<p>Did anyone watch and enjoy Prime Suspect with Helen Mirren? Have you seen the previews for a remake of this series starring Maria Bello? It looks terrible. She is caustic, fluffy and unremarkable. Mirren was a fully fleshed, experienced investigator.</p>
<p>It’s like when Hollywood did a remake of The Vanishing and Insomnia. So disappointing…</p>
<p>Prime Suspect was one of my favorite series ever - Helen Mirren is brilliant. I don’t know why they try to remake perfection. I felt the same way about the Hollywood movie of Brideshead Revisited, as if anything could even come close to the BBC series.</p>
<p>I was hoping this was not a remake… some British series just don’t translate well. The only successful remake I can think of is “The Office”. “Men behaving badly” was awful as was" Life on Mars".</p>
<p>The previews look so far from the original series, I was hoping it was a coincidence.</p>
<p>From just glancing at the previews, I too am hoping that the title is just a coincidence. But alas, I fear the worst. Helen Mirren’s ‘Prime Suspect’ is great television. The new U.S. version seems like fluff with some comical violence thrown in. Good ideas can translate across venues, societies, etc. But the track record of U.S. TV executives turning a successful British show into good American TV isn’t great. Sure, there’s ‘The Office.’ But There’s also ‘Cracker,’ a great detective show staring Robbie Coltrane, (he of Hogwarts) that was mish-mashed and essentially ruined when it was imported to the U.S.</p>
<p>Maria Bello has certainly given some fine performances. But Helen Mirren is a brilliant actress, and Inspector Tennant is among her very best roles. Why does Hollywood do this? Do they think we can’t remember?</p>
<p>Sometimes a remake is somehow better than the original. The John Huston version of The Manltese Falcon was the third version, if I remember correctly. The script of one of the earlier versions was almost identical! But it didn’t have Bogart and Mary Astor. Some things are irreplaceable. Like Helen Mirren!</p>
<p>It’s hard to be compared to Helen Mirren. I feel sorry for this Mario Bello.</p>
<p>Just saw the ad for the first time – Awful – Helen Mirren must cringe.</p>
<p>I hate getting old - I meant to say Tennison, not Tennant, as the main character’s name. Not that important, I know, but I shouldn’t reproach Hollywood for thinking we can’t remember when I truly can’t. </p>
<p>It looks as if the original author of the first “Prime Suspect” is listed as one of the creators of the new American version, which is interesting. I don’t plan to watch the American version unless it gets amazing reviews, though</p>
<p>I’d seen the original many years ago, then recently found it on DVD at Target for $5. Re-watching it reminded me of what a great cast it had - not only Dame Helen, but Tom Wilkinson, Zoe Wanamaker, and a very young Ralph Fiennes. Now if only Target will offer the rest of the series at a similar price …</p>
<p>Dang it, Frazzled!!! You just blew away my secret. I bought nearly all of my DVDs in Target’s bargain bin.</p>