'Prime Suspect': Kneecapped

And just like that, "Prime Suspect" -- once NBC's brightest prospect of the entire fall season -- is done. The trades are full of reports that production has been shut down and that the show will not be picked up again after the holidays.

The future was foretold yesterday when "Suspect" lost its Thursday slot in the midseason shuffle -- Thursdays at 10 will go to "The Firm."

What happened? This simply could be one of those obvious instances of a British classic failing to re-emerge with much life or daring in an Americanized version. Maria Bello simply was not Helen Mirren -- not that anyone expected her to be -- except that Mirren's character seemed to have a much deeper well of reserve and even mystery; she was an alcoholic who struggled with her disease and the Neanderthal colleagues who refused to grant a woman equal footing; Bello's character emerged fully formed and absent quirks (aside from those darned hats) or insecurities. Plus, the show was set in New York but felt like another one of those shows that ventured here only for the B-roll; in my samplings, it never felt quite real. 

But this is all hindsight. Problem No. 1 is this: It's just very difficult to launch anything on troubled NBC these days.