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Who should star in a remake of 'Prime Suspect'?
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Another day, another announcement of a remake of a British TV series. This time, though, the show in question is one familiar to a lot of American viewers -- the Emmy-winning "Prime Suspect."NBC has picked up the rights to redo "Prime Suspect" and hired "Without a Trace" creator Hank Steinberg to write a script, Variety reports. The series, which starred Helen Mirren as a tough homicide investigator, won three Emmys for best miniseries (it aired here as part of PBS' "Masterpiece Theatre") and earned Mirren two Emmys for playing DCI Jane Tennison.
Normally I greet news of remakes with a mix of bemusement and dread, but I'm pretty intrigued by this one. NBC has taken a good first step in hiring Steinberg to write a pilot script, and it can take a huge second one when it casts the lead role. Jane Tennison is one of the great female characters on TV in the past 20 years, and as such the network should have no shortage of strong actresses -- even some who usually don't get involved in TV -- interested in the part.
We're talking about someone along the lines of Joan Allen, Angela Bassett, Frances McDormand or Diane Lane -- all of whom came up in Twitter talk shortly after word of NBC's plans became public.
So what do you think? Vote in the poll below about potential casting for the "Prime Suspect" remake -- and share your other thoughts on the remake in the comments.
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Do they *have* to remake this unique series?
I'm rooting for Angela Bassett! She would do wonders with a complex leading role like Prime Suspect.
Why must American television networks continue to remake UK classics... Annoying, very annoying...
The problem is that many of the themes explored in Prime Suspect are too dark and gritty for typical US network viewers to stomach. If it was on HBO or Showtime then they could probably remake it in the original spirit of the show, but I suspect (no pun intended) that NBC will want a far lighter version of the show, which might succeed, but will lose the edge of the original.
Case in point, they tried remaking the similarly dark "Cracker" (as "Fitz") in the US, using many of the original scripts. It failed to gain an audience and was canceled after one series.
wow, love the thought of lane, allen, or bassett but let me throw another name into the pile - cch pounder. the itch is bad.
NBC will furk it up nonetheless.
the one and only meryl streep.
I'm with those that don't want to see this show remade. Was/is great as is, no need for a remake.
Diane Lane... it's gotta be
If they must go ahead with the remake, they should get Jennifer Jason Leigh or Jane Lynch to do it.