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Cracker: Series 1 | 
 enlarge | Directors: Michael Winterbottom, Jean Stewart (iii), Charles Mcdougall, Julian Jarrold, Simon Cellan Jones
Actors: Ian Mercer, Amelia Bullmore, Robbie Coltrane
Studio: Hbo Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $39.98
Buy New: $28.50
You Save: $11.48 (29%)
New (40) Used (11) from $24.70
Rating:  20 reviews
Sales Rank: 29642
Format: Box Set, Closed-captioned, Color, Dvd-video, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 3
Running Time: 364 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.3 x 1.1
MPN: HBOD99244D
ISBN: 0783119488
UPC: 026359924422
EAN: 9780783119489
ASIN: B0000AYJVA
Theatrical Release Date: March 7, 1998
Release Date: October 14, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
An abrasively eccentric forensic psychologist aids in the solving of difficult police cases. Studio: Hbo Home Video Release Date: 09/21/2004 Starring: Robbie Coltrane Rating: Nr
Amazon.com
The compelling ICracker/I is among the more exciting British mystery series from the 1990s, featuring a hero so flawed he's just as likely to end up inside a jail cell as outside chasing bad guys. Robbie Coltrane, perhaps best known for playing Rubeus Hagrid in the IHarry Potter/I movies, is unconventional psychologist Eddie "Fitz" Fitzgerald, a rotund teacher who exhorts students to look within their dark hearts and who gleefully embraces his own addictions to gambling, booze, and nicotine. p Caught in a downward spiral, Fitz sneers as his debts mount and his wife (Barbara Flynn) leaves him, but he rallies when a favorite student is slashed to death on a train in series debut "The Mad Woman in the Attic." The suspect, a longtime amnesiac, is put through grueling police torments, but Fitz believes in the man's innocence, thus establishing his ambivalent relationship with Detective Chief Inspector Bilborough (Christopher Eccleston) and a quasi-romantic alliance with another detective, Jane "Panhandle" Penhaligon (Geraldine Somerville, also from the IPotter/I films). Michael Winterbottom, now a renowned feature filmmaker (IWelcome to Sarajevo/I), provides admirable direction.p Fitz's interest in obsessive behavior and his talent for spinning out instant psychological profiles makes him invaluable to Bilborough in subsequent episode "To Say I Love You," in which a rage-filled young man and his scheming girlfriend kill a loan shark. Though the story is less interesting than the ICracker/I pilot, Fitz's slow crawl back to self-respect and resentful cooperation with his estranged wife's therapist are irresistible entertainment. Finally, "One Day a Lemming Will Fly," in which the murder of a 13-year-old boy sparks a lynch-mob mentality among the public, is a strong two-parter that raises some interesting crises for Fitz. Does he belong with his wife and kids or with Panhandle? Is he better at his job when his personal life is a disaster? The provocative final scenes make one hunger to see more of ICracker/I. I--Tom Keogh/I
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| Customer Reviews: Read 15 more reviews...
 Cracking cases and expectations May 25, 2008
Tarot (Derry, NH USA)
"Fitz," played by Robbie Coltrane, is a very interesting and engaging character. He's an amazing criminal psychologist and often more right about a case, profile, and motives than others might accept, but his own life is a mess. If you enjoy police drama that's a bit different and actually explains why crimials do what they do, then Cracker is for you. br / br /I'd been curious about this series ever since I'd heard of it. Additionally, I knew my favotite actor, Christopher Eccleston was in this series as well. I'm in the process of builing a collection all of Christopher Eccleston's recorded performances. I must say, that now that I have both Cracker season 1 and season 2 as well, I'm sorely tempted to get season 3, just to see how the rest of the stories play out. The series is not just about the cases but also about Fitz's life at home and the lives of the Police he works with.
Outstanding British series April 11, 2008
Joseph M. Fucci (boston, ma)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Please see my other reviews of this series it is well worth the purchase if you are into this sort of thing.
got to love robbie October 14, 2007
Christopher L. Brown (mn)
I am a big fan of cracker and just love the collection. If you are a yank and have never watched it, buy it now you wont regret it.
Flawed but brilliant character August 9, 2007
Ray Drury (Wilbraham, MA United States)
Coltrane's flawed but brilliant forensic psychologist Fitz makes every scene he's in crackle with gritty intensity. Fitz's genius allows him to infiltrate even the most hardened, psychologically blocked suspect and find the heart of the problem with efficiency, if not aplomb. His many flaws include heavy drinking, gambling, smoking, indifference as both a husband and father, and at least one very close call with marital infidelity. However, he makes no excuses for them. Only to consider them necessary if not crucial manifestations of a life of taking risks. It is refreshing to see a flawed hero. The stale, one dimensional,"Sir Gwayne" type heros of the crime genre lack real humanity, as they are so perfect to be unrealistic; making it difficult for the viewer to relate, as we are all imperfect. Like Fitz himself, this DVD transfer is flawed. Not much different than the VHS version I copied from TV long ago. But worth having for the great writing and performances. A must for the crime genre afficianado.
Love This Series.. July 16, 2007
B. Bennyhoff (Palmerton, Pa.)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The Cracker series is great !! br / For those of you who think Set 1 is incomplete: "One Day A Lemming Will Fly" IS complete. The (unsatisfying) ending is referred to (by Fitz) in the Set 2 movie "To Be Somebody". The suspected and convicted teacher's name was Cassidy. I wasn't happy with the ending of that one either...but it really was the end.
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