Prey (2016)

Despite its familiar premise, Prey is an engrossing, dynamic series, a testament to the sturdiness of the tropes it’s driven by as well as Lunt’s ability to play with and execute ideas so many have others explored.

There is a little less suspense about some of the baddies here, one of whom is easy to guess early on. Yet it is never tiring to watch Marcus run and leap and limp and dodge the police cars and foot-chasers that seem to turn up every place he tries to take refuge in or search for clues.

Series creator and writer Chris Lunt’s plots are more comfort food than cutting-edge, but not since Helen Mirren’s epic run in “Prime Suspect” has there been such a flawed, compelling female detective.

Prey is a near perfect blend of well-crafted characterizations within the context of a credibly gripping murder case. Actually, make that two gripping murder cases, as the series offers two separate story lines linked by location and by the dogged crime-solving presence of Detective Sgt. Susan Reinhardt.

Bolstered by a stacked roster of very capable British actors, Simm, Glenister and Cavaliero go a long way toward helping you not worry about wasting your time. Whatever pitfalls might pop up in the writing, the performances are racing forward full-steam.

Attempts to flesh out core characters’ personal lives don’t have time to achieve real traction or depth, but Prey’s solid cast and propulsive energy are enough to power it through most of its rough spots.

Prey is at its least inventive when it comes to actual police work--there’s no shortage of CCTV footage to help her along, and the number of high-octane chases end up straining credibility. But in spite of that, Prey is decently made, well-acted, and shameless enough in pilfering from The Fugitive and every other British police procedural to just about get away with it.