The essential episodes of Cracker
Watch these 15 in order and you've got Cracker — each pick states its reason.
- 01
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.
- 02
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.
- 03
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.
- 04
One Day a Lemming Will Fly (1)
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.
- 05
One Day a Lemming Will Fly (2)
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.
- 06
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.
- 07
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.
- 08
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.
- 09
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.
- 10
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.
- 11
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.
- 12
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.
- 13
Fitz is pitched against Grady and Nash, whose relationship is now spinning dangerously out of control.
- 14
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.
- 15
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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