Month: October 2011

In the US: Thursdays, 10/9c, NBC

So here’s one of those vexing shows that comes along every so often. Prime Suspect is well made, it has a good cast and it has strong scripts. Characterisation is a bit flunky, sure, and any similarity to the original UK series disappeared after the first episode, but it’s still a very good procedural. And I do love Maria Bello.

But despite its getting a good score on the Carusometer, I have absolutely no interest in watching any more episodes of this show whatsoever. It doesn’t really do much that’s new at all. Bello’s tough as nails, glad-not-to-be-a-mother, hard-drinking female cop is reasonably different from most other female cops. But any hint that the show was going to challenge institutional sexism mostly went during the first episode and disappeared altogether in the third episode, Bitch, where it was shown that the basic problem was Timony’s grating personality rather than misogyny on the part of her colleagues. Although we now actually have a prime suspect each episode, each case is closed before the end of each episode with minimal effort. It’s just unremarkable.

So although I’m sure, if you’re the kind of person who likes a well executed, episodic police procedural, this will work for you, I’m going to give it a miss from now on.

Carusometer rating: 2
Rob’s prediction: Dead by the end of the season