This is a way for Tennison, Mirren, Granada, and Prime Suspect to bow out gracefully. This is a classy production nearly four hours long and some have suggested the actual crime story is secondary to the personal portrait. Perhaps, perhaps not - but when you're ushering out an icon like this series you have to give time to that too.Hats off to Tom Bell for his final appearance in the series. He was magnificent from day one, episode one, and he was exceptionally excellent here as well.A word about the series as a whole: Dick Wolf didn't write it. This is no random shuffle, no one dimensional drama. It's thick and it's gutsy and everything is in three stark dimensions and ultimately it's not even crime drama either: it's very much social commentary. People don't work this hard and this long at something only to have a forty five minute L&O filler.The first episode introduced the characters - and how they do it is something the hacks in Hollywood should bloody well study. 2 is about racism. 3 is about child molestation. 4 is about motherhood, corruption, and a return to 1. 5 is about gangs. 6 is about genocide. 7 is about... ?? Watch it and see.Another word about the series: no sooner had the final part of The Final Act been shown than ITV came out with a beautiful boxed set. 10 DVDs all told with commentary and interviews on the last of them. Personally I find it a bit annoying after spending 70 quid to be reminded on each disc that I wouldn't steal a car so I wouldn't steal a DVD. But it's a beautiful set and a no-brainer as for purchase.And Taylor's a lucky man, hitched as he is with a goddess.

Helen Mirren was superb in this - she was tough but broken. Scenes like when she went to the local shop but could barely raise the energy to shop for food, and quietly broke down while reading a Pot Noodle carton, were totally original. The thing is, compared with earlier episodes, the story was no good. It really plodded along and it was obvious who had done it from the start. Also, what an error when Tennison receives the phonecall from her niece, who is being attacked, and seconds later is able to pull the attacker off! I mean, this is London - unless she was in the next street it could've taken her ages to get there, and we're meant to believe her niece was being attacked that whole time? Hmmmmm.

Well it was to be expected that over the fours hours less adverts she would not go out in a blaze of glory and rather more time was spent on Jane Tennyson herself than the investigation. Not on a par with earlier in the series Helen Mirren was nevertheless superb and a new star in the making is Laura Greenwood. The storyline is only adequate and her squad was the smallest yet. Excellent performance also from Mr Tompkinson who continues to impress. But for me there was too much shouting and focus on the parents anguish. Yes it should be portrayed but I thought it excessive. So much so that towards the end the scenes seemed rushed. So I expected and hoped for more but it was good to watch all the same.

Absolutely brilliant, not just the acting and the plot - but the beautiful camera work. This really did engage me emotionally.The acting of the girl Penny was very believable not something that is always the case with British child actors.Mirren, as per usual, showed incredible talent to plumb the emotional depths of D.I. Tennison. Such a complex character , with so many faults, it is a character made for good TV drama.My only comment of criticism would be that I find it hard to believe that the headmaster (Tompkinson) confesses to having sex with one of his fourteen year old pupils and is then allowed to walk free?A great shame that this is the end of the era. I will really miss it.