Pie in the Sky (TV series)

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, since he is 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 25 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

Filming locations

Westershire, the imaginary county depicted in the series, draws inspiration from Berkshire, located in the south of England. While many scenes set in Middleton were shot in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, the exterior shots of the Pie in the Sky restaurant were filmed outside 64 High Street in the Old Town of Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. Before its use in the series, the building served as a florist and subsequently a toy shop. It became a minor tourist spot during the series' run and, since 1997, has been the premises of a dollhouse manufacturer. 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.

Series 1

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 John Nike's Coppid Beech Hotel in Binfield, near Bracknell in Berkshire.

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. Cambridge meets with an officer from a former investigation in Bracknell - the 3M Building can be seen out of the window. The 'Thin Blue Line' Conference takes place at Oakley Court, adjoining Bray Studios. Henry confronts a supposedly dead criminal at Windsor Racecourse and is later 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.

Series 2

In episode 1 of the 2nd series, "Hard Cheese", the 'Laxton Grange Hotel' was filmed at Oakley Court, adjoining Bray Studios in Berkshire. The local cheese-merchant confesses his indiscretions to Henry in the garden at the Flower Pot Hotel at Aston near Remenham, also in Berkshire. Henry and Cambridge examine a large map at one point which reveals other locations in Berkshire: Henry's home town of 'Middleton' is a non-existent town located at Waltham St Lawrence; 'Laxton' is broadly based on the town of Bracknell, though actually located at nearby Warfield; 'Brayfield' is broadly based on Maidenhead, being located at Braywick on the town's southern edge; adjoining this is 'Sommersby' based on Twyford relocated to Woolley Green.

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 episode 9 of the 2nd series, "The Mystery of Pikey", the bikers ralley in front of Warfield Church, near Bracknell, in Berkshire; while the tyres of a number of cars are slashed at Baileys Garage in Maiden's Green, part of the neighbouring parish of Winkfield. The Anchor public house at Wisley, near Woking, in Surrey features throughout the episode.

Series 3

In episode 4, "Doggett's Coat and Badge", Doggett is seen purchasing a Bow Street Runner figurine in a shop in Windsor in Berkshire.

In episode 6, "Coddled Eggs", Crabbe and Fisher are seen entering their police station. This was filmed at what was then the Mercury Rev (as of 2016, the Honda UK Building) in Cain Road in Binfield, also in Berkshire.

Series 4

In episodes 1 & 2 of the 4th series, "Devils on Horseback," the cider brewery is filmed at Stanlake Park near Twyford in Berkshire. The Horse and Jockey public house is The Greyhound at Aldbury, Hertfordshire.

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

Series 5

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 entire series is available on DVD in the UK.

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