So, what should we expect from Line of Duty season 7 now? I have some questions

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Fans are even more excited for the seventh season of Line of Duty after learning who will be joining the show alongside returning stars Ted Hastings, Steve Arnott, and Kate Fleming.

BBC has revealed that the popular anti-corruption unit AC-12 will be shut down and replaced with a new team called the Inspectorate of Police Standards. Despite this change, officers Arnott, Fleming, and Hastings will tackle a brand new and highly sensitive investigation.

Tom Weston-Jones, known for his roles in “Warrior” and “Sanditon,” stars as Detective Inspector Dominic Gough, a highly respected officer facing accusations of using his power to sexually exploit others.

Robert Carlyle is the latest major addition to the cast. He’ll play Detective Constable Shaun Massie, a skilled marksman and rifle specialist who works with the TO-7 tactical unit to combat organized crime, and reports to Gough.

Mark Bonnar and Owen Teale are back as disgraced former police officers Mike Dryden and Philip Osborne, suggesting a long-forgotten case will be reopened.

The big question is whether Jed Mercurio can keep the show’s plot exciting and also please viewers who didn’t like how season six ended with the reveal of ‘H’.

No other TV writer has created suspense quite like Jed Mercurio. Over six seasons, he transformed a low-key BBC Two show into a national phenomenon, launching the careers of its three main actors and gaining a reputation for unexpectedly killing off even well-known guest stars.

Most actors, even well-respected ones like Stephen Graham or Daniel Mays, need a standout role to truly cement their place in viewers’ minds. Keeley Hawes experienced this with her portrayal of Lindsay Denton, which revitalized her career. Similarly, many of us became familiar with the unique, poetic way of speaking used in the show, from phrases like “now we’re sucking diesel” to the complex police jargon – where simply not finding evidence doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.

The popular police drama Line of Duty concluded in 2021, revealing the identity of the long-sought villain ‘H’ in a finale that captivated the nation – reminiscent of when everyone watched the same TV shows together. However, the ending proved divisive. Many viewers were disappointed that ‘H’ wasn’t a grand, elaborate mastermind, or even the central character, Superintendent Hastings, a twist some felt would have been too much to handle during the pandemic.

The main villain surprisingly turned out to be Ian Buckells, a shockingly incompetent official – a symbol of Mercurio’s idea that incompetence lets corruption win while true evil remains hidden. I was the only one who appreciated this clever twist, while everyone else felt disappointed and wanted a different outcome.

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After six years of requests, Mercurio has finally given in. Breaking his own rule of leaving audiences wanting more, he’s decided to provide exactly what they’ve been asking for, even if it means seeking inspiration in unconventional ways.

I’m curious about how the show will address the fallout from the last reveal about H. Will it turn out that everything in series 6 was a misleading distraction? Or did Jed Mercurio plant a clue way back in seasons 4 or 5 to explain things now? Even if he did, knowing he usually prefers understated endings, how will he balance his artistic vision with what the audience expects this time around?

All we can say for certain is that, like he always does, Mercurio will keep us in suspense until the very end.

Authors

Caroline Frost

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2026-03-18 15:35