# Dempsey and Makepeace (1985)

> A British crime-busting duo pairs a sharp-witted private detective with an American-born police partner in a fast, glossy action series.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/2094

## Facts

- Seasons: 3
- Episodes: 30
- Episode runtime: 50 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: crime, action, drama
- Created by: Tony Wharmby
- Network: ITV1
- Cast: Michael Brandon, Glynis Barber, Tony Osoba, Ray Smith, Lee Montague, Frederik de Groot, Terence Plummer, Peter Sproule
- TMDB rating: 7.3/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088503/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: glossy, breezy, playful, action-packed, stylish

## Synopsis

Dempsey and Makepeace (1985-1986) is a British crime drama series created by Tony Wharmby for ITV, produced by London Weekend Television. Michael Brandon plays James Dempsey and Glynis Barber plays Harriet Makepeace, a mismatched pair of investigators whose clashing backgrounds and styles fuel the show's engine. Dempsey is a rugged, unconventional detective, while Makepeace brings a sharper, more polished approach, and together they take on criminal cases that demand both fast action and sly deduction. Tony Osoba as Detective Sergeant Chas Jarvis and Ray Smith as Spikings round out the principal cast around the duo. Across three seasons of ten episodes each, the series operates as a case-driven format, with each episode built around a self-contained crime that tests the partnership. The tone blends glossy action with a playful, sexy banter between the leads, giving the show a breezy, stylish energy typical of 1980s British television. Its London setting is contemporary to its broadcast and framed by the era's commercial action TV. Fans of The Professionals and The Persuaders! will find resonance in its mismatched partnership, action-forward crime, and polished British adventure style.

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