Prey

Nick Murphy's drama 'Prey' is a fast-moving, gritty crime drama, with a typically strong performance from John Simm in the lead role. Although the plot is complex, the audience isn't really encouraged to waste too much time on it: the twists and turns are mainly Maguffins, serving mainly to justify the next explosive chase. If aspects of the series (lone hero set up for a crime he didn't commit) are generic, Simm keeps it real, and with just three episodes, it doesn't outstay its welcome. It's not quite up to the level of 'Prime Suspect', but it's nice to see ITV still keeping their hand in with authentic-feeling police procedurals.

A taut and exciting mini-series, the better for being condensed to just three as opposed to the more usual six, eight or ten episodes with Manchester-based detective John Simm out to prove his innocence after his wife and child are murdered at their home. Behind it all is a nefarious insider plot framing him for the deed, involving his so-called best friend (played by Craig "Dot Cotton" Parkinson) and a trusted senior colleague but after a spectacularly staged escape from a police van, Simm goes on the run to uncover the truth and clear his name.

There was little that was original in the plotting, but with sharp, pacy direction and good acting throughout, while it may not have outdone say, "Line of Duty" or "Happy Valley", this was a superior TV thriller. As usual I found some of the background characterisations, particularly that of chasing cop Rosie Cavallero to be superfluous and surplus to requirements, but when it concentrated on Simm's character's relentless chase for the truth, it was very good indeed.

Naturally he gets to run about a lot just one step ahead of the pursuing police pack, meaning hand-camera location shots a-plenty and the body-count grows wherever he goes but allowing the usual dramatic licence for coincidence, few actors can do haunted and hunted better than Simm or devious and deceptive like Parkinson. Some of the supporting cast I was less convinced by (especially a miscast Adrian Edmundson as a senior officer) but between these two, plus Cavallero and Anastasia Hille as his trusted former boss, this made for good viewing all round.

Very similar to the Harrison Ford offering, but, at least there is a motive for our protagonist-cop to resort to violence. (Harrison had no clear motive to have brutally murdered HIS wife, although the 'she was more rich' is proposed.) One of the lessons a skilled detective SHOULD know is: don't tamper with the crime scene since that may link you to the homicide via forensics. However, in neither film does that slip-up create any irresolvable issues.

We know John Simm (a Martin Freeman DR WATSON doppelgänger) from LIFE ON MARS & GRACE. For this role, there's a lot of faces to put on, but, above all, is he shrewd enough to stay on the loose & put the pieces together as to who framed him? I am only in Episode 2, so, no spoilers here. The character actor Craig Parkinson can be be counted on to be slippery (he played the 'crooked cop' in LINE OF DUTY). And is there a Brit cop show without P. Glenister? Action-packed so far, with twists & turns. 8/10 (bit of language).

This is one weak British crime drama. Falsely accused fugitive...got. Implausible at best and not remotely entertaining. Not a lot of coppering going on but plenty of running back and forth. Acting...not much to work with give the story and available dialogue.

The themes of both seasons are very similar, give yourself a break between watching them. The acting is excellent and does make up for some contrived plotting.