Remember Prime Suspect? That British crime drama starring the beloved Helen Mirren? Well, Prime Suspect: Tennison—also titled Prime Suspect 1973—introduces us to Mirren’s character, the infamous Jane Tennison, at 22.
It’s 1973, and Tennison is a new probationary WPC (woman police constable)—one of two young women in a field overrun with sexism. It doesn’t help that her family sees her interest in police work as puzzling and silly.
Set in a London burb, Tennison must begin her policing career by helping to solve the murder of a prostitute named Julie-Ann Collins.
Tennison is “posh” and must bear barbs over it. But this young Tennison is already a highly independent thinker. She knows her mind and holds her own. She makes smart observations and remembers key details. This is played with dexterity by Stefanie Martins.
Unlike other co-workers, her detective inspector boss, DI Len Bradfield, is fair to her and admires her smarts—and more. Their chemistry sizzles, and the 22-year-old’s life quickly gets complicated.
Writer-actor Lynda La Plante wrote the original Prime Suspects and this prequel. According to NPR Morning Edition, her strong female lead influenced other “women against the odds” police dramas like America’s The Closer starring Kyra Sedgwick.
The original Prime Suspect ran seven series from 1991 to 2006 and won many awards: Emmy, BAFTA, Peabody, and others. In 2006, the British Film Institute listed it in the 100 Greatest British TV Programs. The next year, Prime Suspect was on Time’s 100 Best TV Shows of All Time.
The high-caliber cast includes Australian actor Sam Reid as DI Len Bradfield, Alun Armstrong, and Ruth Sheen.
La Planta, now 81, won the 2024 Diamon Dagger, a British Crime Writers’ Association award, for lifetime contribution to the crime genre. (Rated TV-14, Peacock, Amazon, PBS Masterpiece)
About the Author
Cynthia Beach authored the #ChurchToo novel The Surface of Water and the writing book, Creative Juices. She co-directs Scriptoria Workshop with Newbery-winner Gary Schmidt.