Created 007.11.16; Updated 2007.11.16

This article originally appeared in British Weekly.

Prime Suspect…Helen Mirren is Best Alcoholic Cop by Robin Rowe 3 stars *** SANTA MONICA, CA (British Weekly) 11/01/07 — A deeply flawed yet ultimately sympathetic police detective vows to find a killer before retiring from the force. Murder, underage sex, alcohol, and deception are the drivers of this 3-hour who-done-it. Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison is an alcoholic, a drunk driver, and suffers from blackouts, but nonetheless there's little doubt she'll get her man. Oscar-winner Helen Mirren demonstrates her chops as an actress by evoking Tennison as a sympathetic character, not a villain. More...

Her performance elevates this material and fascinates the audience. Laura Greenwood gives a strong performance as Penny, the rebellious friend of the murdered girl. A schoolmaster's pretty daughter, Penny likes to hang with the wrong crowd. Will she die next?

After her father is hospitalized for cancer, Tennison descends deeper into alcoholism. She resists pressure to quietly retire early from the force. Before ending her career, she's determined to find the killer of a young girl. Helen Mirren's award-winning portrayal of Tennison gives a gritty toughness typically reserved for male actors, although not as violent as Bruce Willis in Sin City.

Prime Suspect won the Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special for writer Frank Deasy. It won the Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special for Philip Martin. And, it won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie for Helen Mirren. Despite that, three hours is a long time to watch a dark character drama. You may not want to sit through both DVDs together like I did. This is the finale, so perhaps for fans this is a worthwhile marathon.

Prime Suspect isn't the only show to explore the concept of the deeply flawed yet heroic detective. Unlike Monk, there's no humor to Prime Suspect. There are heart-warming moments here, but no laughs. For example, Tennison encounters her former evil boss in AA. He's reformed and tries to help her. Unlike The Shield, this is the story of an honest detective who struggles to keep her vices away from her job. There are no dirty cops here, just a cop who struggles to be functional on the job while binge drinking at home.

Although fascinating and moving, Prime Suspect is hard to qualify as entertainment. The lesson learned from Prime Suspect is that everyone has secrets and is deeply flawed. A colleague points out that Tennison is the type to drink herself to death after retiring from the force, a co-worker wound so tight that she won't say anything is wrong, that she's worried for her sick father. The secret to the success of the story of Prime Suspect is its secrets. The secret to the story's execution is the talent of Helen Mirren as directed by Philip Martin.