Prime Suspect (1973) - General Discussion - Prime Suspect (1973)

I haven't seen the last few years of Gently (not on any streaming service I use).  The pretty brilliant young copper on Endeavor is "fun" but it feels as if she was introduced as an inevitable romantic partner for Morse -- as well as intellectual rival.  I know nothing about British police customs -- is becoming a police officer a relatively quick path to the middle class and financial security for those who can't afford or don't qualify for university and other professions? I don't know that we've ever known why Jane Tennison decided to become a police officer.  

I've always loved the reason Serpico gave (at least in the film), that he grew up in a bad neighborhood where bad things happened often and when they did, there was always a cop there who knew what to do and would try to make things right while everyone else just stood around helplessly.  Serpico wanted to be "that guy" who knew what to do to restore order. 

Morse couldn't find a better puzzle-solving occupation, being easily tired to academics  (and probably academic infighting) as well as probably on some level relishing his superior puzzle-solving gifts.  It's "funny" having Tennison's background being rather posh, since that means she likely had more options than her peers, male or female.  We don't need to be spoonfed, but significant wrt lying about the assault on the drug dealer.  Some folks (unfortunately) love the power of the uniform not only to brutalize but also to intrude and stalk and get vengeance ... that's not new or rare ... making the world safe for "people like us" -- y'know the deserving and punishing the bad-guys and undeserving. 

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