Martin Compston

The BBC can’t get enough of Jed Mercurio; The Line of Duty creator is embarking on a third series of his popular crime drama, and he’s to start work on a Lady Chatterley’s Lover adaption for BBC 1.

Line of Duty was a hit for Mercurio

The book was last adapted for British television in 1993 with Joely Richardson as Lady Chatterley and Sean Bean as the gamekeeper, Mellors. It was a controversial novel when it when it was originally published in 1928, and was ban for almost 30 years shortly after its release. 

Continue reading: Jed Mercurio To Adapt Lady Chatterley's Lover For BBC One

'Line of Duty' has been hailed as one of the U.K’s best crime dramas alongside Luther and Broadchurch. But unlike those two shows – which both scored big at this week’s RTE Awards – Line of Duty’s ending left many feeling despondend, something the show’s creator Jed Mercurio has openly apologised for.

Line of Duty is a dead cert for a third season

“I’m sorry some people have been disappointed with the ending. I already mentioned in an earlier response that there would be things that some viewers would feel were important that weren’t dealt with, and I appreciate that can be frustrating,” he said. 

Continue reading: Line Of Duty Creator On Ending: "I'm Sorry Some People Have Been Disappointed"

When the BBC crime drama Line of Duty debuted two years ago, it was the biggest new drama the channel had had in a while. Not only did last night’s series 2 premiere fail to top that success, it didn’t even come close to matching it, despite critical success. So, what happened between then and now? Let’s talk ratings. The first series of the Jed Mercurio drama about police corruption had an overnight average of 3.2 million for its first run, ending with 3.5 million. Last night’s premiere didn’t even manage 2 million. Bearing in mind that the first episode of each season usually sees a notable spike in ratings, Line of Duty’s viewing numbers might drop even lower as this season progresses. Despite the guest appearance of Keeley Hawes in the first episode, Line of Duty only made it to 1.8 million viewers, according to The Guardian.

The crime drama was a bit too heavy for the Thursday night crowd.

Meanwhile, ITV’s staple Midsummer Murders had a considerably better night. On its 100 episode anniversary, Midsummer registered 5.8 million viewers or 24,6% of those tuning in to the 8pm-10pm slot. The anniversary episode was set partly in Copenhagen, with Danish stars Ann Eleonora Jorgensen from the The Killing and Borgen's Birgitte Hjort Sorensen taking part in the centenary episode crime-solving shenanigans.

Continue reading: BBC2's "Line Of Duty" Returns To Disappointing Ratings, Loses Out To Comfy And Familiar "Midsummer Murders"

If there’s one thing the British viewing public love, it’s a solid crime drama, and Line of Duty delivers in spades. The critics have been really impressed the Line of Duty’s series 2 opener, calling it an exciting return to form.

Serious business: Line of Duty

The procedural cop drama, which, unusually for its genre, is part improvised, blurs the lines between good and bad, often pointing the finger at law enforcement bodies. In that sense, it’s truly original, but it still adheres to the tropes of the crime drama, with brooding tension and plot twists along the way. But don’t take our word for her, here are what the critics had to say.

Continue reading: The Critics Are Delighted With Line Of Duty's Return