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Season 1 – Prime Suspect

Play trailer Poster for Season 1 – Prime Suspect Apr 1991 Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
100% Tomatometer 5 Reviews 75% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
After a colleague suffers a near-fatal heart attack, Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison takes over an investigation into the murder of Delia Mornay, a young prostitute. The case is challenging enough in its own right, since Jane quickly determines that there is very little tangible evidence against the main suspect, an ex-convict. Worse, however, she suspects there is a cover-up going on in her department, where her male team of investigators isn't making a secret of their displeasure to be working for a woman. After a second body is discovered, what started as a single murder inquiry turns into an investigation stretching back over 10 years, forcing Jane to devote every waking hour to the case and taking a toll on her home life with her recently divorced live-in lover, Peter Rawlins.
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Prime Suspect — Season 1

Critics Reviews

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Ken Tucker Entertainment Weekly Apr 12, 2019
A-
Mirren is terrific -- hard-boiled but never macho; always suggesting a sort of bitter humor. Go to Full Review John J. O'Connor New York Times Apr 12, 2019
Miss La Plante has delivered a lean, taut script. As the investigation expands, the horror of the crimes, and the fragility of urban life, becomes ever more palpable... Miss Mirren's Tennison is a powerhouse performance. Go to Full Review Grace Dent Guardian Apr 12, 2019
Bleak, brutal and beautifully rendered, this was British crime drama at its absolute best. Go to Full Review David Hiltbrand People Magazine Apr 12, 2019
A-
With her original script, writer Lynda La Plante has planted many a twist in this canny, well acted and cohesive miniseries. Go to Full Review Kari Croop Common Sense Media Apr 12, 2019
5/5
It continues to remind us of the value of strong storytelling and excellent acting. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Ted B @Movieaddicted May 16, 2025 3.5 stars; A very young Helen Mirren shows what great acting potential she had. No wonder she turned into such a movie star. The Series appears to be a basic cop-and-robber show, but with a lot of depth in the characters. This is where Ms. Mirren shines. The undercurrent plot line is the male chauvinism in Britain in the 1990s. See more ed m @RT80499164 Dec 13, 2024 Pretty good police thriller. Kind of marred by an improbable plot twist. See more Debbie A @RT88020530 Jul 20, 2024 Any film or show that has Helen Mirren, is always excellent to watch...a great cast makes the show worth while, it's mysterious and bad ass. a Must watch for sure See more T K @Tommi886 Aug 25, 2023 One of the best TV police dramas ever! See more Jul 1, 2020 It burns slow, but it's unapologetically real about policing and crime See more Read all reviews
Prime Suspect — Season 1

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Cast & Crew

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Helen Mirren

Actor

Tom Bell

Actor

John Bowe

Actor

Tom Wilkinson

Actor

Zoë Wanamaker

Actor

Ralph Fiennes

Actor

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Apr 7, 1991 Price to Pay Detective Jane Tennison battles her male colleagues while searching for a murderer who kills prostitutes. Details Episode 2 Aired Apr 8, 1991 Prime Suspect 2 Detective Jane Tennison battles her male colleagues while searching for a murderer who kills prostitutes. Details

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Prime Suspect — Season 1

Prime Suspect Prime Suspect Prime Suspect Prime Suspect View more photos

Season Info

Network
ITV
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
British English
Release Date
Apr 7, 1991
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