The first review I read of this show was not positive, and I don't agree. It seems quite authentic to me, and I like the idea that the cast is not exactly scripted. Obviously the actors have to be taught some police lingo, and have probably been coached on how to handle certain types of people. I like the actors, and any hesitations or camera movements don't bother me. I watch primarily British crime and mystery shows (as well as those from Canada, Australia and New Zealand), because those made here aren't nearly as well done or interesting. Crime shows here feature, it seems to me, only beautiful women and handsome men. That's not how life is! Women in their 30's are not likely to be police superintendents. Helen Mirren, a stunning actress, did a fantastic job in the Prime Suspect series. She was shown without a lot of makeup, a bit tired, and it felt so real, not fake. That's how I think of Suspects as well. And many other British crime shows. Keep them coming! I'll give it a 10!

I've found the majority of British crime dramas/procedurals to be at least watchable and at least less insulting to our intelligence than their American counterparts. But Suspects, with its "Get this evidence fast-tracked to tech, please" and "Let me get these two photos sent off to facial recognition" and high-def, color CCTV footage and immediate lab results ("We have your DNA all over the base of this broken bottle!") seems like a way, way dumbed-down version of its predecessors. I can't believe that it's much better than Bones or NCIS or other American prime-time fare. I hope nothing about this show signals a shift in how Brits do the bulk of their crime TV-- i.e., without gimmicks and for a thinking audience (Prime Suspect, Trial and Retribution, Poirot). The cinema verité look they're going for in Suspects backfires. It feels contrived and dated. And the unscripted/improvised dialogue gives the impression that the actors are trying--really, really trying--to look and sound unscripted. Avoid.

I absolutely love this show.The only thing I don't like, is the fact that Channel 5 mess around with the episodes and when they are shown. They commissioned 10 episodes for season 1, so they should have shown them in the order they were made. The 7 other episodes should have made up season 2.I did however like the change to 2-part stories. Would be better if they did them here and there in the series.Roll on more episodes!Any idea when season 4 is being shown?I can't wait much longer!

Makes a nice change from the formulaic US-style crime dramas with their monologues and maverick cops, pieces to camera and complete absence of false starts, hesitations and incompletions. The performances (I wanted to say 'scripts', but that doesn't really apply here in the usual sense) are well-judged to contain just enough of the jargon and officialese that marks the dialogue out as belonging to the context of police work and makes it feel believable, but not so laden with it that the actors fall into that pat delivery where emotion has to be overplayed to break through the sheen. Having a degree of improvisation seems to free the performers up to be both emotive and small-scale; understated and authentic. (Full disclosure: I do fancy Damien Molony)