First broadcast: 1993
Stars: Robbie Coltrane, Barbara Flynn, Geraldine Somerville and Christopher Eccleston
Writers: Jimmy McGovern and Paul Abbott
The lowdown: Robbie Coltrane gives a memorable star turn as the uncompromising expert criminal psychologist, Dr Eddie "Fitz" Fitzgerald. He’s also a chain-smoking gambler and alcoholic, who finds it difficult being faithful to his wife. But his ability to get into the minds of violent criminals means that the police often - reluctantly - rely on foul-mouthed Fitz to help solve their most difficult cases.
Memorable moment: The powerful, shocking scenes in the second series, when DS Jane Penhaligon (Geraldine Somerville) is raped and then pieces together the details, realising her attacker is very close to home. She then sets about exacting her revenge.
Summing up his love of excess, Fitz says: "I drink too much, I smoke too much, I gamble too much. I am too much."
Trivia: Coltrane and Somerville appear in completely different guises in the Harry Potter films. Coltrane stars as Rubeus Hagrid, the gamekeeper and teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, while Somerville plays Harry’s deceased mother, Lily.
Robbie Coltrane also appeared as a villain in the US remake of Cracker, which was re-titled Fitz.
