After a seven-year hiatus, the Emmy-award winning police drama returns with Jane Tennison (Helen Mirren) now responsible for overseeing all murder investigations in London. When the brutal torture and murder of a young female Bosnian refugee comes to her attention, she takes a personal interest in the case. The prime suspect appears to be a minor Balkan war criminal rewarded with a new life in London for turning in higher-profile war criminals. But Tennison now finds her commitment to justice in sharp conflict with the politics and demands of her new high-ranking position.
This British-produced police procedural broke new ground in the 1990s with Oscar-winner Helen Mirren's portrayal of Jane Tennison, a powerful woman who dared to aspire to a leadership role in the man's world of police detective work. Despite excessive scrutiny and attempts to undermine her authority, Tennison thrives as a Detective Chief Inspector—and later Detective Superintendent—though at considerable cost to her personal life. Feeling typecast, Mirren left the role after the fifth series, only to return seven years later for the final two episodes. Future stars Ralph Fiennes and Tom Wilkinson appear in supporting roles.