Line of Duty stood out among police procedurals, because of its team of leads — a mismatched but inseparable trio intent on taking on corruption. By the time its last season aired in 2021, the show had become a worldwide TV phenomenon. Produced and first broadcast on the BBC, the police show’s later seasons reliably set viewing records in the UK. Created by writer-producer Jed Mercurio, it was responsible for TV watercooler moments that are far too rare.
The show followed the investigations of AC12, a fictional anti-corruption and internal investigation team in the British police. Over six seasons, it built an intricate and mysterious plot as the core team tried to uncover a conspiracy that went to the top. No one could be trusted, and the twists came fast.
Over eight years and six seasons, it became a sensation. The smallest throwback to a previous season was enough to send social media into a frenzy.
A worldwide smash
Adrian Dunbar’s by-the-rulebook Ted Hastings, Martin Compston’s flawed action man Steve Arnott, and Vicky McClure’s undercover specialist Kate Fleming were perfectly played. The thousands of memes they inspired are proof of their iconic roles.
Then there were the crucial supporting characters. Each season brought in a guest star, usually a generally high-ranking police officer who had fallen under AC12 investigation. While Line of Duty was packed with action, it became famous for its prolonged interrogation scenes — tense acting masterclasses where the investigators of AC-12 went head to head with the police officers in their sights. Some interviews took up the best part of an episode, but they always made engrossing viewing with their intense structure and complex scripting. These soon became the most famous part of the show. The prolonged beep of the recorder before the interviews begin is enough to put you on edge.
Line of Duty was entirely fictional, including its sprawling police force, location (although primarily filmed in Northern Ireland), and AC12 itself. But that allowed the show to cast a telling lens on current events during its eight-year run.
Despite the revelations of the sixth season, fans are hopeful there’s more to come from AC12. While the interview beep’s still ringing in your ears, here are similar shows you might like.
Unforgotten (2015 – present)
Unforgotten was one of the few shows to rival Line of Duty in the U.K. Each season sees a tireless team led by Nicola Walker as DCI Cassie Stuart and Sanjeev Bhaskar as DI Sunny Khanas investigate a different cold case. That likable pair is a key draw, as it softly weaves family drama into the storyline while keeping the focus on the investigation. Much of its success lay in its moral ambiguity, with Unforgotten’s complex plots seldom going the way you expect. Some cases were horrendous crimes that needed to be remembered, while others were old acts of justice that were best quietly forgotten.
The Missing and Baptiste (2014 – 2020)
The Missing lasted two seasons before it spun out into three series following the flawed and volatile master detective Baptiste. Tchéky Karyo was captivating as the troubled consultant, so it’s no wonder the series soon coalesced around him. But it’s the incredible ensemble cast and intricately unraveling plots that push these shows the top.
Each season covered a mystery across multiple timelines, with Baptiste and a disturbing disappearance a common link. Each story unfolds a dark and captivating drama that showcased fantastic settings in Europe. Just because Baptiste is a specialist in finding missing people, don’t expect happy endings.
Collateral (2018)
Playwright David Hare was determined to bring a different type of police procedural to the screen. Collateral’s four episodes followed a terrific cast through an investigation that spiraled from the shooting of a London pizza delivery driver. Carey Mulligan took the lead as Detective Inspector Kip Glaspie, partnered by Nathaniel Martello-Whit and supported by Billie Piper, Nicola Walker, and John Simm.
True Detective (2014 – 2019)
The first series of True Detective remains the anthology’s peak, particularly for its cast. Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson’s decades-old friendship worked wonders when the pair took on the two damaged protagonists. It’s a stand-out police drama, with creator Nic Pizzolatto taking inspiration from real-life scandals and wrapping them in incredible influences as diverse as Robert W Chambers’ The King in Yellow and Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen.
There’s no doubt that the second season took a dip, despite its strong cast, but HBO’s unusual move to take the blame was a testament to True Detective’s fantastic first year. The show returned to form with the Mahershala Ali-starring third season.
Bodyguard (2018)
This show is Jed Mecurio’s second most successful drama, which says a lot. The writer-producer turned his attention from anti-corruption to security for this six-part series. Bodyguard was intense and twisty, centering its tense action on Richard Madden’s minder and his attempts to keep members of the British parliament safe. It may have lacked the interrogations, but the twists, turns, and tense stand-offs of Line of Duty were present.
Luther (2010 – present)
Idris Elba burst into the role of John Luther, a maverick detective in London’s Serious Crimes Unit. It was a bold, rough brand of British police drama unlike any seen on TV before. Following its five seasons, the much-anticipated spin-off film is currently in production and expected soon. As creator Neil Cross has said, “I think the thing with Luther is never to rule out anything.”
Trigger Point (2022 – present)
Fresh for 2022, Trigger Point is another Jed Mercurio-produced series that set tongues wagging. This time, the intense drama focused on a London-based bomb disposal unit that tackles a terrorist plot. Vicky McClure took the lead as Lana Washington, an ex-military bomb disposal operative working alongside Adrian Lester’s Joel Nutkins.
The Fall (2013 – 2016)
The Fall was a disturbing police procedural that gives equal weight to detective and suspect. It wasn’t a whodunnit, but a top-rate ‘willtheystophim’. Set in Belfast, where most of Line of Duty was filmed, the first season meticulously follows a savage serial killer and the police investigation closing around him in parallel.
It’s a captivating game of cat and mouse. Two incredible turns from Gillian Anderson as DS Stella Gibson and Jamie Dornan as killer Paul Spector will keep you on the edge of your seat for three seasons, even after the case seems wrapped up.
Marcella (2016 – present)
Just as Line of Duty put its officers through their paces, Marcella likes to make life hell for its titular detective. Anna Friel plays a maverick officer called back to the force to investigate cold cases as she endures a bevy of personal troubles. Marcella was brought to the screen by writer Hans Rosenfeldt after massive success with The Bridge. Expect a dash of Nordic noir on the streets of contemporary London.
Broadchurch (2013 – 2017)
Broadchurch’s first season was a phenomenon, but it’s another show on this list that struggled to live up to that reputation in subsequent years. In its first year, detectives Olivia Colman’s DS Ellie Miller and David Tennant’s DI Alec Hardy investigate the death of a child in the coastal town of Broadchurch.
While the next two seasons brought in other plots, Broadchurch never let that grueling case go, following its impact to trial and beyond. It made an intriguing trilogy of seasons, even if it peaked early. The first season was also remade in the U.S. as Gracepoint by Fox.
The Night of (2016)
This American miniseries achieved 13 Emmy nominations from its adaptation of the UK show Criminal Law. Outstanding Lead Actor Riz Ahmed is superb as Nasir Khan, the Pakistani-American college student accused of murder, and John Turturro as his lawyer John Stone.
The Capture (2019 – present)
A twisty BBC mini-series that will make you question everything you see. Blurring the line between policing and intelligence services, it’s a riveting watch. The Capture keeps you on your toes for all of its six episodes, and Holliday Grainger’s tenacious DI Rachel Carey has been confirmed to return for a second season.
Criminal (2019-2020)
Netflix’s Criminal started as an ambitious multilingual anthology set across four countries, taking its lead from the long interrogation scenes Line of Duty made famous. Its second season switched entirely to the UK for its tense and psychological interviews. A claustrophobic watch, the anxiety-inducing series boasted a superb British cast, including David Tennant, Hayley Atwell, Sophie Okonedo, and Kit Harrington.
