Pie in the Sky (TV series)

Pie in the Sky
Created by	Andrew Payne
Starring	Richard Griffiths Maggie Steed Malcolm Sinclair Nick Raggett Bella Enahoro
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of episodes	40
Production
Running time	50 Minutes
Original release
Network	BBC1
Release	1994 – 1997

Pie in the Sky was a light-hearted British police drama starring Richard Griffiths and Maggie Steed, created by Andrew Payne and broadcast in five series on BBC1 between 13 March 1994 and 17 August 1997 as well as being syndicated on other channels in other countries, including the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The series departs slightly from other police dramas in that the protagonist, Henry Crabbe, while still being an on-duty policeman (much against his will), is also the head chef of the title restaurant set in the fictional town of Middleton and county of Westershire.

Plot

Detective Inspector Henry Crabbe is a long-serving police officer in the fictional county of Westershire. Although very much his own man and an independent thinker, he is not a maverick, nor has he any particular neuroses; indeed, Crabbe is a highly intelligent, gentle and thoughtful man of high moral principle. On the other hand he does have one passion in life - food. He dreams of retiring from the police to run his own restaurant serving good English fare. However, as the most outstanding detective in his department, his superiors – in particular Assistant Chief Constable Freddie Fisher – are reluctant to allow him to leave.

The first episode (The Best of Both Worlds) opens with Crabbe, after twenty-five years in the force, just seven weeks away from retirement when he finds himself close to catching high-profile fraudster Dudley Hooperman (played by Michael Kitchen), whom he has been trailing for years. While making his escape (with £3–4 million worth of stolen treasury bills) Hooperman shoots Crabbe in the leg, which, although a relatively minor injury, consolidates Crabbe's desire to retire on his police pension and open his own restaurant in the fictional town of Middleton – Pie in the Sky, technically owned by his wife Margaret, although Henry is the main chef. (Much to Henry's disgust, Margaret has no feeling whatever for food, seeing it as nothing more than fuel, and has a partiality for bars of chocolate and – horror of horrors, in Henry's eyes – prawn cocktail flavour crisps). However, during his "final" case, an investigation into police corruption, he is tricked into appearing to take a bribe. Although Crabbe himself is entirely innocent, the circumstances enable his superior, A.C.C. Fisher, effectively to blackmail Crabbe into continuing to take on occasional cases as required, threatening to re-open the inquiry if Crabbe disagrees. Thus Crabbe has, in Fisher's own words, the best of both worlds – still investigating the cases that Fisher puts his way while at the same time cooking back at Pie in the Sky.

Between his first love – cooking – and being constantly called back on duty by Fisher, Henry finds that he's not going to fulfil his dream in peace. Prowlers, sudden deaths, retrieving rebellious daughters, missing lovers, psychics and fear of the restaurant critic are all elements Henry has to deal with as well as creating his signature steak and kidney pie – containing anchovies and said to be addictive.

Cast

Richard Griffiths	DI Henry "Pie in the Sky" Crabbe
Maggie Steed	Margaret Crabbe
Malcolm Sinclair	ACC Freddy Fisher
Nick Raggett	Leon Henderson
Alison McKenna	Linda (1994)
Joe Duttine	Steve Turner (1994–95)
Ashley Russell	John (1994–95)
Bella Enahoro	WPC/DS Sophia Cambridge (1994–96)
Samantha Janus	Nicola (1995–96)
Nicholas Lamont	Gary Palmer (1996–97)
Marsha Thomason	Sally (1997)
Derren Litten	PC Ed Guthrie (1997)
Mary Woodvine	WPC Jane Morton (1997)

In series 1–4, Crabbe is aided by WPC (later Detective Sergeant) Sophia Cambridge, played by Bella Enahoro. In the final series she is replaced by PC Ed Guthrie (Derren Litten) and WPC Jane Morton (Mary Woodvine, daughter of actor John Woodvine). In the restaurant Crabbe is helped by chefs Steve Turner (Joe Duttine; 21 episodes) and then Gary Palmer (Nick Lamont; 20 episodes) – both reformed ex-criminals – and John the waiter (Ashley Russell) and Linda the waitress (Alison McKenna). The latter was subsequently replaced by Nicola the waitress (Samantha Womack). After Nicola's departure she is in turn replaced by Sally (Marsha Thomason). Also reappearing throughout is Leon Henderson (Nick Raggett), who supplies the restaurant with fruit and vegetables, as well as working there some evenings doing the washing up. Robert Putt is Chief Constable Braithwaite who appeared in 3 episodes between (1996–1997). Caroline Loncq played Jenny Drabble for 3 episodes (1996–1997). One of Henry's heroes, the (fictional) food writer Hilary Smallwood (the other being Alexis Soyer), is modelled on Elizabeth David.

Episodes

1st Series 1994

1. "The Best of Both Worlds" - Henry lets Hooperman escape, and Fisher takes the opportunity to suspend his retirement.
2. "The Truth Will Out" - a delusional cop seeks to bring Fisher's ally down, and Henry recruits a new waiter.
3. "An Innocent Man" - Pie in the Sky becomes the scene of a corruption sting, but Henry acts in favour of his customer.
4. "Once a Copper" - Henry cooks a banquet for a visiting Japanese delegation, and tracks down a criminal from his past, who was presumed dead.
5. "A Shot in the Dark" - a narcotics investigation ends in a bitten hand for Fisher, and Henry finds a new source of escargots.
6. "Undesirable Elements" - Steve investigates the burglary of Pie in the Sky, while Henry does battle with murderous private sector cops.
7. "Passion Fruit Fool" - the girlfriend of Henry's dry cleaner is kidnapped by a psychotic ex-lover.
8. "A Matter of Taste" - Henry uncovers two separate wine scams in Middleton.
9. "Who Only Stand and Wait" - Henderson's neighbour finds a dismembered corpse, which may prove the innocence of an imprisoned man.
10. "Endangered Species" - Margaret and Henderson side with Reynard the Fox in opposing a new bypass, while Henry must question his loyalties.

2nd Series Winter 1995

1. "Hard Cheese" - Henry investigates a prowler fond of older ladies, and begins to suspect the celibate supplier of his cheese.
2. "Brown Bread" - a corpse vanishes from the Pie in the Sky's lavatories, and Henry soon finds himself investigating a counterfeit currency.
3. "The Policeman's Daughter" - Fisher's daughter joins a squat on Henderson's field, and Henry is recruited to bring her back.
4. "The One That Got Away" - the fish farmer's fiance appears to have been murdered, and it's up to Henry to save his best trout supplier.
5. "Dead Right" - Henry becomes entangled with a self-publicising psychic, and together they solve the mystery of a missing girl.
6. "Black Pudding" - Henry is reunited with his hero, Hillary Smallwood, and becomes embroiled in her nephew's wicked plot.
7. "Swan in His Pride" - Henry goes undercover in Bath to investigate the local constabulary, who are using a serial killer to mask their errors.
8. "The Mild Bunch" - as two pensioners go on a fraud spree, the inclusion of Dundee marmalade in their trademark pudding motivates Henry to find them.
9. "The Mystery of Pikey" - two posh children take advantage of a poor fisherman, and Henderson falls in the river.
10. "Lemon Twist" - Henry goes on a management training course, while Pie In The Sky is mobbed following a glowing review.

3rd Series Winter 1996

1. "Money Talks" - Henry stakes out a pizza parlor. John and Steve have left. A new chef, Gary arrives and helps Henry catch the pizza gang.
2. "Game Pie (In the Sky)" - Henry caters his friend's pheasant shoot, where Fisher is among the guests. Another member of the party is shot and killed and it looks as if Fisher accidentally shot him.
3. "Irish Stew" - An Irishwoman books the restaurant for a wedding banquet for her and her new husband. Byron's briefcase is stolen from his hotel and Henry is suspicious of his reaction.
4. "Doggett's Coat and Badge" - Charles Rider, a wine-loving regular at Pie in the Sky, is being threatened. So Rider comes to Henry Crabbe for help.
5. "This Other Eden" - Henry investigates thefts of valuable plants from gardens, while Margaret unknowingly employs the chief suspect.
6. "Coddled Eggs" - While recovereing stolen cars, Henry apprehends a larger smuggling ring headed by two Russians.

4th Series Autumn 1996

1. "Devils on Horseback (1)" - Henry and Margaret spend a day at the races with her new client Bob Bishop. The corpse of stable lad Ben Tucker is found in a horse-box.
2. "Devils on Horseback (2)" - Margaret stumbles on the killer. Meanwhile Nicola is annoyed when a school friend appears to be making a play for Gary.
3. "Chinese Whispers" - The Chen family's Chinese takeaway is the target of an arson attack, but Mr. Chen will not go to the police. His daughter Mei asks Henry for help.
4. "New Leaf" - Henry must guard a safe house protecting an uncooperative star witness. He eventually wins her over with his cooking.
5. "Breaking Bread" - To save money, Fisher employs a new company to supply the police canteen. Arrests go down and Fisher relies on Henry to find a reason to get rid of the new company.
6. "Gary's Cake" - When the restaurant is robbed, Henry closes the restaurant to do his own investigation, solving the crime in time to mark two years of Gary giving up alcohol with a celebratory cake.

5th Series 1997

1. "Squashed Tomatoes" - Cambridge is gone and Henry is saddled with two new staff members. At the restaurant, Nicola has left and Gary is unhappy.
2. "Ugly Customers" - Henry's team go to the garish Luxor Hotel to protect a jury. Back at the restaurant Sally learns to get the better of a sex pest.
3. "Pork Pies" - Henry and the squad go to a meat factory where animal rights protesters are demonstrating against the owner. Henry finds the sausages contain soya and are wholly meat-free.
4. "Cutting the Mustard" - Henry is called to a school where a student has been beaten up by local youths. Henry finds a Chemistry teacher selling Ecstasy tablets.
5. "Return Match" - Henry has to solve a series of thefts from lorries and gets unexpected help from private security firm Troubleshooters.
6. "The Apprentice" - Nicky comes to Pie in the Sky, claiming he is there for work experience. Henry uses him in the kitchen and he impresses everyone. The till is robbed and Nicky goes missing.
7. "In the Smoke" - The Crabbes holiday in London. Henry discovers a friend in hiding while Margaret finds a body in the trash.
8. "Smelling of Roses" - Henry loses his sense of smell and mysteriously regains it when he resigns from the police once and for all.

Filming locations

Westershire, the fictional county where the series is set, is based on Berkshire in southern England. Although scenes in Middleton were often filmed in Marlow in Buckinghamshire, the exterior of the restaurant, Pie in the Sky, was filmed outside number 64 High Street in the Old Town in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. Originally a florist and then a toy shop, the building became a minor tourist attraction while the series ran, and from 1997 has housed the business of a dolls’-house maker. A nearby restaurant at 80 High Street renamed itself "Pie in the Sky" (later becoming "Les Amants") to capitalise on the programme's popularity. All internal filming at the restaurant was carried out at Bray Studios at Water Oakley, near Windsor in Berkshire. The local newspaper, the Maidenhead Advertiser, occasionally appears in the series redubbed the 'Barstock and Middleton Advertiser'. Freddie Fisher plays golf at Stoke Park Golf Club at Stoke Poges.

Both the exterior and interior of the 'Nebditch Intercontinental Hotel' which features throughout episode 2 of the 1st series, "The Truth Will Out", was filmed at the John Nike Hotel at Binfield, near Bracknell in Berkshire. The adjoining John Nike Bracknell Ski and Snowboard Centre is also featured.

In episode 3 of the 1st series, "An Innocent Man", train enthusiast Duncan Spellar lives at Brocket Hall at Lemsford in Hertfordshire. In the opening scene, Julian Tubbs MP is shown dining on the terrace at the 'Compleat Angler' at Bisham in East Berkshire, overlooking Marlow Church on the other side of the River Thames. Later Crabbe follows him to 'Middleton Station' which was filmed at Horsley railway station in Surrey.

In episode 4 of the 1st series, "Once a Copper", the opening scene was filmed at Shirburn Castle. Barstock University is Bracknell College. The 'Thin Blue Line' Conference takes place at Oakley Court, adjoining Bray Studios. Henry is shown hurrying to the Japanese Reception across Marlow Bridge.

In episode 5 of the 1st series, "A Shot in the Dark", the deceased works at White Waltham Airfield while his home is a cottage in Waltham St Lawrence both in East Berkshire.

In episode 1 of the 2nd series, "Hard Cheese", the 'Laxton Grange Hotel' was filmed at Oakley Court, adjoining Bray Studios. 'Laxton' is based on the town of Bracknell.

In episode 5 of the 2nd series, "Dead Right", Henry has a picnic with the psychic down by the River Thames in the churchyard at Bisham in East Berkshire.

Episode 7 of the 2nd series, "Swan in His Pride", is set in the city of Bath in Somerset which features throughout. Crabbe and Fisher catch the train to Bath from Reading railway station in Berkshire.

In episodes 1 & 2 of the 4th series, "Devils on Horseback," the cider brewery is filmed at Stanlake Park near Twyford in Berkshire.

In episode 5 of the 4th series, "Breaking Bread," Crabbe and Cambridge go to some kind of planning office to examine building plans. The offices are Easthampstead Park, near Bracknell.

In episode 2 of the 5th series, "Ugly Customers," Crabbe goes to examine the home of the foreman of the jury. He visits a small country house which is the 'Pump Room' at Winkfield Plain, near Windsor, in Berkshire.

DVD

The Freemantle Media box set of the entire series is currently available from Amazon.co.uk.

In the United States, Acorn Media has released separate sets of all five series on May 12, 2009 (Series 1), January 26, 2010 (Series 2), September 7, 2010 (Series 3), January 25, 2011 (Series 4), and August 2, 2011 (Series 5).

External links

• Pie in the Sky at IMDb