Prime Suspect 1

First thing: if, like me, you're new to the idea of watching a DVD movie that has several episodes of a TV series on it, be aware how long this movie runs for. 'Prime Suspect #1' didn't have a total play time listed on the web site, but it ran for about four hours. So either get in a lot of popcorn (or beer), and/or allot two evenings to watching it.

Having said that: it was a great story, well worth the time taken to watch it. I wonder if, when actors and directors are doing TV episodes, they can focus just on the one episode they're doing, rather than on a whole once-off story that they've got to carry, and for that reason, come over with more immediacy than in the average film? (The example of 'X-Files' comes to mind). With a total time of four hours or so to tell the tale, it was possible for the director(s) to allow space for all sorts of sub-plots to be worked out: like the initial conflict between the female DCI and her grizzled Sergeant, the personal rapport between the 'villain' and his mother, the friction between the DCI and her bloke...

Helen Mirren is perfect as the DCI - portraying a woman who is tough, determined, clever and at the same time 100 per cent female. As a long-time viewer of 'X-files', I won't resist the comparison between Mirren in this series and Gillian Anderson as her FBI counterpart. Both are fine actresses. While Anderson makes her character a tight-laced, almost prissy woman, Mirren is a down-to-earth toughie who's not averse to voicing the occasional 'sh*t' or 'Jes*s Chr*st' - among other oaths.

And: it's really great to hear all this done in British accents ! On this example, I think I'll be putting 'Prime Suspect' episodes 2 to ... whichever... on my list. And, I only watched it this time because we were picking from my wife's list!

You wouldn't really want to be attached to Jane; you just know she'll let you down. Her private life may be a mess but she has a nose for liars like a Roald Dahl witch for children. Watching Helen Mirren approach a roomful of macho copper chauvinists is reminiscent of seeing Clint ride into town. There is never any doubt about the outcome. She gets her man in the end - or does she? He's a slippery one to be sure.

This is one of those films that you have to watch from begining to end without a break, unlike the ITV production on television. The appointment of DCI Tennison (Helen Miran) to head a murder investigation is met with undue hostility at the onset and not only does she have to try and bring the whole team round to accepting the situation and doing things her way, but she has a really complicated investigation on her hands. Repeatedly she comes up against predudice and closed doors and all this adds additional drama to a thoroughly commenable piece of writing. How will it end. Watch it and see if you get it right! I loved it. Can't wait to see the other six!! Well done ITV for producing this on DVD.

I remember watching this all those years ago with my family, gripped to the tv, watching this Prime Suspect. Watching again, it is just the best detective drama I've ever seen. Not even subsequent Prime Suspects come close to the original. The script is just brilliant. One really noticeable thing is the amount of smoking going on - how times move on!

The quality of acting was outstanding. The portrail of prejudice in the male-dominated Met very convincing. Good story.