And finally I arrive at Prime Suspect 6. This most recent installment in the landmark series aired seven years after the previous installment and fifteen after the first. In that time Jane Tennison rose through the ranks of the British police, gaining enemies all along the way. By the time she sits down for a meeting with superiors who suggest she prepare to retire, she's become both a hero and a pariah, a cop who's been openly critical of the police, a rogue at times, and, most importantly, a woman who refused to be held down. Assigned to oversee a number of squad rooms (including 24 ongoing murder investigations) she's as eager as ever to dive in and get her hands dirty seeking the truth.

This time out the victim is a young immigrant, a Muslim woman who fled the Serbian-Croatian conflict in her homeland. Tennison takes the investigation away from smug college-educated detective Simon Finch (Ben Miles) and decides to run it her way: Aggressively. It's not long before she has a suspect, a Serbian immigrant named Zigic (the intense Velibor Topic). During her first interrogation with Zigic, Tennison meets Milan Lukic (Oleg Menshikov), a Serb who acts as translator in police investigations. While Lukic initially seems a solid guy, with a British wife and a thriving Opthamology business, Tennison eventually starts to suspect he may know more than he's let on.

Tennison's suspicions often lead her on one-woman crusades. On this case she's warned repeatedly not to pursue Lukic and claims at one point that if she were on a jury and the prosecution presented her case against the man she would have to acquit. But she feels in her heart that he's involved and she can't let it go, even when at one point she's forced to remove herself from the case. She uses aggressive investigation, mind games, and even a little intimidation to delve further into the case.

The case itself has roots in the Serbian war. The specifics are fictional but undoubtedly based in fact. It's really heartbreaking, sometimes more than in any previous Prime Suspect. That says something considering this has long been a series that's unafraid to shine a flashlight into the darkest corners of human depravity.

Like its immediate predecessors in the series, part 6 continues the ramping up of conventional action set-pieces. Here, even more than in the previous installments, however, they always serve the story. There is an exciting sequence where a large group of cops close in on one unsuspecting suspect. And one horrifying scene where Tennison and her detectives frantically search a hospital for a woman they believe is in danger is exceptionally effective. This suspenseful scene is masterfully shot, performed and, most of all, edited.

This brings up the one most important difference between this episode and all the others. Until now Prime Suspect has been a series you could describe as somewhat visually drab. It looked appropriate for the blunt style but it lacked visual finesse. For some reason the makers for part 6 decided to swing hard the other way. This is one of the most stylish television programs I've ever seen. Camera angles are creative and often stunning, but they also help comment on the material (as opposed to just documenting it). Locations are used in really creative ways. The use of color (and frequent removal of it) creates mood and atmosphere. Details are emphasized (when Tennison visits her ailing father, a near-subliminal shot of her hands has a devastating effect) and the editing is razor sharp and potent (with images being echoed over time).

This is the most cinematic of the Prime Suspects, so much so that on the surface it seems to be from a different series entirely (even the font in the credits is changed for the first time.) But at heart it's very much a part of the continuum. There are the surprising characters and moments, the dark undercurrent, the sense of hope and, at the center of it all, one hard-drinking, foul-mouthed, jaded, yet still somehow idealistic, woman with a badge. Sometimes she seems to be the only person in England who gives a damn, but that never stops her.

VIDEO:
The full-frame video is outstanding, by Prime Suspect standards, which isn't saying much. It's grainy and overly-bright at times, but it's also very stylized and beautiful in its own way. This is a unique looking program that, while perhaps not fulfilling certain technical standards, is very appealing on its own terms.

Note: The Region 2 version (and UK broadcast) of Prime Suspect 6 was in anamorphic widescreen format. Why was the US version cheated? I'm docking the "picture" rating half a star as of the addition of this note. Those with region-free players may want to seek out the R2 version.

AUDIO:
The Dolby Stereo soundtrack is also an improvement from previous installments. Voices are generally clearer, although, as usual, subtitles would have been a nice addition. There are times, especially early on, when accents are tough. You get used to them, however.

EXTRAS:
Are my eyes deceiving me? Is there an extra feature on a Prime Suspect release? Why yes, there's a twenty minute behind-the-scenes featurette. Unfortunately most of the running time is taken up by clips from the show but there are nice interviews with the cast and crew. Hearing Mirren in particular talk about Tennison is a welcome addition. This feature is anamorphic widescreen, for some reason. (see note above)

Previous Prime Suspect reviews:1 2 3 4 5