Prime Suspect 2
Prime Suspect 2 starts with the unexpected discovery of a corpse in a street that forms part of a largely Afro-Caribbean neighborhood in London. The investigation into the corpse's identity, and how it came to lie in its burial place, is long and complex. DCI Jane Tennison is called upon to use all her powers of ingenuity, courage and compassion in the inquiry. Facing the political disapproval of her colleagues, she refuses to accept stereotypical solutions to complex questions.
Background | Story synopsis | Cast & credits
What the press said... | Awards
Background
Based on the story by Lynda La Plante, Allan Cubitt wrote the script for Prime Suspect 2: "Obviously, the chance to develop a story at length and present it to such a potentially large audience is a great opportunity for me. The whole process has been a joy from beginning to end and has allowed me to collaborate with the best people around. I can honestly say that the producer, writer, script editor, story editor and director have worked like one person throughout the project and that's a rare enough thing to be worth celebrating as frequently as possible."
In addition to Helen Mirren as Jane Tennison, the cast includes Colin Salmon in his first television role as Detective Bob Oswalde. Salmon sees Oswalde as a driven man, "one with the insight to crack tough cases. He's drawn to Tennison because, although both are outsiders, they are also equals. But the qualities which brought them together ignite conflicts."
Prime Suspect 2 story synopsis - Plot Revealed Below!
A year after her first murder investigation, DCI Jane Tennison is in top form, having built on the success of her last case and consolidated the hard won respect of her colleagues. She is relaxed and self confident -- sure enough of herself to enjoy scoring points off the devious and ambitious DCI Thorndike while they jointly chair a course in interrogation techniques, but always maintaining her commitment to her work and attention to detail.
Proof of the esteem in which she is now held comes when Detective Superintendent Kernan asks Tennison to head a new murder inquiry. A plum case -- or is it?
The body of a young girl is discovered in a shallow grave in the back garden of a terraced house in a largely Afro-Caribbean neighborhood in London. The case is a difficult one, for the body is badly decomposed, leaving almost no clues to the girl's identity. Tennison's job is made harder by the fact that the investigation is taking place in a community already bubbling with tension and with a history of bad relations with the police. And Tennison has to contend with prejudice and misunderstanding from both the locals and from within her own team. Meanwhile her boss, with one eye on his promotion, is putting the pressure on to get the case solved double quick with minimum fuss.
More than enough for Jane Tennison to contend with -- but these difficulties are nothing compared to the problems she faces when, unexpectedly, her personal and professional worlds collide...
Cast and credits
Cast| DS Oswalde | Colin Salmon |
| Builder | Nelson Fletcher |
| Mr Viswandha | Dev Sagoo |
| DC Lillie | Philip Wright |
| DC Jones | Ian Fitzgibbon |
| DI Muddyman | Jack Ellis |
| DI Burkin | Craig Fairbrass |
| Kid on bike | Cleveland Campbell |
| Kid's brother | Clint Dyer |
| DCI Thorndike | Stephen Boxer |
| D Supt Kernan | John Benfield |
| Nola Cameron | Corinne Skinner-Carter |
| Viswandha boy | Jesse Singh |
| Gold | Adrian Schiller |
| DS Haskons | Richard Hawley |
| Oscar Bream | David Ryall |
| Mrs Viswandha | Shireen Shah |
| DC Rosper | Andrew Tiernan |
| Jonathan Phelps | Stefan Kalipha |
| Woman tv reporter | Melanie Sylvester |
| Patterson | Burt Caesar |
| 'Leather hat' | T-Bone Wilson |
| Esme Allen | Claire Benedict |
| Lady in café | Cynthia Powell |
| David Allen | Junior Laniyan |
| Cleo Allen | Ashley James |
| Tony Allen | Fraser James |
| Vernon Allen | George Harris |
| Sarah Allen | Jenny Jules |
| David Harvey | Tom Watson |
| Jason Reynolds | Matt Bardock |
| 'Rodin' | Michael Fitzgerald |
| Eileen Reynolds | June Watson |
| Rachel | Caroline Loncq |
Credits | |
| Director | John Strickland |
| Writers | Allan Cubitt Lynda La Plante (story) |
| Producers | Sally Head Paul Marcus |
| Cinematographers | Ken Morgan David Odd |
| Film Editor | Eddie Mansell |
| Production Designer | Chris Truelove |
| Casting | Doreen Jones |
| Music | Stephen Warbeck |
| Production Manager | David Meddick |
What the press said...
The plot, with its black and white herrings, (keeps) you watching, but it is the psychological detail that makes it matter: the artist reconstructing the victim's face from her skull, who points out the muscle she would have used to kiss...
-- The Independent
Tennison is nearly all repression, which is what, in Mirren's skilled hands, makes her so fascinating: Her emotions don't come at us, we have to lean in and pay attention to grasp her...
-- New York Newsday
As Tennison, Mirren reaches within her beauty to find a plain-looking woman. She reaches within her Shakespearean training to find a plain-speaking woman. And she reaches within her character's self-doubt to find a soul-saving self-confidence.
-- Boston Globe
Awards
Emmy Awards 1993- Won, Outstanding Miniseries, Sally Head (executive producer), Paul Marcus (producer)
- Nominated, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Special, Helen Mirren
The Peabody Awards 1993
- Won, Prime Suspect 2, "...For adroitly intertwining emotional, political, and dramatic themes . . . a mini-series of unmatched quality and integrity."
BAFTA Awards 1993
- Won, Best Actress, Helen Mirren
- Nominated, Best Drama Serial, Paul Marcus, Allan Cubitt, John Strickland
- Nominated, Best Film/Video Editor (Fiction), Edward Mansell
- Nominated, Best Sound (Fiction), Nick Steer, John Rutherford, John Thomas
Edgar Allan Poe Awards 1994
- Won, Best Television Feature or Miniseries, Allan Cubitt
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