Line Of Duty: Every Series Ranked From Worst To Best
2. Season Two
Plot: After an attack on a police convoy leaves three officers dead, AC-12 investigate the sole survivor of the ambush: DI Lindsay Denton.
Season two's gut-punching first episode, which introduced the all-time best Line of Duty character in Lindsay Denton and ended with a seemingly major new character (Jessica Raine) being violently murdered, is the point where the series became a television classic.
Impressively enough, the other five episodes maintained the high standard set by the opener and this collection of episodes delivers brilliantly on two fronts.
Firstly, it's a wickedly smart and suspenseful thriller filled with shocking twists and gripping set-pieces, such as the kidnapping of Denton by two corrupt officers in episode four. This was also the season where Line of Duty first showed its ability to craft amazing police interview scenes.
But secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it's also a haunting, emotional and morally ambiguous drama. Every single character death hits hard, it's powerfully acted and Denton's tragic story is incredibly moving.
Aside from a couple of issues - the finale is a bit of an exposition dump and Steve Arnott is quite annoying in season two thanks to his inability to keep it in his pants - this season is an almost unqualified success. It was so good that only one other Line of Duty season has managed to top it...
Best Episode: Episode one.