This is the best "translation" of a top-notch Brit series that has yet emerged from American TV. And this episode is its best demo of that fact so far.
As a discriminating TV drama fan for the past 50 years, since I was 16, I rate this particular episode titled "Underwater" as the sole USA TV series show to deserve a 10/10 since"Homicide: Life on the Street" produced a handful of absolutely perfect episodes. Others are excellent, even outstanding, but Prime Suspect (USA) is miles above them.
The story-line this week, even apart from its UK origin in the mind of Lynda LaPLante, was not original, but the rendition in her hands and Alexandra Cunningham's -- WOW, total brilliance, so perfectly made real by crew and cast.
An aside About two weeks ago there was a breathtaking shot unlike any other I've seen on TV drama -- a group-think among the detectives with the camera pointed 'through' an orange object that Timoney was holding, maybe even a mere carrot -- impact subtle and amazing.
Of course, Prime Suspect with this cast and these production values is simply too dang good -- subtle, low key, high tension, breathtaking in its depth -- for most middle of the road viewers to appreciate, so it seems NBC is letting it go. Crazy. Insane. Predictable. And utterly regrettable.
I'm hoping like mad that one of the classy networks that do get away with funding "haute yet accessible television drama" might pick it up and let it develop further.
If they have TV in the afterlife for deserving viewers, this series will be right up there alongside its Brit progenitor.
As a discriminating TV drama fan for the past 50 years, since I was 16, I rate this particular episode titled "Underwater" as the sole USA TV series show to deserve a 10/10 since"Homicide: Life on the Street" produced a handful of absolutely perfect episodes. Others are excellent, even outstanding, but Prime Suspect (USA) is miles above them.
The story-line this week, even apart from its UK origin in the mind of Lynda LaPLante, was not original, but the rendition in her hands and Alexandra Cunningham's -- WOW, total brilliance, so perfectly made real by crew and cast.
An aside About two weeks ago there was a breathtaking shot unlike any other I've seen on TV drama -- a group-think among the detectives with the camera pointed 'through' an orange object that Timoney was holding, maybe even a mere carrot -- impact subtle and amazing.
Of course, Prime Suspect with this cast and these production values is simply too dang good -- subtle, low key, high tension, breathtaking in its depth -- for most middle of the road viewers to appreciate, so it seems NBC is letting it go. Crazy. Insane. Predictable. And utterly regrettable.
I'm hoping like mad that one of the classy networks that do get away with funding "haute yet accessible television drama" might pick it up and let it develop further.
If they have TV in the afterlife for deserving viewers, this series will be right up there alongside its Brit progenitor.
