What the critics said about the return of Line of Duty

After an agonising two years off screens, Line of Duty finally returned to BBC One for a new series last night.

Our favourite trio were all back, (although - spoiler - Kate Fleming has now left AC-12 for MIT and Steve Arnott is also looking to abandon ship), Ted Hastings's one-liners were as polished as ever and there's a new potentially-bent-copper mystery to get stuck into.

But what did the nation's top TV critics think about the return to AC-12? Scroll on to find out!

The Times

Forget sucking diesel, this opener is stuck in second gear: "As a Line of Duty fangirl it grieves me to sound like a disappointed bride on her wedding night. But . . . was that it? Am I missing something or was last night's opener wilfully turgid? It rarely moved out of second gear. There is great potential here but last night's episode was at times impenetrable, as if taking our loyalties for granted. If I had been watching for the first time I might have switched off."

The Telegraph

When it comes to cop shows, Jed Mercurio is the gaffer: "DCI Joanne Davidson led her team on an operation to arrest a suspect in the murder of a journalist. But on the way she claimed to have spotted an armed robbery in progress and ordered the convoy to divert. The set-piece played to all of Line of Duty's strengths - taut, edge-of-the-seat stuff. Jed Mercurio is the master of tension and twists."

The Guardian

Bent-copper bashers prepare to suck diesel: "There is altogether a fine sense that we are gearing up for an absolute humdinger of a series. Longtime fans will remain slightly on edge, however. If it can hold to its successful formula without tipping into parody, if it can find its way back from the H debacle, and if it can weave its customarily masterful narrative spell without tying itself or us in knots – well, then we'll all be sucking diesel."

Metro

Be warned – the gloves are off and the game has changed: "Tonight's episode has everything you want from Line of Duty – Ted Hastings' hysterical rouge one-liners, agonising suspense, and desperate hunger for the next six – yes six, not five – more episodes. The time apart feels like a new slate for Line of Duty, a refreshment no one asked for but is welcomed with open arms."

the i

A predictable return for the year's most anticipated drama: "Just 20 minutes in, from a greasy spoon, Steve announced 'I'm bored... I'm ready for a new challenge'. Exactly my sentiments about Line of Duty. It's not that this wasn't enjoyable... But the blueprint is starting to feel a little too formulaic. Tense opening conflict? Check. A shifty officer leading a high profile murder case? Check. A new acronym to Google? Check. Let's hope this next chapter starts sucking on diesel sooner rather than later."

Evening Standard

Explosive opener was worth the wait - and Kelly Macdonald is a class act: "Opening with a nerve-shredding set piece, an enigmatic central character and a fusillade of acronyms and police-speak... this had all the hallmarks of a classic Line of Duty opener, but never felt like a case of bent coppers-by-numbers. In the best way, it recalled the first episode of the show's superlative second series: could Macdonald's intriguing, softly-spoken Davidson become an anti-hero to rival Keeley Hawes' Lindsay Denton?"

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