Prime Suspect (1 Viewer)

[Citizen87645]

I thought it was a strong start, but I don't entirely swallow the blatant antagonism being thrown Timoney's way. It's not that I don't think there would be hostility around her being the new person, a woman in a man's world, etc. but it would seem more convincing if it were more subtly played or indirect. With the sexism and antagonism so blatant, it makes the show feel a bit anachronistic. It also becomes a sort disservice to the main character as the male over-reaction tends to diminish the rough edges that are supposed to make Timoney more interesting and three-dimensional, making her into a sort of martyr. There's not much point in comparing the show to the British original, but in that series you sometimes did feel Jane Tennison was a bitch, too ambitious for her own good, and not very politically savvy. So far with Timoney, you can see she's a hard ass, but ultimately much too endearing to be considered a great character. I'm willing to see where it goes though. Bello is more than up to the job if the writers can give her the material.


P.S. The hat IS kind of annoying.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Taking place in 2011, I find the work hostility over the top. However, I loved the ending at the restaurant.






Crawdaddy

 

[Citizen87645]

Her pursuit of the perp was pretty intense too and the realism around her getting a beat down was a nice change of pace. I love women who kick butt, but this isn't a show that calls for her to be super human.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by Cameron Yee

Her pursuit of the perp was pretty intense too and the realism around her getting a beat down was a nice change of pace. I love women who kick butt, but this isn't a show that calls for her to be super human.

I didn't enjoy that part!

 

[Robert Crawford]

By the way, her boyfriend's ex tried to be a bitch, but got over matched in that department.

 

[Sylvia*ST]

I really disliked this show--especially compared to the British original. But the idea that a New York City squad made it all the way to 2011 without a woman was absurd in the extreme.

 

[Matt Hough]

Liked it enough to continue watching. I wouldn't be surprised if it unfolds in much the same way as The Closer did with the new gal in the department needing an entire season to fully win everybody (meaning her entirely male-populated department) over.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by MattH.

Liked it enough to continue watching. I wouldn't be surprised if it unfolds in much the same way as The Closer did with the new gal in the department needing an entire season to fully win everybody (meaning her entirely male-populated department) over.

In 2011, it doesn't compute to me as female detectives have been the norm for many years.

 

[Citizen87645]

Especially when NBC has L&O: SVU running 24 hours earlier and added another female detective to the cast.

 

[Matt Hough]

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford





In 2011, it doesn't compute to me as female detectives have been the norm for many years.

I certainly can't argue with that. One has to buy into the premise of any show from the outset, or it's a no-go. I'm willing to give them the dramatic license to see what transpires.

 

[Walter C]

Originally Posted by Cameron Yee

Her pursuit of the perp was pretty intense too and the realism around her getting a beat down was a nice change of pace. I love women who kick butt, but this isn't a show that calls for her to be super human.

Yeah, it's not often when you that. I can remember thinking the same way in an episode of Without a Trace, when a female agent was being punched in the face a few times as she was being interrogated by a bad guy, which was unusual to see on TV.


I've only seen the Pilot so far, and like it so far. Reminds me of The Closer (which I would have liked if not for Kyra's fake southern accent, which sounds like nails on a chalkboard).


I always thought Maria Bello has a striking resemblance to Mary McCormack, back when she was on ER for only 1 season.

 

[Matt Hough]

I'm sorry the ratings aren't better. I enjoyed this week's episode, too.

 

[Citizen87645]

I wish they would write the Duffy character as less of an outright a**hole. They make it too easy to hate him.


Some of the best moments are turning out to be the way Jane handles the boyfriend's ex-wife. It was kind of mean for Jane to distract her with the recent events, but she definitely understood what it would take for her to stop obsessing about a minor issue like the sleeping arrangements.

 

[Garrett Adams]

I came to this show knowing it was not a duplicate of Helen Mirren's Prime Suspect, which is a good thing. This show stands on its own and I'm enjoying it immensely. It's a shame it's drawing such a small share of viewers.


My only negative is I think Jane looks dorky in that hat.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by Garrett Adams

I came to this show knowing it was not a duplicate of Helen Mirren's Prime Suspect, which is a good thing. This show stands on its own and I'm enjoying it immensely. It's a shame it's drawing such a small share of viewers.


My only negative is I think Jane looks dorky in that hat.

I like the hat, but what's with the scarfs?

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by Cameron Yee

I wish they would write the Duffy character as less of an outright a**hole. They make it too easy to hate him.


Some of the best moments are turning out to be the way Jane handles the boyfriend's ex-wife. It was kind of mean for Jane to distract her with the recent events, but she definitely understood what it would take for her to stop obsessing about a minor issue like the sleeping arrangements.

I don't know if this show is going to make it, but I wish it does long enough to see the dynamics of their relationship change over time.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

I'm keeping my Season Pass for the time being. I loved the Helen Mirren series from the 1990s, which this clearly isn't, but I'm taking it on its own terms, and so far it seems moslty OK. It does seem odd that the one thing they have imported intact from the original - they even changed Jane's last name for no obvious reason - is the over-the-top sexism at the squad. This made perfect sense 20 years ago, in England. But it wouldn't even have made that much sense on an American cop show in 1991, much less now. (The Metropolitan Poiice were way behind the NYPD in integrating women. At the time of the original Prime Suspect there were only 4 female Deputy Chief Inspectors in London. One of them was an advisor on the show. The NYPD got its first female homicde detective - Mary Sullivan - in 1912., and its first female deputy chief and first female precinct commander years before Prime Suspect aired in the UK.) They had a better reason for the hostility in the idea that Jane got an undeserved promotion because she slept with a superior, but they could have sold that better and given the show a more contemporary feel by including at least one other woman in teh squad, who also treated Jane as an outsider and a threat. That might have been interesting Instead we get this odd throw-back to the days before even Charlies Angels and Cagney & Lacey cracked the glass ceiling on TV. And the sense of deja vu doesn't stop there. Sure Bello is cute, but she really does make me think of Mary McCormack - I kept having In Plain Sight flashbacks. And the cast is a bit of an all-star team of supporting players from cop shows past. But for all of that the first two episodes have been entertaining enough that I'm going to stick aroung for awhile. Regards, Joe

 

[Walter C]

I read that the name change was done, as a nod to former Philly police commissioner, John Timoney. And Maria Bello herself, is a Philly native.


Just saw the 2nd episode, and so far, I really like this show. But I hear this show may not last longer, with the ratings it has gotten.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford

I don't know if this show is going to make it, but I wish it does long enough to see the dynamics of their relationship change over time.

I really liked this week's episode as they relax the anti-female attitude among the squad of detectives with Duffy and Timoney having some good moments. The detectives running and them being in the bar afterward was pretty funny.

 

[Matt Hough]

I also enjoyed Mackensie Astin's cast-against-type role this week. He did a good job with it.