Dempsey and Makepeace poster

TV series

Dempsey and Makepeace

19853 seasons6.6 / 10

The sexy, crime busting TV duo!

Dempsey and Makepeace is a British television crime drama made by London Weekend Television for ITV, created and produced by Ranald Graham. The leading roles were played by Michael Brandon and Glynis Barber, who later married each other on 18 November 1989. The series combined elements of previous series such as the mis-matching of British and American crime-fighters from different classes as seen in The Persuaders! and the action of The Professionals.

Availability

Not streaming in United States

Checked Jul 22, 2026

Dempsey and Makepeace premiered January 11, 1985. We don't have a confirmed streaming, rental or purchase option yet.

Synopsis

Dempsey and Makepeace is a British television crime drama made by London Weekend Television for ITV, created and produced by Ranald Graham. The leading roles were played by Michael Brandon and Glynis Barber, who later married each other on 18 November 1989. The series combined elements of previous series such as the mis-matching of British and American crime-fighters from different classes as seen in The Persuaders! and the action of The Professionals.

Season 1 episodes

Choose an episode, then use the watch options above for the show.

Episode 1

Armed and Extremely Dangerous

1h 33m8.0 / 10

This feature-length episode starts with a gun being held by Leiutenant James Dempsey of the New York Police Department. He is sitting in his apartment waiting for his partner, Joey, to call. Dempsey's phones rings. It is Joey calling to tell Dempsey of their latest stakeout. They go to the docks where they suspect a drugs drop-off will take place. All of a sudden, Dempsey's CO (Commanding Officer), Coltrane, turns up at the docks in his car. Another man at the docks stands up with a bag. The man at first heads towards Coltrane's car, but then walks towards Dempsey and Joey. Dempsey realises that he is going to be set up. Joey and Coltrane were going to set Dempsey up, but Dempsey reached for his gun and shot the man approaching him. joey grabbed Dempsey from behind, while Coltrane made his getaway. Dempsey pushed Joey to the floor, turned round and shot Joey, who died. Back at the station, Dempsey and his associate, O'Grady, are having an argument about Dempsey's situation. Dempsey wa

Episode credits

Directed by Tony WharmbyWritten by Ranald GrahamGuest stars Terence Alexander, Ray Jewers, Mark Wing-Davey, David Baxt, Peter Ross-Murray, Desmond Cullum-Jones, Billy Kearns, Norman Chancer

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Episode 2

The Squeeze

48m8.0 / 10

A heavy duty transit van carrying half a million pounds in used notes is high jacked, drivers and all, and SI 10 is tasked with finding it. Meanwhile, Spikings has his hands full trying to get Dempsey to part with his gun, as it is illegal for police officers in England to carry one.

Episode credits

Directed by Tony WharmbyWritten by Jesse Carr MartindaleGuest stars Trevor Byfield, John Malcolm, Robert Blythe, Colin Edwynn, Jonathan Stratt, John Moreno, James Beckett, Maureen Sweeney

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Episode 3

Lucky Streak

48m8.0 / 10

Dempsey happens to be present at a casino when it is robbed and a security guard murdered. Spikings tells him to wake up Makepeace in the middle of the night and start their investigation.

Episode credits

Directed by Tony WharmbyWritten by Dave HumphriesGuest stars Trevor Ray, Peter Cleall, Christopher Strauli, Robert Austin, Tony Stephens, Raymond Brody, Genevieve Allenbury, Debbie Wheeler

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Episode 4

Given to Acts of Violence

48m8.0 / 10

Dempsey and Makepeace are shadowing Frank Egan, who has just got off Scott free on a murder charge. His next big job seems to involve 'a bird man' and 'haggis'. It leads to Makepeace posing as a floozy and Dempsey as a pilot.

Episode credits

Directed by William BrayneWritten by Jonathan HalesGuest stars Ian McCulloch, Michael Cashman, Brian Croucher, Ian Thompson, Steve Emerson, Dave Cooper, Frank Duncan, Neville Jason

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Episode 5

Hors De Combat

46m8.0 / 10

Frank Price is sprung out of jail, only to be killed by his accomplices. Spikings suspects Price's boss Jack Lang, but when Lang's granddaughter Debbie is kidnapped it seems like someone else is trying to instigate a gang war. Meanwhile, Dempsey is more interested in wooing fellow American Angie Hughes.

Episode credits

Directed by Christian MarnhamWritten by Jonathan HalesGuest stars Elaine Ives-Cameron, Nicola Stapleton, Christopher Ellison, Godfrey James, Catriona MacColl, Derek Ware, Michael Carter, Stephen Greif

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Episode 6

Nowhere to Run

48m8.0 / 10

A truck carrying studio equipment is hijacked. Then it turns out the contents were actually automatic guns meant for a group of Arab terrorists.

Episode credits

Directed by Gerry MillWritten by Dave HumphriesGuest stars Michael Melia, Gary Shail, Nick Stringer, Neville Rofalia, Tony Alleff, Michael Halphie, Richard Strange, Dawn Hope

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Episode 7

Make Peace, Not War

44m8.0 / 10

Dempsey takes the place of American hit-man Schwartz to infiltrate a gang of drug dealers who are lacing T-shirts with heroin. Little does he suspect that their main contact, Lei Shan carries a grudge against the real Schwartz. When Makepeace gets her hands on one of the T-shirts via one of her contacts, the undercover Dempsey finds himself forced to bump her off.

Episode credits

Directed by Tony WharmbyWritten by Jesse Carr MartindaleGuest stars Zienia Merton, Stuart Milligan, Ralph Michael, William Boyde, Brian Coburn, Christopher Tajah, Val Joseph, Stephen Persaud

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Episode 8

Blind Eye

46m8.0 / 10

Jailbird Charlie Wilson wants to speak to Gordon Spikings alone concerning an urgent matter. But he shuts up tight after his little boy is kidnapped in the park. Meanwhile Spikings finds himself subject to a bombed briefcase while traveling by tube.

Episode credits

Directed by Gerry MillWritten by Jesse Carr MartindaleGuest stars William Simons, Linda Regan, Roger Booth, Desmond McNamara, Jacquie-Ann Carr, Rufus Carr-Martindale, Carole Nimmons, Sean Scanlan

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Episode 9

Cry God for Harry

48m9.0 / 10

A priceless collection of jade artifacts has been stolen from Makepeace's ancestral home, Winfield Hall. When she and Dempsey join her father's other guest for a weekend pheasant hunt, the search soon turns into an old-fashioned murder mystery.

Episode credits

Directed by William BrayneWritten by William MarloweGuest stars Ralph Arliss, Ralph Michael, John Terry, Seretta Wilson, Christina Greatrex, Keith Bonnard, Brian Hawksley, Andree Evans

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Episode 10

Judgement

47m9.0 / 10finale

Makepeace has been asked by her best friend, Sarah Hackett, to be the matron of honour at Sarah's wedding. Makepeace accepts. Makepeace is giving Sarah a lift to the railway station. Sarah is off to Harrod's with her father, Sir Lionel Hackett, who turns out to be a judge. Sarah is murdered while she is on the train. Makepeace is devestated when she is informed. Sir Lionel, however, takes the law into his own hands. Makepeace gives Sir Lionel a photo-fit of a man who was seen at the railway station where Makepeace had taken Sarah. Sir Lionel assumed that he was the killer and goes in search of him. But, what Sir Lionel doesn't know is that he is looking for the wrong man.

Episode credits

Directed by William BrayneWritten by Jesse Carr MartindaleGuest stars David Barrass, Tip Tipping, Colin Prockter, John Horsley, Graham Rowe, Sarah Sherborne, Brett Forrest, Ruby Head

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Episode information updated Jul 24, 2026

More about Dempsey and Makepeace

Cast

Michael BrandonJames Dempsey
Glynis BarberHarriet Makepeace
Tony OsobaDet. Sgt. Chas Jarvis
Ray SmithSpikings
Lee MontagueDet. Chief. Inspector Lacey
Frederik de GrootOlaf Schram
Terence PlummerClub Bounce
Peter SprouleGeorge Henshaw

Credits

Created by
Tony Wharmby
Written by
Ranald Graham, Dave Humphries, Murray Smith, Jesse Carr Martindale, Jeffrey Caine, Jonathan Hales, Roger Marshall, Paul Wheeler, William Marlowe, David Wilks, Guy Meredith, David Crane, John Field

Production details

Status
Ended
Series type
Scripted
Episodes
30
Original language
English

Networks & production

  • ITV1United Kingdom