Best movie of this year hands down!

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

It's sad to see the iconic British cop drama that star the amazing Helen Mirren reduced to a failed American show. Instead of blatant sexism, we have a hat. Maria Bello is a great actress. Whatever problem this show had, Maria couldn't have fixed it by herself. Sadly the most interesting part of the show is that hat. This Detective Jane Timoney is all attitude.In the British one, the show started in a different times. The whole theme of sexism and an aggressive DCI Jane Tennison who bullied her way onto a case is very appealing. It just doesn't make as much sense now, and it doesn't have the same tension. I'm not saying it doesn't happen now. It's just the intensity isn't the same. Maybe Prime Suspect is past its prime. At least, starting it as a modern show may not make as much sense.

When this show was announced, I researched it and learned about the original starring Helen Mirren. I have watched many fantastic British cops shows but the original "Prime Suspect" is now at the top of my list. The episodes were 3 hours long and I was riveted to the screen from beginning to end. They are indeed murder mysteries. Please do yourself a favor and see that series. That being said, I love the cast of this American version and agree that it has not tried to copy the original but forged its own path. Maria Bello is such a great actress and I was thrilled at the prospect of seeing her perform on a weekly basis yet sadly, her character seems without color or depth, but perhaps that IS her character. I also hate the hat but even that and the incessant gum chewing hardly detract from her astounding physical beauty. Unfortunately, I could not care less about any of the characters and I am hoping that as the series develops, the writers will flesh them out. All in all, it is pretty much the run of the mill formula cop show - the crime, the investigation and the arrest. Ho Hum! I will give it two more episodes because of the super cast (I'm currently on episode 7)before I stop watching.

This series is perhaps one of the best detective series I have ever seen. It is a rich drama. First, it is not overwhelmingly focused on crime scene investigation. There other series for that purpose. Second, the characters are depicted in a three dimensional frame work. The police officers are not portrait as always perfect. The criminals are also not always presented as incorrigibly nefarious. The good guy does not always win and the strong sometimes cries. I was very impressed with the first episode when the strong lady detective went home and cried in the arms of her husband. She was simply human. Finally, this series has avoided irrelevant office work romance. The main detective is a married woman who only works in her office. This series has provided the balance between a rich drama and entertainment.

I watched the British version with Helen Mirren which was a fantastic series. This new series with Maria Bello is a bit lighter and she is of course, younger -- although not young. Actually, I appreciate that someone 23 wasn't cast in the role with perfect hair, clothes and nails. Jane sometimes looks like an unmade bed. She is a tough character and I like the way she can both take and dish it out. She lives in the real world where life is harsh and she just accepts it. She's in her stride at her job and does it well, if not aways by the book. Well written, well directed, and fun to watch. Maria Bello is excellent in the role. Part of what makes it good is her restraint. The men detectives can be jerks, but is it just culture? They are becoming aware of Jane's strengths. That realization is fun to watch as they are hit in the face with Jane's abilities that they assumed couldn't possibly be there.