"Prime Suspect"

Deborah Jermyn's study of 'Prime Suspect' places the groundbreaking crime drama in the context of women detectives on screen and the institional sexism that confronted Jane Tennison and her real life counterparts. She provides a close analysis of Helen Mirren's performance and the key role of writer Lynda La Plante.

Jermyn also relates the institutionalised sexism and misogyny that Tennison confronts to real-life discrimination and prejudice in British policing and its attitudes to women, whether as investigators or victims, in cases such as that of Assistant Chief Constable Alison Halford and the distinction made between prostitutes and the 'innocent' victims of the Yorkshire Ripper. Through a close analysis of key scenes, Jermyn highlights the formal and aesthetic innovations of Prime Suspect, in its attention to the detail of forensic work; its unflinching portrayal of the bodies of murder victims and its cinematic shooting style. Recognising Prime Suspect as one of the most striking, acclaimed and influential texts in British television history, Jermyn acknowledges the key roles played by the original screenwriter La Plante and by Helen Mirren as Jane Tennison.

Acknowledgments Introduction: Locating the Evidence of a 'TV Classic'
1 Investigating the Evolution of Prime Suspect 2 It's a Fair Cop: Women and TV Crime Drama 3 Reimagining Realism: Murder, Forensics and the Body in Prime Suspect Conclusion: 'I got what I wanted. I got my job': Tennison Takes a Bow Case Closed -- Prime Suspect takes a bow Notes
Resources
Credits
Index