Prime Suspect – Of hats and hardasses

People are having problems with the Jane Timoney’s (Maria Bello) hat on Prime Suspect.

Are you having problems with the hat? I’m not having problems with the hat.

It’s just a hat. Timoney wears it because it’s what she does and it’s who she is. Does it suit her? Not to a lot of people out there in TV Viewing Land. But it’s become a part of her mien … and very quickly. And I mean in-the-course-of-just-a-couple-episodes quickly. Though, like fellow writer An Nichols, I’m not entirely on board with her leather vest. (See An’s comments below.)

I’ll tell you what I do have a problem with, however. Lt. Sweeney (Aidan Quinn) hasn’t been on her from the get go; it’s everyone else who has come on board Timoney’s train in the precinct who are griping my cookies a bit. Everyone, that is, except Duffy (Brian O’Bryan) who’s still being an ass toward her. I have no problem with Duffy being a jerk; his territory is getting trampled on. I expect him to feel he’s being “crowded,” especially when that someone is a woman. And he has a nice little foil in Timoney in which to work that asshat demeanor of his, swirl it around some. He’s become my favorite male on the show. The other guys, however, are bowing down to a huge degree. The premiere was all about the Beef Trust — the close-knit alliance between all the male detectives in the precinct. But in the wink of an eye (relatively speaking) it’s pretty much disappeared. It’s a whimper of its former self.

Duffy, however … he’s keeping it alive. And I dig that. It will continue to make for neat interaction.

I mentioned, in the premiere the guys wouldn’t acknowledge her efforts, but several of them are outwardly working with her — Calderon (Kirk Acevedo) for one — or at least tolerating her like Blando (Tim Griffin). But I expect the Beef Trust will raise its ugly head once more.

Regardless, the show is tight and snappy, a good start to this new procedural. I can only hope it begins picking up more of an audience.

Comments, An?

“The show surprised me. After seeing those hideous commercial a la Chase indicating Jane Timoney was basically a hot blonde in a short dress who got things done, I assumed Jane Tennyson had left the building. But, I was pleasantly surprised.

“… I haven’t seen Prime Suspect (UK series) in a while, but I loved the show for its gritty realism and portrayal of institutional sexism. Tennyson (Helen Mirren) wasn’t a TV detective. She didn’t weep, cry, or flip her hair. Instead, she got the job done. If the crime was hard, Tennyson was harder. In fact, she originated the Horatio stare.

“Honestly, whenever NBC declares they want to redo a British TV show, I get flashbacks to the 1990s and Couplings; but they did a good job. Although Timoney isn’t Tennyson, that isn’t a bad thing. The show is still ‘Prime Suspect.’ It’s still gritty and realistic. We see the heroine wearing realistic shoes (no heels) and practical hair (a ponytail) with a focus on professionalism. And, we see her dealing with hard crime. However, unlike Tennyson, Timoney is slightly human. She’s dating Dr. Awesome and her outlook is more positive, but not in the stereotypical one-dimensional bleeding heart, type of way.

Although this Timoney isn’t in charge, her insight still drives her to solve the crimes but not in the obvious “OMIGOSH LOOK HOW SMART SHE IS” way. They still portray the feeling of the covert digs and exclusion from her male colleagues. They also show a positive side of the lead detective who’s basically a dick to her. Sure, he’s an ass, but he’s dedicated to the job. And, I like when they showed the cop (Calderon) slightly afraid when looking for the perp in the abandoned building. Sometimes TV forgets that cops are human, too. But, that doesn’t stop them from doing the job. They even showed an alternate side for the child molester, which I felt was a bit much. But, still, the core of NBC’s Prime Suspect isn’t to reduce people to wholly good or thoroughly evil, but to show the shades of the human spectrum we inhabit.

“Things I disliked: I hate the Sam Spade external wear aesthetic. It doesn’t fit the character or the environment. Timoney strikes me as someone who would wear things old and well loved. But, the wild west vest and stupid fedora, make her look like a cartoon character.”

Quote:

“Suffocated her. Pillow from the bed.” — Velerio
“One of those memory foam things.” — Blando
“Those just don’t seem that breathable to me in general, even if no one’s trying to kill you with one.” — Timoney

Clacked by Michael Noble
on Oct 02, 2011 @ 22:15 EST5EDT