(Picture: Getty)
(Picture: Getty)

BBC Two’s gripping police drama Line Of Duty is currently melting the internet every Thursday with the jaw-dropping adventures of anti-corruption unit AC-12.

Enjoying well over 5 million viewers, fans old and new are now used to heart-palpitations due to the show’s no-holds-barred approach to delivering shocks and surprises – keeping everyone guessing and on the edge of their seats.

This is just one of the many, many reasons that Line Of Duty is television’s greatest series EVER. And this week it’s about to melt your brain, but more of that later.

WARNING: Spoilers ahead

Killing people off

Oh you liked that person did you? BOOM! Dead.

The first year- and if you haven’t seen it yet, pop on to the next paragraph – saw the season’s focus, Detective Chief Inspector Tony Gates, kill himself in the finale to ensure his family were looked after by the state (being killed in the line of duty).

Jessica Raine looked like she was to be the new star of Season 2, having just left BBC One baby behemoth Call The Midwife, and then was pushed out of a hospital window to her doom. A horrific moment.

This year, lovely Danny Mays came along as the bad/good guy (delete as applicable) Sergeant Danny Waldron only to be murdered by his own team. And then the equally lovely Will Mellor found himself on the end of a rope for his troubles.

We hope that’s it for this year.

Cast

(Picture: BBC)
Keeley Hawes as DI Lindsay Denton (Picture: BBC)

Each year we’re treated to guest roles from fantastic talents like Lennie James, Gina McKee, Paul Higgins, Mark Bonnar, Arsher Ali, Polly Walker and many more besides. Not, by any means, the biggest actors in the ‘biz, but certainly highly-skilled and perfect for their roles.

Then there’s the main cast. In 2014, Keeley Hawes demonstrated what a powerful actress she is with her heart-breaking and deeply complex role as DI Lindsay Denton. Life couldn’t be any better now she’s back and free! #TeamDenton

Vicky McClure and Martin Compston, the show’s two leads, don’t go for the heroic route or likability – these are plain-shooting coppers (apart from when they’re lying to one another). Compston, some may be surprised to learn, is actually Scottish.

Joining them this year in full lead mode is Craig Parkinson as the nefarious Dot Cottan, after two years of creeping up the cast list. Again, a fascinating character who has much going on behind the smart haircut and suit – Parkinson was made for this part.

Adrian Dunbar as Ted Hastings Superintendent is, for us, the best of the bunch. So solid and so loyal but he takes none of your sh*t. Hasting’s slightly murky and troubled life add a fascinating frisson to proceedings (no one is perfect in this show) whilst his now famous grilling of suspects (and sometimes witnesses) is a masterclass in acting.

It’s these talents that make Line Of Duty the gripping and believable drama it is.

Surprise returns

(Picture: BBC)
Neil Morrissey’s Nigel Morton (Picture: BBC)

Line Of Duty is the KING of this device. The return of Dot Cottan and Neil Morrissey’s Nigel Morton were a treat in the show’s second run (even though we HATED them!). Keeley Hawes’ aforementioned reprise this year was a moment that will live long in the memory.

For eagle-eyed fans there’s also neat touches like a picture of Jackie Laverty (killed and stuck in a fridge in S1) in a missing persons file perused by Denton in the following season. Or Tommy Hunter popping up to die in S2 and now his name on the “list” in S3.

Will the remaining two episodes have any more returnees?

The Caddy

(Picture: BBC)
The Caddy (Picture: BBC)

One of the benefits of watching Series 2 before Series 1 was the revelation of who “The Caddy” was. It came like a bullet during its denouement when nasty old Tommy Hunter dropped the bombshell that Dot was this shady character.

The full importance and meaning of The Caddy wouldn’t become apparent until the second series where we find Dot was behind its tumultuous opening and murder of Tommy Hunter. His mysterious reach and power in the force grows with each episode but how is the current situation going to affect him? And how far does his reach go? Does he have a boss?

And how will Lindsay Denton’s new-found freedom play into all of this – he can’t be happy she’s out there.

Episode 5

We’re not going to spoil it for you but if you thought Episode 2 of this season was fairly mind-blowing (you know, all the deaths and Denton’s return), then prepare to re-calibrate and set your minds to meltdown.

There are two universe-shattering moments coming up. One so far-out and so shocking that I fear there are not enough CAPS on the internet to cover the audience’s collective outrage/shock/amazement (delete as applicable) and the other, well, there are no words.

This episode is going to be talked about for a long time. Well, until the finale that is…

Writer Jed Mercurio has kept fans with their hearts in their mouths, constantly guessing and constantly surprised with his incredible storytelling and characters over the three seasons so far and he shows no signs of abating in his quest – and this is why it’s the best.

Line Of Duty Series 3, Ep 5 airs Thursday, April 21 at 9pm on BBC Two.

MORE : Line Of Duty is back! Here’s who’s back and who’s new for Series 3