Price to Pay: Part 2

A very important two-part story in the history of crime drama, not least for establishing the character of the female detective who has to work on the case, her male colleagues and the pressures the work inflicts on her personal life. This story set the scene for characters like Dana Scully, Nikki Alexander, Sara Lund, and many others. Note this was broadcast the same year as Silence of the Lambs, with Clarice Starling another important character.

Watching in 2022, clearly it looks dated in many ways - cinematography, directing, everyone smoking everywhere. It's also interesting to consider how much television storytelling has matured by now, as at times it does drag on and could probably have been at least 1/3 shorter than it is. Some clumsy plot developments - the male officers seem to change their heart about her a bit too easily halfway through episode 2, if only lad culture would change so easily....

Regardless, it's still thoroughly enjoyable and a gripping watch, Mirren is of course brilliant and so are many other actors, in a great ensemble. Thoroughly recommended.

Helen Mirren's Jane Tennison is a bulldog. She also is a loose cannon. Her determination finally wins the respect of her colleagues. This is the second part of a major effort to find a man who has been murdering women by torturing them and hanging them by their wrists. The prime suspect is a sociopath who lives with a woman who must be looking over her shoulder at every turn. The interesting thing is this guy gets arrested time after time after time. It would be easy to say, "We'd better leave him alone." Tennison is convinced that he's the one and won't relent. There are a couple subplots. Tennnison is living with a divorced man who has a little boy. Her obsessiveness is causing a real rift. It's hard to watch her fall into the depths of this determination, spoiling a connection to a really nice guy.