I drink too much, I smoke too much, I gamble too much. I *am* too much.
Original title
Cracker
Released
9/27/1993
Origin country
GB
Genre
Crime, Drama
Production companies
Granada Television
Status
Ended
Number of seasons
3
Number of episodes
23
The wise-cracking Fitz is a brilliant but flawed criminal psychologist with a remarkable insight into the criminal mind.
While in Hong Kong on a lecture tour, Fitz is asked by the local police to help investigate the murder of a Chinese businessman.
Fitz returns to Manchester for his daughter's wedding, but is soon involved in another murder investigation when an American comedian is killed, apparently without motive.
A behind the scenes look at the making of Cracker. Included as a special feature with the 9/11 DVD.
Cracker's Fitz and Prime Suspect's Jane Tennison collaborate in this 1997 Comic Relief short titled The Matchmaker, mocking both shows. As well as Robbie Coltrane and Helen Mirren, also features Pete Postlethwaite.
Following the break-up of his home life, criminal psychologist Fitz discovers that a young woman he knew has been viciously murdered. Elsewhere, a blood-splattered man is found beside the railway tracks but on recovering consciousness, he claims memory loss.
Criminal psychologist Fitz is frustrated when another murdered woman is found and he is ordered off the case. Despite this initial setback, Fitz and DS Penhaligan are determined to find out the truth.
Problems between criminal psychologist Fitz and his wife Judith continue after Fitz is arrested outside his in-laws' house and taken to the station. There he meets Sean and his partner Tina, car thieves who embark upon a spree of violence.
Whilst on their spree of violence, Tina and Sean murder a police officer. Criminal psychologist Fitz turns down DS Penhaligon's offer of a bed for the night, but is then approached by Tina who asks him to accompany her to her flat.
Criminal psychologist Fitz interrogates Tina and realises that her psychological problems stem from her relationship with her family and she finds expression through provoking Sean.
Fitz continues his uneasy relationship with the Manchester constabulary when the crime fighters are called in to find a missing boy. Extra pressure is piled on when an angry mob gathers at the police station demanding action and DCI Bilborough awaits the imminent birth of his child.
Criminal psychologist Fitz realises that Cassidy's confession is flawed, but he will not retract his statement. DS Bilborough needs to be seen to make an arrest and when he does, he incurs Fitz's wrath.
The death of Albie Kinsella's father has a disturbing effect on him and soon after, he kills an Asian newsagent. With all the hallmarks of a racist attack, the police fail to make any headway. Meanwhile, criminal psychologist Fitz is trying to put some order into his personal life and, after sorting out his differences with DCI Bilborough, becomes embroiled in the case.
Albie is intent on killing the same number of victims as died in the Hillsborough football tragedy, and targets a freelance female reporter. DS Beck stumbles upon him, but makes a tragic misjudgement, leaving Albie free to stab DCI Bilborough to death. It looks like criminal psychologist Fitz will be needed to resolve the situation before any more deaths occur.
Following the murder of DCI Bilborough, the hunt is on for Albie. DCI Wise takes over the investigation and criminal psychologist Fitz is brought in to defuse a potentially fatal and explosive situation.
Schoolgirl Joanna Barnes, a member of a religious cult, is discovered to be having an affair with the married leader of the group, Kenneth Trant. When confronted about it, he and the other leaders abduct her and the police reluctantly call in criminal psychologist Fitz to help find her. When Trant's wife and sister discover that Joanna is pregnant they embark upon a vendetta against her that ends in attempted murder.
Fanatical religious group leader Kenneth Trant discovers that his girlfriend Joanna is still alive and turns his attention to Dean, whom he trusted to dispose of her body. With Joanna hospitalised, DS Beck extracts a confession from Dean while criminal psychologist Fitz tries to get at the truth. He persuades DCI Wise to see Dean in his cell, but fears it may be too late.
The case ends with a final showdown in the group's church, where things reach a destructive conclusion.
DS Penhaligon tracks a serial rapist who revels in his crimes, but during the course of her investigation she becomes a victim herself, which inevitably changes her relationship with criminal psychologist Fitz. When his wife returns, his life is thrown into even more chaos.
The police catch Floyd but criminal psychologist Fitz is unable to make a breakthrough before he has to be released due to lack of evidence. Floyd's audacity grows as he phones Fitz on his radio show asking how a rapist should cover his tracks.
Fitz exposes the savage price of racism as he digs deeper into Floyd's past. As the investigation reaches a climax not one, but two, victims seek revenge.
A Catholic father-of-four is arrested after a prostitute is found murdered, but he denies the crime. Beck returns from sick leave to work alongside Penhaligon, who is privately convinced that Beck raped her but has no forensic evidence. While Fitz faces a family tragedy, a second prostitute is attacked while the chief suspect is still in custody.
An identical murder takes place while David Harvey is in custody. Fitz visits his priest brother Michael and accuses him of murder, while Maggie Harvey demands that her husband is released.
After another prostitute is slain, Fitz comes to believe that David Harvey's wife Maggie is the killer, in spite of vehement protesting by the police and his brother, Father Michael.
Bill Nash smiles at Stuart Grady, and, in those few seconds, changes the course of their lives and inadvertently turns them both to murder. Meanwhile, on the domestic front, Judith finally rebels.
Fitz is pitched against Grady and Nash, whose relationship is now spinning dangerously out of control.
Fitz privately advises a patient who seems to be having problems with her husband. Fitz's advice, for which he charges her £50, leads her to conclude that she should leave him.
Fitz is asking DCI Wise to replace him with Irene as the killer may stop killing if she realises she is not getting the shrink's undivided attention. Irene agrees to change, but finds the nature of the job, and the pictures of her dead students too much to stomach and goes missing.
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