Prime Suspect: The Lost Child

Having loved the first three 'Prime Suspect' series, when seeing all the episodes and series over-time since reviewing the first instalment a year ago, expectations were understandably very high. They were met with 'The Lost Child' but not quite surpassed.

'The Lost Child' is very good, terrific in its best moments and almost all elements are spot-on, just not quite as good as the first three series before it. It introduced quite a few changes in format, including Lynda La Plante not being involved and the lengths of the episodes being shorter, for the fourth series (of which 'The Lost Child' is part of) it was three cases clocking in around just over five hours overall for 'Prime Suspect IV' rather than one case split into two halves like in the first three 'Prime Suspect' series.

On the most part, the changes worked well. Parts of the story do feel slightly on the rushed side with the shorter length and while the climax was very powerful the final twist was not particularly a surprise. With that being said, it was somewhat of a good thing for the pacing to be tighter and not have quite as much filler (in no way intended to knock the first three series, just a comparative observation).

It is stylishly and cleverly filmed, with slick editing and atmospheric lighting, and there is a consistently wonderful atmosphere throughout. It is very gritty, if not quite as dark as 'Prime Suspect III', and effectively claustrophobic and even though the pacing is tighter it is also still deliberate. It is very hard to forget the music score too. The scripting, like its predecessor, is some of the best there is of any mystery/detective drama, being superbly constructed and intelligent.

Story-telling is very compelling and twisty, with an atmosphere that is gritty and harrowing but also intricate and honest. It is a complex story that keeps one guessing right up to the end while also being easy to follow. Tennison's personal life is balanced very well.

Jane Tennison continues to be an interesting character, the character and the depiction of the police force was very ahead of the time back in the 90s and holds much fascination now even if not so novel.

Helen Mirren gives a typically magnificent performance in the lead. Close behind her is a brilliant performance from Robert Glenister (it is agreed that his performance has inexplicably not been mentioned enough here), one that is chilling but very conflicted.

Altogether, harrowing and often terrific if a slight step down from what came before. 9/10 Bethany Cox

This one unravels deftly. You might not know what's coming. If you really watch for details, you might. Again, the realism of this series beats the 'twinkie' world of Law & Order any day. This is not a Dick Wolf Happy Meal - this is the real thing, and at the top of the heap of great actors and other craftsmen involved is Helen Mirren, a wonder if there ever was one.

Sometimes you have to step away from the quality stuff and wander over into comic book land so to speak to fully appreciate what you're getting. This part is not a cozy one to snuggle up with; this one will make you think - but it's that good. A child is missing; there's a hunt for the child; that's all you need to know. As it wears on, the narrative 'sort of' tells you what you will finally understand. This is neither a 'whodunnit' nor a straightforward drama nor a police series - it's a bit of all three. And watching Helen Mirren do her stuff is going to be a treat for all your senses.

Sometimes the authorities have feet of clay. What looks open and shut proves to be anything but. This episode begins with Jane having an abortion. At the same time, a young single mother faces the terror of having her child kidnapped. Jane's guilt plays a factor in this episode, although it is delicately downplayed. A man who has been convicted as a pedophile is immediately made a suspect, and because the woman who has lost her child saw him once in a park, it is assumed he is guilty. No other suspects are investigated. Also, there is damning stuff brought out and, hence, the police become relentless. At one point the cops are sent to pick him up. He runs and he is beaten and ultimately thrown in front of a van. This is a really intense episode where we get to see how cockeyed things can get when objectivity flies out the window. The acting is superb, particularly that of the guy who is being pursued. Mirren is solid, as usual. This series which I had never heard of, is a hallmark of British television.

I didn't expect to see Helen Mirren over-acting in so many scenes, but the time constraints (1hr 40) meant the director packed in every reaction he/she could think of..

The great thing about Prime Suspect is the time given to develop both the stories and the characters. Such time gives the actors an opportunity to show their skill, but in this episode there is a lot of crap acting - too rushed and overly dramatic.

The detective work is also a bit too contrived - it's all too quick and easy.

Parts 1-3 are superb, and I am pleased to see that 5 is back to the length needed for quality TV.

I recommend skipping this episode.

I, and my wife, have become 100% addicted to "Prime Suspect". We rent them, 3 at a time, from NetFlix.

This is the best police series I have seen.

But --- The "Lost Child" episode my have been the end of my addiction. Maybe it's because the creator and writer of the series, Lynda La Plante, was not part of the "Lost Child" episode. I don't know.

Now I seem to have lost interest - because in this episode, Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison is doing the exactly same thing as she did in all of the previous episodes, i.e. Running the show. For example, I don't recall any of the other Superintendents (Tennison's immediate boss)in any previous episodes, being so involved in the hour-to-hour, day-to-day, ordering the other D.C.'s about and such about, in nearly every scene.

I loved the series because it was so real. It is not so real (to me) anymore. In real life law enforcement, when a person is promoted to a higher position they do not go to work every day and do the job they have before they got promoted. I was in law enforcement and the Criminal Justice system for over 20 years and never saw this happen.

My wife still is fanatically loyal to the series, but I am going to try and sneak in different Netflix movies every now and then. lol.