Actress to step back in role as investigator Tennison

She resisted the idea of coming back to the role.
By ED BARK
DALLAS MORNING NEWS
Helen Mirren again is in her prime as investigator Jane Tennison. Her sixth go-around in the role is her first since 1997 after starring in five "Prime Suspects" in five years. She recently talked to TV critics about the pluses and perils of having a signature role in a classic series.
On why it took so long to do another one:
"I was quite resistant to the idea of coming back to it, only because it had been so good before. That's one of the reasons that we've never made it into an ongoing weekly series. I really didn't want it to take a step down. And I didn't know whether it was still relevant seven years later. Life moves on pretty rapidly. I wanted it to truly have an audience."
On the age discrimination facing Tennison in the new production:
"I think we're facing an interesting conundrum. The 'bulge' generation is moving through life. And people in their 40s, 50s and 60s are becoming the majority. They have economic power and they have political power. But yes, I think older people are prejudiced against. The rock 'n' roll business -- oh no, bad example. Because actually the Rolling Stones are really loved nowadays, aren't they? Who could be more ancient than they are? Or look more ancient. They look 150, don't they? Not 50."
Signature role?
On whether Jane Tennison is her signature role:
"I think many people have done versions of her. She's only a female police officer, after all, and we've had many of those. Jane Tennison just happens to be the one that I did. I don't feel proprietary towards it. The reason I stepped away from it for seven years was I really didn't want to be knocked over by a car and have my obituary just talk about 'Prime Suspect.'"