Heißer Verdacht - Die letzten Zeugen

I saw the 2nd part of this on Masterpiece Theater, and it's definitely the best of all 6. In this latest Prime Suspect Helen Mirren uncovers the murderer of 2 Bosnian refugees. The suspect turns out to be a Bosnia Serb war criminal, but is protected by the British government a la Szell in Marathon Man. Jane Tennison is older and wiser as she goes against orders to bring the mass killer turned smooth London professional to justice. The script writing is superior, even to the earlier episodes, as we get this psychological cat and mouse between Jane and the suspect, his wife, and his underling. And as part of the investigation Jane even travels to Bosnia and has the inevitable affair with her assistant. This shows the Bosnian war should not be forgotten and we've got to bring Mladic, Karadic, and the others to justice.

I've watched (and was hooked) the entire series from Day 1...I only wish there were 10 more episodes to look forward to....This series, and this particular episode, set the standard for all TV detective series....I don't like to go into the story line for a couple of reasons...One is to let a new viewer have the full experience without prejudice (I envy you), and two, by not revealing the smallest detail, I add my tiny part of suspense and drama to the work....so no details here....Jane Tennyson and company are superb actors...My coda........Here is quality, intense television melodrama at its best....

Prime Suspect 6 is right up there with the rest of the series. Tennison doesn't even bother with what people think of her anymore and doesn't even care about whether they respect her or not. She blasts them for even suggesting retirement. After that, it only gets better....for those of us interested in the character development of Tennison, all of the stories are good. We care more about how she evolves as a human woman. Boy, has she evolved! She's as hard as nails on the surface and as crumpled up as ever on the inside. I kept waiting for her to weep for all the stuff she's holding in. But, true to form, she holds on and even her letting go is so controlled that you want to scream for her.

Nobody can do this stuff like Helen Mirren. She deserves an Oscar and I hope America finds a way to honor her with one. AND SOON!!!

The first three 'Prime Suspect' series were absolutely brilliant. 'Prime Suspect IV' changed the format from two episodes compromising of one case for each of the previous three series to three different cases and actually did it very well.

'Prime Suspect V: Errors of Judgement' was wonderful, but 'Prime Suspect VI: The Last Witness', having watched all the series over-time since reviewing the first series in 2016, ties with it as the best 'Prime Suspect' series since 'Prime Suspect III'. 'The Last Witness' is to me the darkest and grittiest since 'Prime Suspect III', and is one of the more suspenseful ones of all the series put together. Also with one of the more satisfying endings, not rushed, not too crammed, too convoluted or too pat, instead making one bite nails and may induce a few tears.

As is the case with all the 'Prime Suspect' series, 'The Last Witness' is stylishly and cleverly filmed, with slick editing and atmospheric lighting, and there is a consistently wonderful atmosphere throughout. It is very gritty, dark and effectively claustrophobic. It is very hard to forget the music score too, plus mood-wise and with some exotic moments in the mix it's one of the more action and atmosphere-enhancing music scores of all the 'Prime Suspect' series. The scripting, like its predecessor, is some of the best there is of any mystery/detective drama, being superbly constructed and intelligent, plus it is hard to not be impressed by the cunning subtlety of the conflicts.

Story-telling is very compelling and twisty, with an atmosphere that is gritty and harrowing but also intricate and honest. It is a complex story that keeps one guessing right up to the end while also being easy to follow. Plus the suspense of a lot of it is nerve-shredding. The deliberate pacing did not harm it at all, in fact it was executed incredibly well and was necessary considering the amount going on.

Jane Tennison continues to be an interesting character, the character and the depiction of the police force was very ahead of the time back in the 90s and holds much fascination now even if not so novel. There is the sense too that the character has evolved significantly, a feeling that one didn't get before.

Helen Mirren gives a typically magnificent performance in the lead. Frank Finley's performance is deeply felt and one wishes agreed that there was more of him.

Overall, just wonderful in every sense. 10/10 Bethany Cox

The four-hour miniseries is, when well executed, one of the most entertaining forms of modern drama. "Prime Suspect 6" is a vivid demonstration of how a well-crafted script put in the hands of a competent director and a dedicated cast and crew can provide cliff-hanging suspense and emotional excursions for viewers of a wide range of ages and backgrounds.

Helen Mirren is possibly at her best in "6" as the ageing senior detective, constantly battling the establishment as she tries to manage a big caseload when a particularly brutal murder opens a Pandora's box of leads, lies and loose ends.

My prize, however, goes to Peter Berry for his writing. The story lets us slowly explore the minds, motivations and especially the passions of all the main characters and makes good use of historical events and present-day tensions to construct a drama of the highest quality. His story has strong Hollywood elements, and for this style of drama, that's precisely what's needed.

If you missed it this time, don't miss the repeat or definitely rent the DVD when it's out.