# Cracker (1993)

> A brilliant but self-destructive criminal psychologist helps Manchester police hunt killers while his own life unravels.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/28

## Facts

- Seasons: 3
- Episodes: 23
- Episode runtime: 60 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: crime, drama
- Created by: Jimmy McGovern
- Network: ITV1
- Cast: Robbie Coltrane, Geraldine Somerville, Lorcan Cranitch, Ricky Tomlinson, Kieran O'Brien, Robert Cavanah, Colin Tierney, Barbara Flynn
- TMDB rating: 8.4/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105977/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: dark, wisecracking, gritty, melancholic, intense

## What critics say

Acclaimed for Robbie Coltrane's commanding performance and McGovern's sharp, morally complicated writing about crime and psychology.

## Synopsis

Cracker (1993-1995) is a British crime drama series created by Jimmy McGovern for ITV1, produced by Granada Television, running for three seasons and twenty-three hour-long episodes. Robbie Coltrane plays Edward 'Fitz' Fitzgerald, a brilliant but self-destructive criminal psychologist who drinks, smokes and gambles heavily while consulting on murder cases. Geraldine Somerville co-stars as Jane 'Panhandle' Penhaligon, and Lorcan Cranitch plays DS Jimmy Beck, the detective who must rely on Fitz's uncomfortable insight. Each episode is built around a single investigation in which Fitz probes the mind of an offender, and the drama lies as much in the damage his methods inflict on his own life and relationships as in the case itself. Set in contemporary northern England, the series moves through the gritty streets and police stations of Manchester. The tone is dark and character driven, with sharp wisecracking dialogue undercutting grim material. Fans of Mindhunter, Happy Valley and Prime Suspect will find resonance in its morally complicated investigators and its close look at violent minds.

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