"Above Suspicion" (2009) TV series 2009-

Director:

Christopher Menaul

Writers:

Lynda La Plante (novel)
Lynda La Plante

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

5 January 2009 (UK)

Genre:

Crime

Plot:

Young Detective Constable Anna Travis joins the team led by D.C.I. Langton to investigate a series of gruesome murders of young women...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Kelly Reilly

...

DC Anna Travis (unknown episodes)

Series Directed by
Christopher Menaul		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Lynda La Plante		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Lynda La Plante	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Alison Law	....	line producer (unknown episodes)
Jolyon Symonds	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Liz Thorburn	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Adrian Johnston		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
Tim Palmer		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
St. John O'Rorke		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Sam Jones		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
Joanna Eatwell		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Kirstin Chalmers	....	hair designer / makeup designer (unknown episodes)
Paul McGuinness	....	special makeup effects artist (unknown episodes)
Donald McInnes	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Iris Peleira	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Scott Bunce	....	second assistant director (unknown episodes)
Robert Fabbri	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)
Clare Glass	....	third assistant director (unknown episodes)
Henry Tomlinson	....	assistant director: second unit / first assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Kelvin Cook	....	stand-by props (unknown episodes)
Shane Harford	....	stand-by props (unknown episodes)
Justin Hayzelden	....	dressing props (unknown episodes)
Mark Hedges	....	dressing prop (unknown episodes)
Dougie Lankston	....	property master (unknown episodes)
Paddy Paddison	....	stand-by art director (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
St. Clair Davis	....	boom operator (2 episodes, 2009)
Giancarlo Dellapina	....	sound mixer (2 episodes, 2009)
Jamie Gambell	....	sound utility (2 episodes, 2009)
James Broome	....	sound assistant (unknown episodes)
Jamie Caple	....	dialogue editor (unknown episodes)
Marc Hope	....	foley editor (unknown episodes)
Marc Lawes	....	sound effects editor (unknown episodes)
Mervyn Moore	....	sound recordist (unknown episodes)
Adam Ridge	....	boom operator (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Paul McGuinness	....	special effects supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
Sion Penny	....	digital effects artist (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
João Gaspar	....	stunt rigger (unknown episodes)
Tom Lucy	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)
Kim McGarrity	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Steve Whyment	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Andrei Austin	....	camera operator: "a" camera (unknown episodes)
Natasha Back	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera (unknown episodes)
Mark Barrs	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera (unknown episodes)
Chris Bird	....	gaffer (unknown episodes)
John Evans	....	camera operator: "b" camera / second assistant camera (unknown episodes)
Alan Grayley	....	lighting technician (unknown episodes)
Tom Hyde	....	best boy (unknown episodes)
Barney Piercy	....	camera operator: "b" camera (unknown episodes)
Mal Tobias	....	videographer: behind the scenes (unknown episodes)
Jon Webb	....	first assistant camera (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Katherine Fanthorpe	....	costume assistant (unknown episodes)
Emilie Gwilt	....	costume trainee (unknown episodes)
Joanna Macklin	....	costume supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Sam Hemingway	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)
Matthew Streatfield	....	first assistant editor (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Richard Dobbs	....	executive assistant: Lynda la Plante (unknown episodes)
Erin Duffy	....	production runner (unknown episodes)
Noel Farragher	....	script editor (unknown episodes)
Susanna Fyson	....	production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Christopher Gallagher	....	assistant accountant (unknown episodes)
Richard Godfrey	....	location manager (unknown episodes)
Sarah Hayward	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)
Ian Hill	....	forensic pathology advisor (unknown episodes)
Sara Johnson	....	head of development (unknown episodes)
Tamara King	....	runner (unknown episodes)
Phoebe Masters	....	production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Felicia McDonald	....	production secretary (unknown episodes)
Nicole Muldowney	....	script assistant (unknown episodes)
Kate Selby	....	production runner (unknown episodes)
Pippa Suren	....	post-producion supervisor (unknown episodes)
Callum Sutherland	....	researcher (unknown episodes)
Alec Thorne	....	production accountant (unknown episodes)
Mal Tobias	....	stand-in (unknown episodes)
Liz Wilson	....	forensic biology advisor (unknown episodes)
Louise Wilson	....	legal advisor (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• La Plante Productions

Distributors

• Independent Television (ITV) (2008) (UK) (TV) (ITV1)
• Katholieke Radio Omroep (KRO) (2009) (Netherlands) (TV)
• WoWow (2010) (Japan) (TV)

Other Companies

• ARRI Media  Arriflex D-21 camera provided by
• Casting Collective  extras casting
• Compuhire  computer and video playback
• Production Copier Company  production equipment and services

Also Known As:

Runtime:

120 min | Sweden:60 min (2 parts)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R18

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

La Plante Productions

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Crime Connections: Episode #1.2" (2012)

Cliché-ridden La Plante thriller

I do like a good TV thriller - "Wire In The Blood", James Nesbitt's "Murphy's Law", Sam Ryan-era "Silent Witness" and of course "Inspector Morse" all spring to mind, but this hackneyed "Junior Prime Suspect" re-write failed to overcome its stereotypical characterisation and (with one exception) by-numbers acting to leave a lasting impression.

The plot is very second-hand to these eyes with Kelly Reilly bringing a Jennifer Aniston-type weight (i.e. none at all) to her part following in the big footsteps of her late cop dad, all high-heels and pancake make-up and how she convinces big bad lecherous superior Ciaran Hinds that she can do the job and become "one of the boys".

I for one was sorry to see Hinds reduced to this one-dimensional role, the typical high-ranking chauvinist "guvnor" identifiable from any number of previous LaPlante dramas, who hits on his junior female officer and expects the older females to run after him bringing him tea and sandwiches (no tomatoes!).

You at first think you're watching a whodunit but after you realise there are no other potential suspects on show and remember LaPlante's MO, you merely await the unravelling of abused child-cum famous actor-cum split-personality psychopath at the hands of the doe-eyed Lewis, although said breakdown is superbly conveyed in broad Mancunian by an excellent Jason Durr.

That performance apart this came across to me as very much formulaic fare, with the by now over-familiar LaPlante techniques of split-screen depiction, unimaginative flashback inserting and undramatic cross-cutting of scenes, dumbed down for mass consumption by a writer long overdue an attack of originality.