killed a target. 

Main Character

Martin Compston as Steve Arnott is probably the one we spend the most time with here and he is really good. He is still the officer who is on the hunt the most and Compston does a great job in showing his determination and how he is a good officer. The show does some interesting things with his character and the spotlight is really shone on him as things start to become more complex and it makes his character much more interesting. 

Supporting Characters

Daniel Mays plays the guest character and he is given less to do then the others but he is still really good. He is a very complex character and as you learn more about him, the whole moral compass has to get looked at and he is a character with a lot of depth and intrigue. Vicky McClure is back as Kate and she is also great, Kate is given plenty to do and I think this season is the one where we really see just how good at her job she is as she manages to pull off the majority of the investigation. Adrian Dunbar plays Hastings and I think he is my favourite character on this show, he is just really good in the role and is firm but fair and also has some real funny moments as well with some of the best lines. Craig Parkinson as Cottan has always been a character that has felt like the fourth wheel to the team and that is emphasised here and he is really good at doing it and gives a strong performance. 

Story 

The story is really good, the show heads in some different directions in terms of its storytelling and freshens itself up enough while staying true to the identity of the show. The characters are great and as the story progresses the twists and turns are relentless culminating with one of the best finales you will see in any TV series that tip it over the edge. 

Script 

The script is really great, it has a great amount of twists that keeps you interested and allows you to follow. The drama and humour is really well balanced and it allows the show to feel real and dynamic with its storytelling and characters. 

Style 

The shows style is also really good, the show never slows down and keeps moving at a quick pace that you just want to watch the show all at once. The action when it is here, is brutal and really well done and the interview sections are some edge of the seat stuff. 

Overall

Overall, this is possibly my favourite season of Line Of Duty so far. It is really well paced and just kept me interested and glued to the screen for all six episodes. 

Rating - 10/10