Prime Suspect 1973: What can viewers expect from prequel?

Prime Suspect 1973, the new prequel to the classic crime drama starring Helen Mirren, starts tonight on ITV. Here's what you need to know.

Who's in it?

The new TV series stars Stefanie Martini in the iconic role of Jane Tennison, made famous by Mirren. The 26-year-old actress is best known for her role as Mary in Doctor Thorne.

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Her co-stars include Sam Reid (Anonymous, Belle, The Railway Man) and Blake Harrison, best known for playing Neil Sutherland in The Inbetweeners. Also appearing are Alun Armstrong (New Tricks), Ruth Sheen (Unforgotten) and Jessica Gunning (Jericho, Fortitude).

What's it about?

The six-part series is based on Lynda La Plante's novel Tennison, which follows the formative years of Tennison as a 22-year-old WPC officer investigating her first murder case.

Tennison is a naive but determined probationary officer trying to find her feet in a notoriously sexist environment where the rules are often bent. Working alongside her superior, DI Bradfield (Reid), Tennison must get to grips with the case of a prostitute's murder.

Is there a trailer?

Yes, you can catch a sneak peak of the series here:

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And here's an extended look at the opening:

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Will it be as good as the original?

No, according to Alison Graham in the [1]Radio Times, who argues that the prequel can "never be as good" because Mirren's Tennison was a rarity, "the embodiment of the most perfect alchemy created by the right actor, the right part and the right time".

The critic calls Mirren the "greatest ever television role model for middle-aged women everywhere", saying she wasn't glam or infallible, but "a mature woman who'd been bashed about by life". Furthermore, argues Graham, this young Jane "isn't our Jane, she's just a character called Jane Tennison" who's younger and "doesn't seem to have much personality" or seem to be a barrier-breaker.

Was Lynda LaPlante involved?

Initially, yes, but according to the [2]Daily Telegraph, she walked away from the prequel, following "disputes over how Jane Tennison's story was to be told".

This is nothing new for the writer, notes the newspaper. LaPlante famously abandoned the original TV version Prime Suspect after disagreeing with the way the producers treated her character.

LaPlante apparently didn't agree with the first series giving Tennison a drinking problem and said that her more recent book Tennison was an attempt to regain control over her character.

Prime Suspect 1973 begins tonight on ITV at 9pm.