One of TV's Best Crime Thrillers Is Returning 5 Years Later, but There's a Catch
2 weeks ago
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Image via BBC One/PA
Published Mar 17, 2026, 8:37 AM EDT
Jen Vestuto is a TV Features Writer for Collider. A born and raised New Yorker, she started her career on set as a production assistant for shows like Law & Order: SVU and Person of Interest. In LA, she worked in the writers' rooms for The Vampire Diaries and Nancy Drew. Along with her writing partner, she joined the writing staff of Nancy Drew in Season 2 and stayed on the run of the show, which ended in 2022 with Season 4.
Jen grew up on Long Island in a loud Italian family. She's been writing creatively since she was in elementary school and would often make her younger sister act out scenes from her favorite movies with her. Jen is also a massive sports fan and was an athlete herself growing up.
Writing features for Collider gives her the opportunity to share her passion for great storytelling and compelling characters.
Since its first season premiered in 2012, the BBC crime series Line of Duty has taken the television world by storm. While it first exploded in popularity in the U.K., the series has also built a passionate international following thanks to its sharp writing, gripping storylines, and compelling characters. Created by Jed Mercurio, the show spent six seasons redefining what a police procedural could be, turning internal affairs investigations into tense psychological battles and delivering some of the most thrilling seasons in the genre.
Robert Carlyle Joins the 'Line of Duty' Cast for Season 7
One of the biggest updates about the new season is that Robert Carlyle will join the cast in a major new role as Detective Constable Shaun Massie, a Specialist Rifle Officer. While the investigation will center on another officer, Massie’s exact role in the case remains something of a mystery. As the series returns, several familiar faces are also expected back, including the core trio that anchored the show for six seasons: Superintendent Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar), DS Steve Arnott (Martin Compston), and DI Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure). It's one of the strongest central casts in modern crime television.
Macdonald's role proved that this series could still evolve without losing what made it iconic.
While more casting announcements are expected, the official synopsis suggests Carlyle won’t be playing the officer under investigation, but someone closely tied to the case. His involvement signals that the series intends to maintain its tradition of bringing in powerhouse actors for complex, morally ambiguous roles. Given his long career playing volatile characters — from Trainspotting to Once Upon a Time, Carlyle feels like a natural fit for the tense world of corruption and deception that Mercurio built with the series. More recently, Carlyle appeared as Sherlock Holmes in the CBS drama Watson opposite Morris Chestnut, where the legendary detective re-emerged after faking his death to pursue a larger mission. That kind of commanding presence fits perfectly with Line of Duty’s long tradition of bringing in standout guest stars to anchor each new investigation.
'Line of Duty' Is a Crime Drama With Phenomenal Guest Stars
Part of what made Line of Duty such a phenomenon was its rotating roster of exceptional guest performers. Each season effectively became a showcase for a new actor stepping into the spotlight as the subject of AC-12’s investigation. Early standouts included Lennie James as the conflicted Chief Superintendent Tony Gates in Season 1 and Keeley Hawes as DI Lindsay Denton in Seasons 2 and 3, whose morally complex storyline helped cement the show’s reputation for layered storytelling. Later seasons continued that tradition with memorable performances from Kelly Macdonald as the enigmatic DCI Joanne Davidson and Thandiwe Newton as the increasingly desperate DCI Roz Huntley.
The series also delivered one of its most emotionally powerful arcs with Adolescence's Stephen Graham in Line of Duty Season 5, whose undercover officer John Corbett brought a tragic personal dimension to the investigation. Performances like these helped elevate what could have been a straightforward procedural into one of television’s most gripping crime dramas. Because the show has built such a strong reputation for these roles, the arrival of Robert Carlyle feels like a natural continuation of that tradition, and another reason to believe the next chapter of Line of Duty could deliver yet another standout performance.
Few crime series have maintained the level of suspense and cultural conversation that Line of Duty has generated during its run. Its return after several years away is already exciting fans who have long hoped the AC-12 team might reunite. With Robert Carlyle stepping into a key role alongside the show’s legendary ensemble, the new season has the potential to recapture everything that made the series such a standout. Even if viewers may have to wait a while for the new season to arrive, the show’s track record suggests it will be well worth it.
Release Date
2012 - 2026-00-00
Directors
David Caffrey, Douglas Mackinnon, Daniel Nettheim, Michael Keillor, John Strickland, Jed Mercurio, Sue Tully, Gareth Bryn, Jennie Darnell
Image via BBC One/PA
English (US) ·