PREACH IT! Ladies, please! No crowding. Only one of you will fill Helen Mirren's shoes in the new 'Prime Suspect.'

Oh, yay. The TV people are producing a brand-new cop show, and they’re letting a woman play the lead.

Prepare yourself for at least one or two triumphant posts from naive bloggers who will inevitably mistake NBC’s announced production of “Prime Suspect” as some sort of hooray moment for the female audience.

It isn’t really.

“Prime Suspect” is a remake, albeit a remake of an extraordinarily fabulous British cop drama starring Helen Mirren as the dogged DCI Jane Tennison. The character was unmarried, alcoholic, middle-aged, underestimated by her bosses, and very sexy. She occasionally jumped in the sack with a guy for some good times. Sometimes she even bedded the same dude twice.

The re-imagining will involve a bang-on good role for exactly one crackerjack actress. NBC first floated its  intentions for this show in September, but they confirmed it this week during the Winter Press Tour.

We have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to amazing actresses -- which means, of course, we will have a poll.

Sure, the number of female characters on TV has jumped profoundly, from an estimated 18% in 1972 to closer to 45% now. But actresses ranging from Michelle Monaghan to Emily Blunt to Alfre Woodard have pointed out that they aren’t exactly being pelted with offers for substantive roles. So have Isla Fisher, Scarlett Johansson, Demi Moore and Alex Kingston. (Andie MacDowell, for the record, disagrees.)

So although a few probably won’t be available (Glenn Close is busy with a little thing called “Damages,” with Rose Byrne), there are many more female thesps who would kick butt.

One of our sister sites recently ran a poll about who should play the lead. But that poll lacked the ministerial, gossipy goodness of Ministry of Gossip. So here: Which actress would you like to see in that role?

As always, it's not fair to click "other" if you don't spill your guts in the comments.

-- Leslie Gornstein

Photos, from left: Marisa Tomei, Maria Bello, Allison Janney, Helen Mirren, Julianne Moore, Alfre Woodard. Credits, from left: Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images; Kristian Dowling / Getty Images; Toby Canham / Getty Images; John Shearer / Getty Images for PSIFF; Jemal Countess / Getty Images; Mandel Ngan / AFP / Getty Images.

Comments

[Brian C.]

Why oh why do American television networks attempt to bring their own version of UK shows to American TV? This is doomed to fail. UK productions are much better written, grittier, darker and so much more interesting than anything the U.S. can put out. Do they really think they will have an actress who can play the role of Tennison as Mirren did? This is doomed....and I will laugh when it crashes and burns. I also have to laugh at the attempt to bring back Rockford Files. NBC is going to remake two of televisions most appealing, classic characters in Jane Tennison and Jim Rockford and think that people are going to tune in? I thought NBC was trying to raise itself from the dead........I have the feeling that the viewing public is going to continue to kick dirt on their grave.

[Soosiee]

I second that. Why would anyone remake Prime Suspect? I watched it and it's brilliant and probably available online or in a rental store.

Attention people in charge: I watch the original and look for new and well made entertainment. Someday those drones in the audience will grow/wake up and figure out that you're serving leftovers.

[Mary Ellen]

No one can replace Dame Helen and what a "dame" (a very high complement by the way) she was in Prime Suspect.

[Kylie]

As a Brit myself, the original 'Prime Suspect' is just a crime drama above all the rest, British and American. But should anyone play the role of Jane Tennison in the remake, Mary McDonnell is the perfect choice. She is the most wonderful character actress, and if anyone can do this role justice, it'd be her, no question.

[Nina]

No, NO, NO! There is none that could replace Helen Mirren. I admire several of the actresses mentioned, but why attempt to redo perfection? I'll second other posters who decry the American remakes of far better British TV shows. We just don't have the right sensibility.
Besides, The Closer with Kyra Sedgewick is pretty damn good although lighter in tone than Prime Suspect.

[Colette]

Mary McDonnell, from Dances With Wolves and Battlestar Galactica, would be fantastic for the role.

[Snarky's Machine]

Alfre Woodard all the way!

[Renee]

Mary McDonnell would be superb for the role. She's a phenomenal actress.

[Charlotte]

NBC...please don't try and remake Prime Suspect! Please, please don't try it.

I'm a Brit, transplanted in the US. I was an avid fan of Prime Suspect -- had all of the videos/DVDs, seen every series multiple times. The idea of even trying to remake it is so horrendously bad, it's unspeakable.

I agree with everyone else here who things this effort will crash and burn. It will. And it's not that there aren't tons of very talented American actresses. There are.

However, Helen Mirren is brilliant in Prime Suspect, irreplaceable, and let's face it, the drama of Prime Suspect was very specifically British; about British policing and women's roles therein.

NBC...please stick with creating your own drama series....don't pilfer from the Brits! If someone said they were going to remake Faulty Towers or Blackadder, everyone would roll over laughing for the wrong reasons. I'm sure most people who've seen the original will have the same reaction to the idea of remaking Prime Suspect.