Dot and dab is certainly entertaining to get a cable behind - have a look at "Mark's Bar" thread to see my walls after doing this. You do end up with a fair bit of wall removed, but it's relatively easy to fill afterwards. I used a fibreglass rod to thread the cable where there was a big enough gap, then drilled holes where it got stuck. Using 1/2" drill, I was able to travel up, making a channel, as the plasterboard is soft (OK, not what you do with a rill, but it works on soft plasterboard).
As cybrey says, if a stud wall, then you just need to chase out where the noggins are, and notch the noggin for the cable, then fill.
MarkP