''Prime Suspect'' is a British
police procedural
The police show, or police crime drama, is a subgenre of procedural drama and detective fiction that emphasizes the investigative procedure of a police officer or department as the protagonist(s), as contrasted with other genres that focus on eith ...
television drama series devised by
Lynda La Plante
Lynda La Plante, CBE (born Lynda Titchmarsh; 15 March 1943) is an English author, screenwriter and former actress, best known for writing the ''Prime Suspect'' television crime series.
Early life
Lynda La Plante was born Lynda Titchmarsh on ...
. It stars
Helen Mirren
Dame Helen Mirren (born Helen Lydia Mironoff; born 26 July 1945) is an English actor. The recipient of numerous accolades, she is the only performer to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting in both the United States and the United Kingdom. ...
as Jane Tennison, one of the first female
Detective Chief Inspector
Chief inspector (Ch Insp) is a rank used in police forces which follow the British model. In countries outside Britain, it is sometimes referred to as chief inspector of police (CIP).
Usage by country Australia
The rank of chief inspector is use ...
s in
Greater London
Greater may refer to:
*Greatness, the state of being great
*Greater than, in inequality (mathematics), inequality
*Greater (film), ''Greater'' (film), a 2016 American film
*Greater (flamingo), the oldest flamingo on record
*Greater (song), "Greate ...
's
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police (and informally as the Met Police, the Met, Scotland Yard, or the Yard), is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and ...
, who rises to the rank of
Detective Superintendent
Superintendent (Supt) is a rank in the British police and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries, the full version is superintendent of police (SP). The rank is also used in most British Overseas Territories ...
while confronting institutionalised sexism within the police force.
Plot
''Prime Suspect'' focuses on a no-nonsense female Detective Chief Inspector (DCI), Jane Tennison (played by
Helen Mirren
Dame Helen Mirren (born Helen Lydia Mironoff; born 26 July 1945) is an English actor. The recipient of numerous accolades, she is the only performer to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting in both the United States and the United Kingdom. ...
), who is an officer in the Metropolitan Police, initially at the fictional
Southampton Row
The A4200 is a major thoroughfare in central London. It runs between the A4 at Aldwych, to the A400 Hampstead Road/ Camden High Street, at Mornington Crescent tube station.
Kingsway
Kingsway is a major road in central London, desig ...
police station.
The series follows her constant battles to prove herself within a male-dominated profession in which many of her colleagues are determined to see her fail, though she has the support of her boss,
Detective Chief Superintendent
Chief superintendent is a senior rank in police forces, especially in those organised on the British model.
Rank insignia of chief superintendent
File:Sa-police-chief-superintendent.png, South Australia Police
File:RCMP Chief Superintendent.png ...
Mike Kernan (
John Benfield
Jonathan Edmund Fulford "John" Turner (9 November 1951 – 16 June 2020), better known by his stage name John Benfield, was a British character actor.
Biography
Benfield appeared in 75 television episodes or films starting in 1981 with small p ...
), and the loyalty of
Detective Sergeant
Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...
Richard Haskons (
Richard Hawley
Richard Willis Hawley (born 17 January 1967) is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer. After his first band Treebound Story (formed while he was still at school) broke up, Hawley found success as a member of Britpop band Longp ...
).
In later series, Tennison is reassigned to rotating duties, including a vice squad in Soho and a gang squad in Manchester. She is promoted to Detective Superintendent in series 4 and retires from policing at the end of series 7.
Cast
Main cast
*
Helen Mirren
Dame Helen Mirren (born Helen Lydia Mironoff; born 26 July 1945) is an English actor. The recipient of numerous accolades, she is the only performer to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting in both the United States and the United Kingdom. ...
as Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison, initially of Southampton Row Police Station in Central London, later Detective Superintendent in series 4. Mirren has described Tennison as "extremely directed, ambitious, talented and very uncompromising. Therefore she is deeply frustrated by her job; the way her sex is a barrier."
*
John Benfield
Jonathan Edmund Fulford "John" Turner (9 November 1951 – 16 June 2020), better known by his stage name John Benfield, was a British character actor.
Biography
Benfield appeared in 75 television episodes or films starting in 1981 with small p ...
as Detective Superintendent Michael Kernan (series 1–4), Tennison's supervisor, later Detective Chief Superintendent
*
Richard Hawley
Richard Willis Hawley (born 17 January 1967) is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer. After his first band Treebound Story (formed while he was still at school) broke up, Hawley found success as a member of Britpop band Longp ...
as
Detective Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal Police, law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Ot ...
Richard Haskons (series 1–4), later Detective Sergeant and Detective Inspector
*
Tom Bell as Detective Sergeant Bill Otley (series 1, 3, 7)
*
Jack Ellis as
Detective Inspector
Inspector, also police inspector or inspector of police, is a police rank. The rank or position varies in seniority depending on the organization that uses it.
Australia
In Australian police forces, the rank of inspector is generally the ne ...
Tony Muddyman (series 1–2, 4)
*
Craig Fairbrass
Craig John Fairbrass (born 15 January 1964) is an English actor, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known for his roles as Delmar in the thriller film ''Cliffhanger'' (1993), Dan Sullivan in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' (1999–2001), ...
as Detective Inspector Frank Burkin (series 1–2)
*
Mossie Smith
Mossie Smith is a British actress, best known for '' Goodnight, Mister Tom'' (1998), ''Prime Suspect'' (1995) and ''Second Best'' (1994).
Filmography
*'' Goodnight, Mister Tom'' (1998)
*''Prime Suspect'' (1995)
*''Second Best
In welfare economic ...
as
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...
Maureen Havers (series 1, 4)
*
Ian Fitzgibbon
Ian Fitzgibbon (born 1962 in Dublin) is an Irish film and television actor/director. He is perhaps best known for directing ''Spin the Bottle'', ''A Film with Me in It'' and the Comedy Central UK show Threesome, and for the role of Fr. Jessup in ...
as Detective Constable Jones (series 1–2)
*
Philip Wright as Detective Constable Lillie (series 1–3)
*
Andrew Tiernan
Andrew James Tiernan (born 30 November 1965) is a British actor and director.
Biography
Theatre
Tiernan began acting with the Birmingham Youth Theatre and moved to London in 1984 to study a three-year diploma in acting at the Drama Centre Lo ...
as Detective Constable Rosper (series 1–2)
*
Gary Whelan
Gary Whelan (born 1953) is an Irish actor, known for his work on British television.
Early life
Whelan was born in Ireland but he relocated to London when he was ten years old. He then attended Holloway School.[Stephen Boxer
Stephen Boxer (born 19 May 1950) is an English actor who has appeared in films, on television and on stage. He is known for his role as Joe Fenton on the BBC soap opera '' Doctors''.
Career
Stephen Boxer was educated at New College School in ...]
as Detective Chief Inspector Thorndike, later Detective Superintendent (series 2–4)
*
Stafford Gordon as Commander Traynor (series 2–4)
*
Mark Strong
Mark Strong (born Marco Giuseppe Salussolia; 5 August 1963), is a British actor, best known for his film roles such as Prince Septimus in '' Stardust'' (2007), Archibald in ''RocknRolla'' (2008), Lord Henry Blackwood in ''Sherlock Holmes'' (20 ...
as Detective Inspector Larry Hall (series 3, 6), later Detective Chief Superintendent in series 6
*
Robert Pugh
Robert Pugh (born 11 October 1950) is a Welsh actor, known for his many television appearances, including the role of Craster in the HBO series ''Game of Thrones''.
Life and career
Pugh was born in the Tynte, Mountain Ash and grew up in Cilf ...
as Detective Sergeant Alun Simms (series 6–7)
Supporting cast, including notable guest stars
*
Tom Wilkinson
Thomas Geoffrey Wilkinson (born 5 February 1948)Born January–March 1948, according to the ''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005.''; at ancestry.com is an English actor of film, television, and stage. He has rece ...
as Peter Rawlins (series 1), Tennison's divorced live-in boyfriend
*
Zoë Wanamaker
Zoë Wanamaker (born 13 May 1949) is a British-American actress who has worked extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre. A nine-time Olivier Award nominee, she won for '' Once in a Lifetime'' (1979) and '' Electra ...
as Moyra Hanson (series 1), George Marlow's common law wife
*
Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes ( ; born 22 December 1962) is an English actor, film producer, and director. A Shakespeare interpreter, he excelled onstage at the Royal National Theatre before having further success at the Royal Shak ...
as Michael (series 1)
*
John Bowe as George Marlow (series 1)
*
Maxine Audley
Maxine Audley (29 April 1923 – 23 July 1992) was an English theatre and film actress. She made her professional stage debut in July 1940 at the Open Air Theatre. Audley performed with the Old Vic company and the Royal Shakespeare Company many ...
as Doris Marlow (series 1)
*
Colin Salmon
Colin Salmon (born ) is a British actor. He is known for playing Charles Robinson in three James Bond films and James "One" Shade in the ''Resident Evil'' film series. He has had roles on many television series such as ''Doctor Who'', ''Merli ...
as Detective Sergeant Bob Oswalde (series 2)
*
George Harris as Vernon Allen (series 2)
*
Lloyd McGuire
Lloyd McGuire (born 2 September 1947) is an English actor in film and television.
Education
Born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, McGuire attended Bournville Grammar-Technical School for Boys. He began work as a Commercial Apprentice at the Austin ...
as Sergeant Calder (series 2)
*
Peter Capaldi
Peter Dougan Capaldi (; born 14 April 1958) is a Scottish actor, director, writer and musician. He portrayed the Twelfth Doctor, twelfth incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor in ''Doctor Who'' (2013–2017) and Malcolm Tucker in ' ...
as Vera/Vernon Reynolds (series 3)
*
Andrew Woodall
''The Sugar Syndrome'' is a 2003 play written by British writer Lucy Prebble. It has won several awards and as of 2009 has been sold in seven languages.
Synopsis
The play has four main characters: Dani, Tim, Lewis and Jan. At the beginning, Da ...
as Detective Inspector Brian Dalton (series 3)
*
David Thewlis
David Wheeler (born 20 March 1963), better known as David Thewlis (), is a British actor, author, director and screenwriter.
Thewlis rose to prominence when he starred in the film ''Naked'' (1993), for which he won the Cannes Film Festival Aw ...
as James Jackson (series 3)
*
James Frain
James Dominic Frain is an English stage and screen actor. His best known television roles include Thomas Cromwell in the Showtime/ CBC historical drama ''The Tudors'' (2007–2009), Franklin Mott in the HBO drama ''True Blood'' (2010), Warwi ...
as Jason Baldwin (series 3), an adult child abuse victim
*
Struan Rodger
Struan Rodger (born 18 September 1946) is a British actor who has appeared widely in a range of supporting roles. He appeared briefly in ''Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?'' in 1978 but his first major film role was as Eric Liddell's ...
as Superintendent Halliday (series 3)
*
Chris Fairbank as Detective Chief Inspector David Lyall (series 3)
*
Ciarán Hinds
Ciarán Hinds (; born 9 February 1953) is an Irish actor. Born in Belfast, Hinds is known for a range of screen and stage roles. He has starred in feature films including '' The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover'' (1989), ''Persuasion'' (19 ...
as Edward Parker-Jones (series 3), the manager of a community centre
*
Kelly Hunter
Kelly Hunter (born 21 July 1963) is a British film, television, radio, stage and musical actress, a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre. She is a Laurence Olivier Award nominee and Radio Academy Award and TMA Awar ...
as Jessica Smithy (series 3), a reporter
*
Jonny Lee Miller
Jonathan Lee Miller (born 15 November 1972) is a British film, television and theatre actor. He achieved early success for his portrayal of Simon "Sick Boy" Williamson in the dark comedy-drama film ''Trainspotting'' (1996) and as Dade Murphy in ...
as Anthony Field (series 3), an adult victim of child abuse
* Mark Drewry as Detective Inspector Ray Hebdon (series 3)
*
Danny Dyer
Danial John Dyer (born 24 July 1977) is an English actor and presenter. Dyer's breakthrough role was as Moff in ''Human Traffic'', with other notable roles as Mick Carter in EastEnders, Billy the Limpet in '' Mean Machine'' and as Tommy Johns ...
as Martin Fletcher (series 3), a homeless street boy
*
Stuart Wilson as Dr Patrick Schofield (series 4), a psychologist whom Tennison consults, and then dates
*
Sophie Stanton
Sophie Stanton (born 1971 in London, England) is an English actress, director and playwright. She is best known for her role as DCI Jill Marsden in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' in which she has appeared on and off since 2001.
Career
Eas ...
as Detective Sergeant Christine Cromwell (series 4)
*
Beatie Edney
Beatrice Edney (born 23 October 1962) is an English television actress.
Born in London, she is the daughter of actress Sylvia Syms and her husband Alan Edney. Her brother is Benjamin Edney and her cousin is musician Nick Webb. Edney first came ...
as Susan Covington (series 4), a young mother whose child is kidnapped
*
Robert Glenister
Robert Lewis Glenister (born 11 March 1960 in Watford, Hertfordshire) is an English actor. The son of the television director John Glenister and the older brother of actor Philip Glenister, his roles include con man Ash "Three Socks" Morgan in ...
as Chris Hughes (series 4)
*
Lesley Sharp
Lesley Sharp is an English stage, film and television actress whose roles on British television include ''Clocking Off'' (2000–2001), '' Bob & Rose'' (2001) and ''Afterlife'' (2005–2006). She was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actres ...
as Anne Sutherland (series 4)
*
Jill Baker
Jill Baker (born 1952) is a British actress who has worked extensively in theatre and television for 50 years.
Personal life
Baker is a graduate of the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
She and actor Bob Peck were married for 17 years, from 198 ...
as Maria Henry (series 4), a lawyer
*
Kelly Reilly
Jessica Kelly Siobhán Reilly (born 18 July 1977) is an English actress. She first appeared on screen in 1995 on the series '' The Biz''. Her other television work includes starring roles in the British crime drama '' Above Suspicion'' (2009– ...
as Polly Henry (series 4), Maria's daughter
*
Christopher Fulford
Christopher Fulford (born 1955) is a British actor who is best known for his supporting roles in many British TV shows, one of the earliest being punk Alex in the short lived sitcom '' Sorry, I'm A Stranger Here Myself'' (1981–82).
Career
Ful ...
as Detective Chief Inspector Tom Mitchell (series 4)
*
Tim Woodward
Timothy Oliver Woodward (born 24 April 1953) is an English actor.
Tim Woodward was born in Kensington, London, England, the son of actors Edward Woodward and Venetia Barrett. He was educated at Haileybury and Imperial Service College.
He is pr ...
as George Marlow (series 4)
*
Joyce Redman
Joyce Olivia Redman (7 December 1915Jonathan Croall, "Redman, Joyce Olivia (1915–2012)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, Jan 201available online Retrieved 1 April 2020. – 9 May 2012) was an Anglo-Irish a ...
as Doris Marlow (series 4)
*
David Ryall
David John Ryall
Retrieved 28 December 2014 (5 January 1935 – 25 December 201 ...
as Oscar Bream (series 2,4)
*
Marc Warren
Marc Warren (born 20 March 1967) is an English actor, known for his British television roles. His roles have included Albert Blithe in '' Band of Brothers'', Danny Blue in '' Hustle'', Dougie Raymond in ''The Vice'', Dominic Foy in '' State ...
as Detective Constable Andy Dyson (series 4)
*
Steven Mackintosh
Steven Mackintosh (born 30 April 1967) is an English actor and narrator. He is perhaps best known for his role as Andreas Tanis in the action horror films '' Underworld: Evolution'' (2006) and '' Underworld: Rise of the Lycans'' (2009).
Mack ...
as Clive Norton "The Street" (series 5)
*
David O'Hara
David Patrick O'Hara (born 9 July 1965) is a Scottish stage and character actor. A graduate of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London, he is best known to audiences for his numerous supporting roles in high-profile films; includ ...
as Detective Sergeant Gerry Rankine (series 5)
*
Marsha Thomason
Marsha Lisa Thomason Sykes (born 19 January 1976) is a British television and film actress who is best known for playing Sara Evers in Disney's ''The Haunted Mansion'', Nessa Holt in the first two seasons of the NBC series ''Las Vegas'', Naomi D ...
as Janice Lafferty (series 5)
* Ray Emmet Brown as Michael Johns (series 5)
*
John McArdle
John McArdle (born 16 August 1949) is an English actor. He is most notable for playing Billy Corkhill in the soap opera ''Brookside'', with many other smaller appearances in other soaps and dramas. Playing a regular character in ''Brookside'' ...
as Detective Chief Superintendent Ballinger (series 5)
* Julia Lane as Detective Inspector Claire Devanney (series 5)
*
Liam Cunningham
Liam Cunningham (born 2 June 1961) is an Irish actor. He is known for playing Davos Seaworth in the HBO epic-fantasy series ''Game of Thrones''.
Cunningham has been nominated for the London Film Critics' Circle Award, the British Independent ...
as Robert West (series 6)
*
Ben Miles as Detective Chief Inspector Simon Finch (series 6)
*
Sam Hazeldine
Samuel Hazeldine (born 29 March 1972) is an English actor working in film, television and theatre.
He is the son of actors James Hazeldine. and Rebecca Moore.
Early life
Sam Hazeldine was born in Hammersmith, London. He is the son of actors ...
as Detective Constable David Butcher (series 6)
*
Barnaby Kay as Detective Constable Michael Philips (series 6)
*
Ingeborga Dapkūnaitė
Ingeborga Dapkūnaitė (russian: Ингеборга Дапкунайте; born 20 January 1963) is а Lithuanian theatre and cinema actress, who appears mostly in Russian films. She is a winner of the Nika Award in 1994 for Best Actress.
Early ...
as Jasmina Blekic (series 6)
*
Tanya Moodie
Tanya may refer to:
* Tanya (Judaism),an early work of Hasidic philosophy by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi.
* Tanya (name), a given name and list of people with the name
* Tanya or Lara Saint Paul (born 1946)
* List of Mortal Kombat characters#Tany ...
as Detective Constable Lorna Grieves (series 6)
*
Velibor Topic as Dusan Zigic (series 6)
*
Oleg Menshikov
Oleg Evgenyevich Menshikov, PAR (russian: Оле́г Евге́ньевич Ме́ньшиков, link=no; born 8 November 1960) is a Russian actor, theatre director and occasional singer. He is the current artistic director of the Yermolova Thea ...
as Milan Lukic/Dragan Yankovich (series 6)
*
Clare Holman
Clare Margaret Holman (born 12 January 1964) is an English actress. She portrayed forensic pathologist Dr. Laura Hobson in the crime drama series ''Inspector Morse'' and its spin-off ''Lewis'' from 1995 to 2015.
Career
Holman started her act ...
as Mrs Lukic (series 6)
*
Frank Finlay
Francis Finlay, (6 August 1926 – 30 January 2016) was an English stage, film and television actor, Oscar-nominated for a supporting role as Iago in Laurence Olivier's 1965 film adaptation of ''Othello''.
In 1983, Finlay was directed by Ital ...
as Arnold Tennison (series 6)
*
Phoebe Nicholls
Phoebe Sarah Nicholls (born 1957) is an English film, television, and stage actress. She is known for her roles as Cordelia Flyte in ''Brideshead Revisited'' and as the mother of John Merrick in ''The Elephant Man''.
Personal life
Nicholls i ...
as Shaw (series 6)
* Rad Lazar as Kasim Ibrahimovic (series 6)
*
Gary Lewis as Tony Sturdy (series 7)
*
Stephen Tompkinson
Stephen Phillip Tompkinson (born 15 October 1965) is an English actor, known for his television roles as Marcus in '' Chancer '' (1990), Damien Day in ''Drop the Dead Donkey'' (1990–1998), Father Peter Clifford in ''Ballykissangel'' (1996–9 ...
as Sean Philips (series 7)
*
Laura Greenwood
Laura Greenwood (born 1991) is an English people, English actress and a member of the YoungBlood Theatre Company in 2006.
Greenwood's big breakthrough came in 2006 when at age 14 she starred as Penny Philips opposite Helen Mirren in ''Prime S ...
as Penny Philips (series 7)
*
Eve Best
Emily "Eve" Best (born 31 July 1971) is an English actress and director. She is known for her television roles as Dr. Eleanor O'Hara in the Showtime series ''Nurse Jackie'' (2009–13), First Lady Dolley Madison in the ''American Experience'' t ...
as Linda Philips (series 7)
*
Brendan Coyle
David "Brendan" Coyle (born 2 December 1962) is an English-Irish actor. He won the Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role for ''The Weir'' in 1999. He also played Nicholas Higgins in the miniseries '' North & South'', Robert T ...
as DCS Mitchell (series 7)
*
Robbie Gee
Robbie Gee (born 24 March 1970) is a British actor, best known for his ''Desmond's'' character "Lee Stanley", for appearing in Guy Ritchie's crime caper '' Snatch'', and for his comedy roles in TV series like ''The Real McCoy'' and ''The Crouc ...
as Detective Inspector Traynor (series 7)
*
Ellie Kendrick
Eleanor Lucy V. Kendrick (born 8 June 1990) is an English actress best known for playing Anne Frank in the BBC's 2009 miniseries ''The Diary of Anne Frank'', Ivy Morris in the first series of the 2010 revived '' Upstairs Downstairs'', and Meera ...
as Melanie (series 7)
* Russell Mabey as Detective Inspector Cox (series 7)
*
Carolyn Pickles
Carolyn Pickles (born 8 February 1952) is an English actress who has appeared in West End theatre and on British television. She is known for playing DCI Kim Reid in ''The Bill'' and Shelley Williams in ''Emmerdale''.
Life and career
Pickles ...
as Pauline Hammond (series 7)
Episodes
Concept and development
Themes
The first series features
sexism
Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on one's sex or gender. Sexism can affect anyone, but it primarily affects women and girls.There is a clear and broad consensus among academic scholars in multiple fields that sexism refers primari ...
in the workplace as a significant subplot and a barrier to the investigation. Sequels have tended to downplay this theme, relying on straight procedure or on other subplots, such as
institutional racism
Institutional racism, also known as systemic racism, is a form of racism that is embedded in the laws and regulations of a society or an organization. It manifests as discrimination in areas such as criminal justice, employment, housing, health ...
in ''Prime Suspect 2'' or
child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse (CSA), also called child molestation, is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include engaging in sexual activities with a child (whet ...
and
prostitution
Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in Sex work, sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, n ...
in ''Prime Suspect 3'', but they continue to demonstrate the determination of some of Tennison's male peers and those in upper echelons to see her fail.
Tennison's difficulty in achieving a balance between her work and her life outside the job, and her difficulty in maintaining stable relationships, are recurring themes within the series. Towards the end of ''Prime Suspect 3'' she arranges to have her pregnancy terminated. As the series progresses, she increasingly relies on alcohol to help her cope. This culminates in the final episode of the series in her attending meetings of
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an international mutual aid fellowship of alcoholics dedicated to abstinence-based recovery from alcoholism through its spiritually-inclined Twelve Step program. Following its Twelve Traditions, AA is non-professi ...
, where she finally acknowledges and confronts her addiction.
Setting
''Prime Suspect'' is set mostly in London and surrounding areas, but series 5 is set in Manchester.
Production
Every series of ''Prime Suspect'' except series 4 follows a single case and runs around 3 hours (excluding commercials). It has usually been shown in two or four parts. ''Prime Suspect 4'' is an exception at slightly over five hours, with three separate cases.
The first five series were produced annually from 1991 to 1996, until Mirren left the role, supposedly to avoid typecasting (according to a
PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
interview). She returned to play the character in 2003 and again in 2006.
''Prime Suspect'' was produced by
Granada Television
ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire but only on weekdays as ABC Weekend Television was it ...
for the
ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of:
** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
network. Series four to seven were co-produced by
WGBH Boston for its ''
Masterpiece Mystery
''Mystery!'' (also written ''MYSTERY!'') is a television anthology series produced by WGBH Boston for PBS in the United States.
The series was created as a mystery, police and crime drama spin-off of the already established PBS show ''Masterpie ...
'' anthology series.
Music
The first five series were scored by the
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
-winning composer
Stephen Warbeck
Stephen Warbeck (born 21 October 1953) is an English composer, best known for his film and television scores.
Warbeck was born in Southampton, Hampshire. He first became known for the music for ''Prime Suspect'' and won an Oscar for his score fo ...
, who was nominated for a
BAFTA TV Award
The BAFTA TV Awards, or British Academy Television Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the BAFTA. They have been awarded annually since 1955.
Background
The first-ever Awards, given in 1955, consisted of six categories. Until ...
for ''Prime Suspect'' series one. Rob Lane composed the music for Series 6.
Nicholas Hooper
Nicholas Hooper is a British film and television composer and guitarist. He has scored the award-winning BBC productions ''Land of the Tiger'' and ''Andes to Amazon'', as well as the TV movies ''The Girl in the Café'' and ''My Family and Other A ...
won a
BAFTA TV Award
The BAFTA TV Awards, or British Academy Television Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the BAFTA. They have been awarded annually since 1955.
Background
The first-ever Awards, given in 1955, consisted of six categories. Until ...
for his score for Series 7.
Reception and impact
''Prime Suspect'' was voted 68th in the list of
100 Greatest British Television Programmes
The BFI TV 100 is a list of 100 television programmes or series that was compiled in 2000 by the British Film Institute (BFI), as chosen by a poll of industry professionals, with the aim to determine the best British television programmes of any ...
as compiled by a poll given by the
British Film Institute
The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...
, and in 2007 it was listed as one of ''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'' magazine's "100 Best TV Shows of All-''TIME''."
The series has won multiple
BAFTA Awards
The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTA Film Awards is an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to film. The cere ...
,
Emmy Awards
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
, and a
Peabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Peabody, honor the most powerful, enlightening, and invigorating stories in television, radio, and ...
.
Awards and nominations
''Prime Suspect'' won the
BAFTA TV Award
The BAFTA TV Awards, or British Academy Television Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the BAFTA. They have been awarded annually since 1955.
Background
The first-ever Awards, given in 1955, consisted of six categories. Until ...
for Best Drama Serial over ''
G.B.H.'' in 1991.
Afterwards, four of the seven voting members of the jury raised a discrepancy to jury chairperson
Irene Shubik
Irene Shubik (26 December 1929 – 26 September 2019) was a British television producer and story editor, known for her contribution to the development of the single play in British television drama. Beginning her career in television at AB ...
,
and later signed a public statement declaring that they had voted for ''G.B.H.'' to win.
BAFTA Chairman Richard Price stated that the ballot papers passed on to him by Shubik had shown four votes for ''Prime Suspect'' and three for ''G.B.H.''
Price claimed that the ballot papers could not be recounted as they had subsequently been destroyed.
''Prime Suspect'' won Best Drama Serial once more for series three, and was nominated four other times.
The series won the
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
for Outstanding Miniseries three times, and was nominated twice more.
Mirren won three
BAFTA TV Awards for Best Actress for the role, and has been nominated three other times.
She won the
twice, with four additional nominations.
''Prime Suspect 3'' was awarded a
Peabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Peabody, honor the most powerful, enlightening, and invigorating stories in television, radio, and ...
in 1993 for its realistic scenes and dialogue.
Writer/creator
Lynda La Plante
Lynda La Plante, CBE (born Lynda Titchmarsh; 15 March 1943) is an English author, screenwriter and former actress, best known for writing the ''Prime Suspect'' television crime series.
Early life
Lynda La Plante was born Lynda Titchmarsh on ...
received an
Edgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, popularly called the Edgars, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America, based in New York City. Named after American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), a pioneer in the genre, the awards honor the bes ...
from the
Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America (MWA) is an organization of mystery and crime writers, based in New York City.
The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday.
It presents the Edgar Award ...
for series one in the category of Best TV Feature or Miniseries. The following year,
Allan Cubitt
Allan Cubitt was previously a teacher at John Ruskin High School, Croydon during the 1980s teaching English who became a British television, film, and theatre writer, director, and producer, best known for his work on '' Prime Suspect II'' and '' T ...
won in the same category for series two. ''Prime Suspect'' was later nominated for series three and six.
Influence on other programmes
Many observers have viewed ''Prime Suspect'' as the inspiration for female characters in U.S. TV series, particularly noting strong similarities between this series in general—and the character of Jane Tennison in particular—and the later American series ''
The Closer
''The Closer'' is an Television in the United States, American television police procedural starring Kyra Sedgwick as Brenda Leigh Johnson, a Los Angeles Police Department Chief of police#United States, deputy chief. A CIA-trained interrogator o ...
'', starring
Kyra Sedgwick
Kyra Minturn Sedgwick (; born August 19, 1965) is an American actress, producer and director. For her starring role as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson on the TNT crime drama ''The Closer'', she won a Golden Globe Award in 2007 and an Emmy Awa ...
in the role of Deputy Chief of Police Brenda Leigh Johnson. Critics noted the similarities between the series in a stronger way during the first seasons of ''The Closer'', with one 2006 article in ''USA Today'' calling ''The Closer'' "an unofficial Americanization" of the British series, and a later reviewer noting that, "When ''The Closer'' was first shown, critics were quick to compare it to ''Prime Suspect''...
ndthere's something in that...."
In interviews Sedgwick has acknowledged that ''The Closer'' owes "a debt" to ''Prime Suspect'', and that her admiration for that show and for Mirren were factors that first interested her in the role. According to Sedgwick, ''Prime Suspect'' was one of the shows that "paved the way" for ''The Closer'', and her manager got her interested in the series by saying that it was "a little bit like ''Prime Suspect''." Sedgwick is quoted as saying that the Tennison character did become her inspiration in some ways for her portrayal of Brenda Leigh Johnson.
Reviewers in U.S. papers, including the ''
Christian Science Monitor
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
'', have noted that ''The Closer'', while not a direct remake of the British series, "owes" much to it, or that it "echoes many of the elements" of it. One ''The New York Times'' article refers to ''The Closer'' as a "direct descendant" of ''Prime Suspect'', although less hard-hitting than the original:
Other reviewers have also made the point that the differences between Tennison and Johnson are as important as their similarities:
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
picked up
an adaptation of the British series for the 2011–2012 season. It was taken off the schedule after 13 episodes were produced.
Spoofs
In 1997 a short spoof episode ''Prime Cracker'' was produced for the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
. A
as their characters from the respective series, sending up the perceived ultra-seriousness of both shows.
''
in the lead role, as a reaction to Helen Mirren's portrayal of her in the 2006 film ''
''.
, adapted by Glen Laker. It tells the story of a 22 year old Jane Tennison as a probationary WPC in
, investigating her first murder case. The series began airing on 2 March 2017. The role of Tennison is played by
. In June 2017, ITV confirmed that the series had not been recommissioned for a second series.
made the Series 1–6 available online for streaming. On 27 August 2013, Acorn Media released the entire series in a seven-disc
set. Each disc contains the individual programme, upscaled to 720p HD and converted to 16:9 Widescreen. Bonus material includes a 50-minute behind-the-scenes special, a 23-minute ''Series 6'' behind-the-scenes featurette, a photo gallery and cast filmographies.
The DVD format of the series was released in 2010 by ITV Studios/Global entertainment. It has an overall running time of 1,437 minutes approximately, and encompasses ten discs, with each Series set on one disc except the triple-episode Series 4, which is set over three discs. As with the Blu-ray production, the final disc contains a Behind-the-Scenes of Series 7.