Prime Suspect was a massive show and a hard act to follow. But this series - set in 1973 as the title suggests! - is great. Maybe not as iconic or as groundbreaking as the original (worth noting it's based on a book by Lynda LaPlante, who created the original series) but if you watch it for what it is - a brand new, big budget, cracking crime drama - it's head and shoulders above the competition.
Being a prequel to a show as big as Prime Suspect, I think a lot of people have been harsh on this series, comparing it to Life On Mars (which anyway is a parody of The Sweeney) and the Helen Mirren version (which is THE toughest act to follow). The comments about Stefanie Martini being too pretty, in a show about sexism, seems to be making the point that not much as changed since 1973!
This episode is a great opener. Lovely period detail and a stylised, cinematic feel to it all. It doesn't focus too much on the nostalgia, but just sets out to tell a good story. This kind of show is rare these days, especially in Britain, where new shoes seem to have to have a shocking plot twist every 5 mins to hold the audience's attention. This one is like a good book and is well worth your time.
Also, episode 1 sets up a lot that pays off in episode 2. I wasn't disappointed. My grin is growing larger with each episode. Well done, ITV.