Under Suspicion

The "Sunday Herald" (Boston, 5/15/05)) had some brief commentary regarding the mid 90s short lived but excellent crime series "Under Suspicion", that CBS promptly canned after one season. That induced me to revisit the show at this site and to try conveying some thoughts based upon recollections of a decade ago. I remember watching it on Friday nights (I think) and have never forgotten the noir-ish moods it conveyed so well. After 10 years, details fade and one is left with general impressions and memories somewhat distorted by time, so I reviewed the episodes listings with their brief summaries and it was good to be re-reminded of Detective "Phil" Phillips who was always reliably relentless in her pursuit of justice on behalf of the mostly innocent victims of crime and evil that were brought to her attention. I think that "Under Suspicion" managed to avoid the clichés that today's slick, formulaic "successful" crime series with their wooden, one dimensional characters, countless trips to the morgue and neat, almost unbelievable wraps at the end, are unfortunately, sustained by. Further,it was probably too close in style and content to the British series "Prime Suspect" for it to be be picked up by American PBS, but it's interesting to wonder what might have developed had that happened.

I saw this in Cinemax Latin America. It wasn't billed as a TV Series, it was billed as a movie. I guess it was the pilot, and it was superb.

I usually watch american tv series, and this has been one of the best tv episodes i've ever seen. The lead actress is simply greeat. I wonder why she is not a celebrity in Latin America. That woman knows how to act. BEsides, this is (was) a new perspective on detective shows. It was extremely well written, extremely well directed and it was an intelligent show. Maybe too intelligent for U.S.A (Survivor, Temptation ISLand, BAywatch, Friends, etc)....and it was AS GOOD as PRime Suspect....It kept me biting my nails the whole time... That script should've been a movie. (what runned opossite this serie in american Prime Time Television? why they cancel all good shows like Murder One)

Am I the only one who saw this series? This incredibly well-done cop show with a really terrific, complicated female lead and a top drawer supporting ensemble cast? Not since Christine Cagney has there been a as good a female detective as this one and it still pains me that it went up against "X-Files" in its time slot and so had no chance of surviving to find a bigger audience. It's been awhile, but I would love to find this season on DVD somehow. I'd still watch it. The location was unique (Portland, OR, I think...) and the cinematography was grainy and cool and it kept surprising each week. Just when I thought I'd figured out Ms. Zamprano's approach, she'd stretch it out into another direction. And, Karen Sillas was terrific as "Phil." We were just starting to know Phil's back story when she was taken from us. Did she die at the end?

Great show!

At the time of release, critics simplified this as an Americanized version of Prime Suspect. While that should have peeked interest, it did the series no justice. Well-defined, flawed characters did not make it an easy, mindless program to watch. It was very complex and more human than series are generally allowed to be.

Although I accidentally happened on this series of shows on TNT this summer while on vacation from teaching, I began watching or taping the shows daily. How did I miss this superb show when it was on prime time? I like cop drama shows very much and view Law and Order each week. It appears that as soon as I like a show, it is short lived. Law and Order is the exception. I am truly sorry that Under Suspicion was cancelled. I really cared about the characters, especially the relationship between Rose and Det. James Vitelli. I am NOT a sitcom person. I know they have their place. Bring on more dramas like Under Suspicion!