Series synopsis
Cracker is a British crime drama television series that premiered on ITV1 on September 27, 1993. It ended on November 27, 1995. It was created by Jimmy McGovern. It stars Robbie Coltrane, Geraldine Somerville, Lorcan Cranitch and Ricky Tomlinson.
The wise-cracking Fitz is a brilliant but flawed criminal psychologist with a remarkable insight into the criminal mind.
Premise
The wise-cracking Fitz is a brilliant but flawed criminal psychologist with a remarkable insight into the criminal mind.
Premise: I drink too much, I smoke too much, I gamble too much. I *am* too much.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Robbie Coltrane as Edward 'Fitz' Fitzgerald
- Geraldine Somerville as Jane 'Panhandle' Penhaligon
- Lorcan Cranitch as DS Jimmy Beck
- Ricky Tomlinson as Wise
- Kieran O'Brien as Mark Fitzgerald
- Robert Cavanah as Temple
- Colin Tierney as Harriman
- Barbara Flynn as Judith Fitzgerald
Supporting cast
- Christopher Eccleston as David Bilborough
- Adrian Dunbar as Kelly
- Andrew Tiernan as Sean
- Kika Markham as Ann Appleby
- Tim Barlow as Judith's Father
- Gavin Muir as Cormack
- Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Marcia Reid
- Ron Donachie as Barney
- Anthony Lewis as Steven Nash
- Jeffrey Robert as Head of Psychology
- Andy Devine as Guard on Train
- Ron Meadows as Roberts
Guest cast
- Barbara Flynn as Judith Fitzgerald
- Christopher Eccleston as David Bilborough
- Adrian Dunbar as Kelly
- Andrew Tiernan as Sean
- Kika Markham as Ann Appleby
- Tim Barlow as Judith's Father
- Gavin Muir as Cormack
- Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Marcia Reid
- Ron Donachie as Barney
- Anthony Lewis as Steven Nash
- Jeffrey Robert as Head of Psychology
- Andy Devine as Guard on Train
Episodes
This series spans 4 seasons with 27 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 4 | October 28, 1996 | October 1, 2006 |
| Season 1 | 7 | September 27, 1993 | November 8, 1993 |
| Season 2 | 9 | October 10, 1994 | December 5, 1994 |
| Season 3 | 7 | October 22, 1995 | November 27, 1995 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
White Ghost While in Hong Kong on a lecture tour, Fitz is asked by the local police to help investigate the murder of a Chinese businessman. |
October 28, 1996 |
| 2 |
Nine Eleven 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. |
October 1, 2006 |
| 3 |
Cracker: Behind the Scenes A behind the scenes look at the making of Cracker. Included as a special feature with the 9/11 DVD. |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Mad Woman in the Attic (1) 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. |
September 27, 1993 |
| 2 |
The Mad Woman in the Attic (2) 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. |
October 4, 1993 |
| 3 |
To Say I Love You (1) 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. |
October 11, 1993 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
To Be a Somebody (1) 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. |
October 10, 1994 |
| 2 |
To Be a Somebody (2) 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. |
October 17, 1994 |
| 3 |
To Be a Somebody (3) 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. |
October 24, 1994 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Brotherly Love (1) 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. |
October 22, 1995 |
| 2 |
Brotherly Love (2) 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. |
October 23, 1995 |
| 3 |
Brotherly Love (3) 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. |
October 29, 1995 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | ITV1 |
|---|---|
| First aired | September 27, 1993 |
| Last aired | November 27, 1995 |
| Runtime | 60 minutes |
| Status | ended |
| Schedule | Monday at 22:00:00 |