List of Prime Suspect (British TV series) episodes

The following is a list of episodes of the British police procedural television drama series Prime Suspect, which stars Helen Mirren as Jane Tennison, one of the first female Detective Chief Inspectors in Greater London's Metropolitan Police Service, as she rises to rank of Detective Superintendent while confronting the institutionalised sexism that exists within the police force.

Series overview

Series		Episodes		Originally aired		Avg. UK viewers (millions)
				First aired	Last aired
	1	2		7 April 1991	8 April 1991	14.02
	2	2		15 December 1992	16 December 1992	14.35
	3	2		19 December 1993	20 December 1993	14.15
	4	3		30 April 1995	15 May 1995	12.73
	5	2		20 October 1996	21 October 1996	14.52
	6	2		9 November 2003	10 November 2003	10.19
	7	2		15 October 2006	22 October 2006	8.21

Episodes

Series 1 (1991)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
1	1	"Price to Pay: Part 1"	Christopher Menaul	Lynda La Plante	7 April 1991	13.93
Jane Tennison is a Detective Chief Inspector assigned to Southampton Row Police Station in Central London. She is repeatedly passed over for major cases but, following the death of a Senior Investigating Officer, DCI Shefford, she is given the opportunity to take over his latest homicide investigation. The crime involves the brutal murder of a young woman whose body has been badly mutilated, and her hands have been tied behind her back. Forensic evidence points to one George Marlow as the prime suspect. However, Tennison struggles to connect him directly to the crime scene: a prostitute's bedsit. A second murder victim is discovered with similar injuries. The episode ends on a cliffhanger as a witness tries to identify Marlow in an identity parade.
2	2	"Price to Pay: Part 2"	Christoper Menaul	Lynda La Plante	8 April 1991[1]	14.11
Marlow is not identified in the lineup and goes free. As several more murder cases are connected to the first two victims, the investigation becomes a hunt for a serial killer. All the victims are of different ages, backgrounds and appearances, which hampers progress. Tennison's personal life suffers as she tries to solve the case and win the respect of her male colleagues. Marlow's common-law wife, Moyra Henson, works as a manicurist; the police realize Marlow's victims were also her clients. Marlow is arrested when he retrieves his hidden car, and it's discovered the garage is where he brutally carried out the murders. Tennison and the team celebrate after she obtains a confession. Despite the confession, Marlow pleads 'not guilty' at his trial.

Series 2 (1992)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
3	1	"Operation Nadine: Part 1"	John Strickland	Allan Cubbitt	15 December 1992	14.27
The skeletal remains of a teen girl are found in the backyard of a house in a predominantly Afro-Caribbean neighborhood of London. DCI Jane Tennison is assigned to the case, code-named "Operation Nadine." She must tread carefully, due to racial tensions surrounding unsolved crimes in the area. The investigation commissions a clay reconstruction of the victim's face in an attempt to discover her identity. Tennison is caught off guard when DS Bob Oswald (with whom she recently had a short-lived romance) is assigned to the case. The victim is identified as Joanne Fagunwa, a runaway and performer. Tennison investigates the former tenant of the building, David Harvey. Oswald focuses on Tony Allen, the son of the building's former owners. The episode ends as Oswald arrests Allen, while Tennison attempts to coax a deathbed confession out of the sickly Harvey.
4	2	"Operation Nadine: Part 2"	John Strickland	Alan Cubbitt	16 December 1992	14.43
The team receives a confession from Harvey. Unfortunately, inconsistencies between his story and the evidence cause Tennison to believe the murderer is still at large. While in police custody, Tony hangs himself in his cell, leading to an inquiry. The case is further jeopardized when Tennison and Oswald's relationship is disclosed in the media by Harvey's nephew, Jason Reynolds. Tennison connects Reynolds to the murder of Joanne via old photos and a unique belt buckle. Tony's sister, Sarah, reveals that she and Tony witnessed Joanne's rape and murder at the hands of Jason. Oswald stakes out, chases down and successfully arrests Reynolds. D Supt Kernan is promoted and Tennison is upset she wasn't considered to take his place. She requests a transfer and leaves for a new precinct.

Series 3 (1993)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
5	1	"Keeper of Souls: Part 1"	David Drury	Lynda La Plante	19 December 1993	14.27
Jane Tennison briefly reunites with an old flame but breaks off the relationship, as he is married. She accepts a new job as DCI in Metro Vice, reuniting with DS Otley (a former nemesis, now an ally), and other old comrades. Former DCI Lyall was scapegoated when a new mandate, Operation Contract, did not yield the desired arrests. The supposed objective - clearing the streets of rent boys and other youthful offenders - is said to be the number one priority. Tennison senses undercurrents of corruption. The teams investigates the murder of a 17-year-old rent boy, Colin 'Connie' Jenkins, which Tennison sees as a logical extension of their duties. The investigation leads to a center for homeless boys, run by Edward Parker-Jones. The operation's prime suspect is James Jackson, a ruthless procurer of children for prostitution.
6	2	"Keeper of Souls: Part 2"	David Drury	Lynda La Plante	20 December 1993	14.03
DCI Tennison and her team gather more information about Colin, the rent boys, and a possible paedophile ring. Every officer with rank, including Tennison's former boss, warns her to quit the investigation. DI Ray Hebdon reveals he is gay and can help the investigation with his knowledge of local gay clubs. Tennison and DI Brian Dalton interview young men who were sexually abused by Parker-Jones. Dalton reveals he was instructed to report to his superiors if Asst. Deputy Commissioner Kennington's name came up. A case of mistaken identity causes Jackson to attack a detective in drag, leading to his arrest. Tennison learns Connie was murdered for attempting to sell his story to a reporter, Jessica Smithy. Kennington is linked to the paedophile ring and kills himself to avoid further investigation. Parker-Jones manages to walk free. Tennison allows Smithy to read the case file, in hopes she will publish Connie's story.

Series 4 (1995)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
7	1	"The Lost Child"	John Madden	Paul Billing	30 April 1995	12.95
A child's death points to a convicted child molester, who has completed his prison sentence, and now lives with a woman and her two young daughters, having kept his dark past a secret from them. However, the man's counsellor believes that he would not have committed the crime because of his preference in victims. Meanwhile, Tennison is promoted to Detective Superintendent.
8	2	"Inner Circles"	Sarah Pia Anderson	Eric Deacon & Meredith Oakes	7 May 1995	13.24
Tennison, on loan to another jurisdiction, is sent in to investigate a murder of a country club manager. At first glance, it looks like a fairly obvious sex murder, but the facts suggest otherwise. As Tennison investigates, she uncovers a link to the ongoing situations within the local municipal government, and uncovers a possible political scandal which proves to be much larger and darker than she anticipated.
9	3	"The Scent of Darkness"	Paul Marcus	Guy Hibbert	15 May 1995	12.00
A series of murders resembling those by George Marlow, who was investigated in the original Prime Suspect, has encouraged Tennison's subordinates to reopen the case, given that Marlow was still in prison when the new crimes took place. Tennison objects, as she is sure Marlow is guilty, and suspects a copycat, but is overruled by her superiors and removed from the case. She is vindicated after suspicion eventually falls onto someone who became friendly with Marlow in prison.

Series 5 (1996)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
10	1	"Errors of Judgement: Part 1"	Philip Davis	Guy Andrews	20 October 1996	14.72
Following an intemperate act at the end of The Scent of Darkness, Tennison is transferred to Manchester CID, where she investigates the murder of a drug dealer that she believes was committed by a local gang leader and folk hero known as "The Street".
11	2	"Errors of Judgement: Part 2"	Philip Davis	Guy Andrews	21 October 1996	14.32
The case becomes even more sinister when another murder is committed, but Jane finds it difficult to prove that "The Street" was responsible for the attack, as he manages to keep one step ahead of the investigation – leading her to suspect she may have a mole in her team.

Series 6 (2003)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
12	1	"The Last Witness: Part 1"	Tom Hooper	Peter Berry	9 November 2003	10.50[2]
As her career stagnates and she is pressured to retire, Jane Tennison returns to London to investigate the murder of a Bosnian Muslim refugee. She copes with "modern" policing, including a supervisor who was once an officer junior to her. As she ends up digging into the past war crimes of recent immigrants, she is reunited with a war photographer with whom she was once involved.
13	2	"The Last Witness: Part 2"	Tom Hooper	Peter Berry	10 November 2003	9.88[2]
Tennison grieves over the death of young Yasmina, and blames herself for not saving her. Although the prime suspect is in jail, Tennison believes he is not the actual culprit and certainly did not act alone. She and her photojournalist friend, Robert West, visit Bosnia to find the truth about the sadist she knows to be responsible for so much death. Attempts are made to silence Tennison and halt her inquiries with the Official Secrets Act. She gets a timely pep talk from her dad, who tells her how much he admires her for always doing what she believes is right. Soldiering onwards, Tennison puts her career and possibly, her liberty on the line to keep the promise she made to Yasmina.

Series 7 (2006)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
14	1	"The Final Act: Part 1"	Phillip Martin	Frank Deasy	15 October 2006	7.90[2]
While dealing with her alcoholism and the death of her father, Tennison decides to solve one last case - the disappearance of Tony and Ruth Sturdy's 14-year-old daughter, Sallie - before finally retiring from the force. When the disappearance becomes a murder investigation, Tennison is forced to confront her own demons.
15	2	"The Final Act: Part 2"	Phillip Martin	Frank Deasy	22 October 2006	8.51[2]
Curtis Flynn flees the scene of his brutal encounter with Tennison. As the end draws near, the truth surrounding the death of Sallie finally emerges, and the hunt for the killer ends in a shattering confrontation.

References

1. "PRIME SUSPECT – The Museum of Broadcast Communications". Museum.tv. Retrieved 2012-11-17.
2. "Top 30 Programmes". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB). Retrieved 9 September 2018 – via barb.co.uk.

External links

• Prime Suspect at IMDb
• Prime Suspect 2 at IMDb
• Prime Suspect 3 at IMDb
• Prime Suspect 4: The Lost Child at IMDb
• Prime Suspect 4: Inner Circles at IMDb
• Prime Suspect 4: Scent of Darkness at IMDb
• Prime Suspect 5: Errors of Judgement at IMDb
• Prime Suspect 6: The Last Witness at IMDb
• Prime Suspect 7: The Final Act at IMDb