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Stefanie Martini readily admits that she felt "huge amounts of pressure" taking on the lead role in "Prime Suspect: Tennison."

And who could blame her? She's starring as Jane Tennison, the same character Oscar winner Helen Mirren played in seven iterations of "Prime Suspect" between 1991 and 2006. The same role for which Mirren won two Emmys and three BAFTAs. An incredibly distinctive role.

The fictional Jane Tennison was one of the first female detective chief inspectors on the London police force, and she battled rampant sexism as she tackled tough cases and rose through the ranks.

Mirren's performance was absolutely indelible.

"Yes, it is very intimidating having to kind of step into shoes like that," Martini said.

The new "Prime Suspect: Tennison" (Sundays, 9 p.m., PBS/Ch. 7) is a prequel to the original. It's set in 1973, shortly after Jane joined the London police force.

"I think Jane Tennison in her 20s is very different … because she is young and naive and fresh-faced," Martini said. "So it kind of feels like a completely different character."

Tennison is, once again, quickly caught up in a murder case. The new series — three 90-minute installments — is based on the 2015 novel "Tennison," by "Prime Suspect" author Lynda La Plante.

And it's easy to see how Martini's Tennison grew to become Mirren's Tennison. Sexism was bad in the early 1990s; it was worse in the early 1970s. This Jane doesn't just have to deal with sexism, but her family openly disapproves of her career choice.

The prequel" is "very in tune with the original," said Sam Reid, who stars as Tennison's boss, Detective Inspector Len Bradfield.

"Prime Suspect" fans may be surprised to see that young Jane doesn't smoke and barely drinks; older Jane smoked like a chimney and drank like a fish.

"The contrast is quite funny, because she's so naive and so eager and so keen and wide-eyed," Martini said.

Martini said she is a fan of the original "Prime Suspect" and Mirren's performances.

"She's brilliant, and it's incredible," she said. "And it's really useful to know where my character ends up.

"But I tried not to do an imitation or, like, a watered-down version of it. [I] genuinely had to see it as something completely different otherwise."

"Masterpiece" executive producer Rebecca Eaton said Mirren is "very supportive of the redoing of 'Prime Suspect.' She said, 'Yup. It's a good idea.' I think she feels no exclusivity of ownership to it."

Perhaps ironically, while the prequel takes place almost two decades before the first "Prime Suspect," it doesn't face the same sort of skepticism. And not just because "Masterpiece" has gone the prequel route before — "Endeavour" revolves around young "Inspector Morse," and not only is the fourth season scheduled to air on PBS in August, a fifth season has been ordered.

Eaton recalled that it was a "tremendous risk" for PBS when she picked up "Prime Suspect" — to air on "Mystery!" — 25 years ago. Before Tennison, British imports "had been all kind of drawing-room, Agatha Christie-type mysteries, and this was the first time we had done something really contemporary and gritty. And we weren't at all sure that the audience would sit still for it, even with Helen Mirren.

"We thought we were going to be one and out and lucky if we got away with it," Eaton said. "And, instantly, people were attracted to the story, because, I think, the iconic nature of the story is any woman in a man's world."

Scott D. Pierce covers TV for The Salt Lake Tribune. Email him at spierce@sltrib.com; follow him on Twitter @ScottDPierce.