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Pie in the Sky
1994 - 1997 8.4 (11 votes) 5 Seasons
Genres
Comedy Drama
Networks
BBC One
Created By
Andrew Payne

Pie in the Sky

Overview

Pie in the Sky is a British offbeat police comedy drama programme starring Richard Griffiths and Maggie Steed, created by Andrew Payne and first 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, is also the head chef of the title restaurant set in the fictional town of Middleton and county of Westershire.

Key Crew

Producer: Chrissy Skinns

Top Cast

Richard Griffiths
Richard Griffiths

Henry Crabbe

Nicholas Lamont

Gary Palmer

Marsha Thomason
Marsha Thomason

Sally

Seasons

Season 0 (2004)

No overview available.

1 episodes

Season 1 poster
Season 1 (1994)

No overview available.

10 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: The Best of Both Worlds
1994-03-13

Henry lets Hooperman escape, and Fisher takes the opportunity to suspend his retirement.

Runtime: 49 min
Episode 2: The Truth Will Out
1994-03-20

A delusional cop seeks to bring Fisher's ally down, and Henry recruits a new waiter.

Runtime: 49 min
Episode 3: An Innocent Man
1994-03-27

Pie in the Sky becomes the scene of a corruption sting, but Henry acts in favour of his customer.

Runtime: 49 min
Episode 4: Once a Copper
1994-04-03

Henry cooks a banquet for a visiting Japanese delegation, and tracks down a criminal from his past, who was presumed dead.

Runtime: 48 min
Episode 5: A Shot in the Dark
1994-04-10

A narcotics investigation ends in a bitten hand for Fisher, and Henry finds a new source of escargots.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 6: Undesirable Elements
1994-04-17

Steve investigates the burglary of Pie in the Sky, while Henry does battle with murderous private sector cops.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 7: Passion Fruit Fool
1994-04-24

The girlfriend of Henry's dry cleaner is kidnapped by a psychotic ex-lover.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 8: A Matter of Taste
1994-05-01

Henry uncovers two separate wine scams in Middleton.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 9: Who Only Stand and Wait
1994-05-08

Henderson's neighbour finds a dismembered corpse, which may prove the innocence of an imprisoned man.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 10: Endangered Species
1994-05-15

Margaret and Henderson side with Reynard the Fox in opposing a new bypass, while Henry must question his loyalties.

Runtime: 50 min
Season 2 poster
Season 2 (1995)

No overview available.

10 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: Hard Cheese
1995-01-15

Henry investigates a prowler fond of older ladies, and begins to suspect the celibate supplier of his cheese.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 2: Brown Bread
1995-01-22

A diner collapses and dies in the restaurant's toilet. But when the police arrive the body has disappeared. Soon on the scene are two detectives from the Crime Squad, who have a long standing interest in the dead man, and in his missing car. Crabbe tracks down the car before they do and finds a huge sum of money in the boot.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 3: The Policeman's Daughter
1995-01-29

Fisher's younger daughter has left home after a row and thrown in her lot with a group of squatters. He asks Crabbe to find the girl and try and persuade her to return home. Henderson has bought a new field to add to his market garden, but is horrified to find that it has been invaded by travellers. He appeals to Henry for help, whereupon Henry finds that the two cases have a common thread.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 4: The One That Got Away
1995-02-05

Bill Pritchard, an old friend of Henry's and the supplier of fish to the restaurant, is accused of murder when his girl friend's car is found abandoned and the ashes in his smokehouse show traces of human remains. Henry investigates and uncovers an amazing plot to frame Bill and steal the profits from the subsequent sale of his business.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 5: Dead Right
1995-02-12

Medium Faith Revelle has received a number of threatening letters and seeks police help. Freddy Fisher, having once sought advice from her in solving a case, wants the whole matter dealt with quietly. But someone has alerted the press. Henry Crabbe and Sgt. Cambridge are assigned to guard Miss Revelle.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 6: Black Pudding
1995-02-19

In a moment of weakness famous cookery writer Hilary Smallwood has given her unscrupulous nephew Colin a Power of Attorney. He has sold her house and put her into a retirement home; now he is trying to steal her recently written memoirs. Hilary calls on Henry Crabbe and her lifelong friend Seymour to help. Meantime there is friction behind the scenes in the restaurant between Steve and John.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 7: Swan in His Pride
1995-02-26

Fisher drags Crabbe down to the West Country to investigate the apparent murder of an undercover woman police officer. While Henry is away a burst pipe causes havoc in the restaurant's kitchen.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 8: The Mild Bunch
1995-03-05

The man who shot PC Ian Lefebvre is due for release so Fisher wants to keep Lefebvre busy. What better than sending him off with Crabbe in search of two OAP con-women and the perfect bread and butter pudding?

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 9: The Mystery of Pikey
1995-03-12

There's a spate of burglaries, the local police station's closed down and the great and good of Middleton, headed by Mr. Chukky Chicken' Barry Wilkes, want Crabbe to catch the thief, popularly believed to be teenager Karl Elves or 'Pikey'. To their dismay, Crabbe is much more interested in pike than 'Pikey'.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 10: Lemon Twist
1995-03-19

Crabbe has to join ACC Fisher and DS Cambridge on a management development seminar, but Fisher is having a crisis of confidence in 'The Job' and after a rave review, 'Pie' has customers queuing at the door - could this be Crabbe's chance to leave the Force and concentrate on cooking?

Runtime: 50 min
Season 3 poster
Season 3 (1995)

No overview available.

6 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: Money Talks
1995-12-31

The restaurant is heavily in debt, and the Crabbe's new bank manager is unsympathetic. Steve and John have left for pastures new, and an agency chef is unsatisfactory. Crabbe learns that Dudley Hooperman is dead, and resurrects his hopes of early retirement. Meantime there is a surveillance operation to be run on a dodgy pizza delivery business.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 2: Game Pie
1996-01-07

Henry supplies the catering at his friend Alistair'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 but Henry's investigation reveals a crime of passion involving a love triangle, a jealous husband - and a cover-up.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 3: Irish Stew
1996-01-14

The large family of much-married Irishwoman Kit Kelly book the restaurant for a wedding banquet for her and her new husband, American television writer Byron De Goris. Byron's briefcase is stolen from his hotel and Henry is suspicious of his reaction and even more so when Margaret tells him that the groom is not Byron De Goris but his friend James Jackson. Margaret had known them both thirty years earlier and discovers that Byron killed himself and James assumed his identity. Henry has to find out why.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 4: Doggett's Coat and Badge
1996-01-21

Charles Rider, a wine-loving regular at Pie in the Sky, is being threatened. It turns out he is really Joseph Webb, an ex-burglar turned supergrass, and now in witness protection. His collection includes many valuable bottles of wine, some of them stolen property and formerly owned by a bent policeman. His cronies have tracked Webb down and want the most priceless bottle back. So Rider comes to Henry Crabbe for help. Can Crabbe restore justice while keeping his friend safe?

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 5: This Other Eden
1996-01-28

Di Crabbe and DS Cambridge are assigned to investigate a spate of garden thefts carried out while the owners are away for a few days. It's not just a few plants that are being stolen - whole gardens are being stripped. The only person appearing to benefit is landscape designer Alan Wellbeloved, who becomes the prime suspect for the robberies. Returning home, Henry is horrified to discover that Margaret has hired Wellbeloved to redesign the restaurant's back garden to provide an outdoor dining area.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 6: Coddled Eggs
1996-02-04

Car crime is on the rise, with most of the vehicles being stolen from the car park at the railway station. Henry's problems mount as he not only has to deal with two separate sets of thieves, but also with a hostile new female Superintendent. Things come to a head when Fisher's car is nicked at the station right under his nose. Back at the restaurant Gary and Margaret are being given a hard time by an over-zealous Food Inspector. Will she do as she is threatening and close the restaurant down?

Runtime: 50 min
Season 4 poster
Season 4 (1996)

No overview available.

6 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: Devils on Horseback (1)
1996-09-15

Henry and Margaret spend a day at the races with her new client Bob Bishop, who is resisting a take-over bid for his cider brewery. A mysterious man shadows Henry and then the corpse of stable lad Ben Tucker is found in a horse-box. Bob's brother Tony owns the stables, which are failing, and he is very curt with Henry when he comes to investigate. On the night he died Ben had argued with another stable lad Jerry Lawless over female jockey Jude O'Brien but he too is murdered and Bob's daughter Liz, another jockey, is found in his caravan with a bag full of bank-notes.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 2: Devils on Horseback (2)
1996-09-22

Liz claims the money is winnings from a bet and Henry releases her but notes that Jerry too has a healthy bank balance and surmises he was trading inside information for cash. Tony apologizes to Henry but tries to push Bob into accepting the take-over and Henry's mystery man proves to be a private eye, since Tony has been fixing races and the Jockey Club have hired him to get proof. Henry believes Tony got Jerry to nobble his horses and killed Ben when he found out. He has the correct motive but the wrong suspect and it's Margaret who literally stumbles on the real killer and has a close call with them. Meanwhile Nicola is annoyed when a spoilt school-friend appears to be making a play for Gary, though she is actually trying to poach him for her restaurant - unsuccessfully.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 3: Chinese Whispers
1996-09-29

The Chen family appear to be victims of racial harassment when their Chinese takeaway is set fire to but widowed Mr. Chen will not go to the police so his daughter Mei asks Henry for help, It turns out that Chen is a gambler deeply in debt to a restauranteur in London's Chinatown who has been has been threatening him for the money he owes. When Pie in the Sky makes it to the final of the Great British Grub contest being held in London, Henry uses the trip to visit Chinatown and act as go-between. A winner and a loser return to Middleton come the end of the day.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 4: New Leaf
1996-10-06

When Fisher allocates Henry to guard Sasha Wilkes,due to testify against her gangster husband, in the police 'safe house',D.C.I. Harding,who had expected the job,is resentful. Sasha is initially hostile but,won over by Henry's cooking,comes to confide in him. Harding uses a drug pusher called Vicky, who once knew Henderson, to discredit Henry and also discloses the safe house's location to Wilkes. Henry averts disaster and parts as friends with Sasha but wonders if they were used as bait by Fisher because he already suspected Harding.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 5: Breaking Bread
1996-10-13

The 'Happy Ploughman' food chain has won the franchise for the Police canteen, but is being subjected to deliberate vandalism. An obvious suspect is Flora McKee, a local baker who was not only rejected as a supplier to the firm, but was upset by improper advances made to her by its manager, Geoff Reece. Spurred on by Fisher, Henry tracks down the culprit and solves an old mystery into the bargain.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 6: Gary's Cake
1996-10-20

An armed hold-up at 'Pie in the Sky' while jewel-rich Mrs. Burdett is present brings DS Stringer to investigate. His abrasive manner alienates all the restaurant staff, including the normally placid Henry. He accuses first Gary, then Nicola and her new boy friend Paul of passing on the information regarding the Burdetts' booking to the thieves. But Henry's judicious questioning of the victim brings the solution, in time for Gary to celebrate two years of sobriety.

Runtime: 50 min
Season 5 poster
Season 5 (1997)

No overview available.

8 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: Squashed Tomatoes
1997-06-29

DI Crabbe's first job with his new team of PC Guthrie and WPC Morton is to guard a new housing development which has been subjected to vandalism. Nearby villagers claim that one of the houses is built in the path of a centuries old right of way. Henderson is in trouble for growing and selling varieties of tomatoes not approved by the E.E.C. And the new waitress in the restaurant gets the cold shoulder from Gary, who is missing the recently departed Nicola.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 2: Ugly Customers
1997-07-06

Henry Crabbe (Richard Griffiths) is posted to guard a jury deliberating in a fraud case, who have been sequestered in a ghastly hotel. Crabbe has to find out who is intimidating the jurors, and how the villain is getting to them. Meanwhile he comes to the aid of the hotel's talented cook (John Thomson) who is cruelly oppressed by the jobsworth manager. Back at Crabbe's restaurant an obnoxious customer is giving new waitress Sally (Marsha Thomason) a hard time.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 3: Pork Pies
1997-07-13

Fisher sends Henry and the squad to a meat factory where animal rights protesters are demonstrating against the owner,Mr. Trubb's use of veal in his Trubbs' Thunderbolt sausages. However, Henry finds to his surprise that the sausages contain soya and are wholly meat-free. Margaret, meanwhile, is concerned when her friend Julia, a wealthy widow, falls for a pilot much younger than herself and agrees to finance a bucket shop for him.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 4: Cutting the Mustard
1997-07-20

Henry and his team are called to a private boarding school where police Commander Colin Stilwell's son Alex has been beaten up by local youths. Henry initially encounters a wall of insular hostility from the establishment before Alex points him to another pupil, who has blackmailed the Chemistry teacher into manufacturing Ecstasy tablets, which he is selling around the school. Gary meanwhile creates a new blend of mustard and attracts the attention of a large food manufacturer who offer to market it. However, they want to alter the recipe, making it taste more bland, whereupon Gary, taking a leaf from Henry's book, puts his culinary principles first and tells them that the deal is off.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 5: Return Match
1997-07-27

Henry has to solve a series of thefts from lorries and gets unexpected help from private security firm Troubleshooters. Their accuracy is such that he is suspicious of how they came to know of the crimes and believes that there is a possible informer within police ranks feeding them information for a reward. Troubleshooters are due to play the police eleven in an important football match. Both teams boast an ex-professional, in the police team's case Kirk Flowerbridge, who has a murky past and a liking for the drink. Fisher tasks Henry with minding Kirk and keeping him sober for the match. In the process of helping Kirk,Henry gets to identify the informer.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 6: The Apprentice
1997-08-03

As Fisher launches a campaign to make the police more popular with young people a boy called Nicky comes to Pie in the Sky, claiming he is there for work experience. Henry uses him in the kitchen and he impresses everyone but then the till is robbed and Nicky, who was not sent by any school, goes missing. His mother last saw him a week earlier, the night an off-licence was robbed by a violent teenage gang. Henry tracks Nicky down to a childhood haunt and finds out that he was bullied into joining the gang and now regrets it, which he proves by leading them into a police trap.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 7: In the Smoke
1997-08-10

The Crabbes holiday in London in a flat owned by ex-policeman Nick Spencer whilst he is in America on business. However Margaret finds his packed suitcase under the bed and hears an answer-machine message from his daughter warning that her violent ex-con boyfriend Danny is on his way to see him. Henry discovers Nick in hiding whilst Margaret discovers Danny's corpse in the dust-bin, killed in self-defence by Nick. Henry's loyalty is put to the test, as is the patience of Sally and Gary when the agency staff turn out to be a quarrelsome married couple.

Runtime: 50 min
Episode 8: Smelling of Roses
1997-08-17

As Henry mysteriously loses his sense of smell he is intrigued when Fisher seems obsessed with arresting tyre exporter Peter Watson and suspects that Fisher, about to divorce his wife, is having an affair with Mrs. Watson. In fact she has discovered that her husband is defrauding her charity and is using Fisher to trap him. Having seen the case through Henry, feeling used by Fisher to catch Watson, resigns from the police and immediately regains his sense of smell. With Gary turning down the offer of work at another kitchen, Henry and his staff and colleagues have every reason to drink to the continuing success of Pie in the Sky.

Runtime: 50 min

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