Review of Dempsey and Makepeace: Complete Series 3

Introduction

Dempsey & Makepeace (1984-86) is a crime drama, made by London Weekend Television for ITV. I guess if you`re considering buying Series 3, then you`ve already devoured Series 1 & 2, and you probably need no introduction.

I guess its real differentiator is the curious pairing of an elegant English noblewoman, Sgt. Harriet Makepeace, with a streetwise working-class New Yorker, Lt. James Dempsey. (Maybe a nod towards `The Persuaders`?)
Naturally, they don`t hit it off at first, but by Series 3 we can see that the two are positively devoted to one another - and perhaps not just professionally. They work as partners in a specialised task force, SI 10 under the command of Gordon Spikings, played grumpily by the late Ray Smith.

The inclusion of American Dempsey was undoubtedly an attempt to pitch this series at dual markets though the whole series remains stubbornly and depressingly British. Despite this heralding from the mid-eighties, it feels more dated than that. So much has happened in crime drama since this style of programme that it all feels a bit contrived, a bit wooden and a bit slow.
But that`s not to suggest that it isn`t thoroughly enjoyable. Glynis Barber is very kind on the eyes (no doubt part of this shows enduring popularity) and the electricity beteen her and fellow -actor Michael Brandon is certainly palatable. (The two married in 1989 and I believe are still an item to this day).

Much of this was filmed on location and it`s really nice to see so much of un-developed South-East and East London, where the Docklands were still the (unused) Docklands, and the stretch behind Tooley Street (where I worked at the time this aired) was still an amalgam of warehouses, railway arches and neglected council blocks.

There`s definitely a `period charm` to the action here, at at time where mobile telephony was in its infancy, and PC`s hadn`t yet turned PC. The scenes where the team gather round the departmental computer are good for a laugh too.
Though this series never gets quite as gritty as `The Sweeney`, it certainly has its moments. One episode in particular, featuring an ex-wife hating Psychopath (alal Peter Sutcliffe) got genuinely edgey.

Season three kicks off with a feature-length (double) episode, "The Burning" which research shows had in excess of 15 million viewers when originally aired. That`s approximately three times the best viewing figures that a similar show could expect today.

Watch out for the last (Brandon directed episode) which finally puts pay to the `will they won`t they` tension that was a feature of the series!

Here`s the episode listing for Season 3:

21. The Burning, Part I
Airdate: Aug. 30, 1986
Writer: Ranald Graham
Director: Baz Taylor
Guest Cast: Michael J. Shannon, Jonathan Linsley, Jill St. John

Dempsey goes undercover to investigate the link between an underworld gang in London and the commissioner of the New York Police Department. After infiltrating the gang, Dempsey must take part in a bullion robbery or Harry will be killed.

22. The Burning, Part II
Airdate: Sep. 6, 1986
Writer: Ranald Graham
Director: Baz Taylor
Guest Cast: Michael J. Shannon, Jonathan Linsley, Jill St. John

Dempsey goes undercover to investigate the link between an underworld gang in London and the commissioner of the New York Police Department. After infiltrating the gang, Dempsey must take part in a bullion robbery or Harry will be killed.

23. Jericho Scam
Airdate: Sep. 13, 1986
Writer: Jeffrey Caine
Director: Robert Tronson
Guest Cast: Lee Montague, Jack Watson

When Dempsey is framed by another cop, Makepeace risks her career to help him.

24. The Prizefighter
Airdate: Sep. 20, 1986
Writer: Murray Smith
Director: Baz Taylor
Guest Cast: Ben Howard, June Barry, Frederick Dee Groot, Lee Walker

The detectives` investigation of the death of a prizefighter leads to a counterfeit-money laundering scheme.

25. Extreme Prejudice
Airdate: Sep. 27, 1986
Writer: Jeffrey Caine
Director: John Hough
Guest Cast: Clive Mantle, Stephan Chase, Mark Ryan

Dempsey and Makepeace pose as Middle East terrorists to find an arms dealer supplying several terrorist groups in Britain.

26. Bird of Prey
Airdate: Oct. 4, 1986
Writer: David Wilks
Director: Roger Tucker
Guest Cast: Nick Brimble, Annabel Levanton

When the prosecution`s chief witness in the trial of a major drug dealer threatens to withdraw her testimony after her daughter is kidnapped, Dempsey turns to the Bogeyman for help.

27. Out of Darkness
Airdate: Oct. 11, 1986
Writer: John Field
Director: Christopher King
Guest Cast: Julia Watson, Garry Cooper

An obsessed murderer takes a woman hostage and threatens to kill her within 24 hours unless Makepeace meets with him.

28. The Cortez Connection
Airdate: Oct. 18, 1986
Writer: Guy Meredith
Director: Baz Taylor
Guest Cast: Susannah Fellows, Francisco Morales, Kim Wall

Dempsey`s pursuit of a ruthless South American cocaine dealer is complicated by a visit from an old girl friend from America.

29. Mantrap
Airdate: Oct. 25, 1986
Writer: Murray Smith
Director: Roger Tucker
Guest Cast: Christopher Benjamin, Barbara Young, Thelma Ruby

The detectives are the targets of a deadly trap involving jewel thieves and bank robbers. Dempsey employs a murderous boxer he helped to jail to even the sides.

30. Guardian Angel
Airdate: Nov. 1, 1986
Writer: Ranald Graham
Director: Michael Brandon
Guest Cast: Kate O`Mara, Richard Johnson

Seriously shaken when Dempsey is nearly killed during an investigation, Harry resigns from the police force.

Video

It`s true that this set packs `em in, with four episodes (including the `Tales` pieces) per disc. But that should be no excuse for this incredibly blocky compression. It`s been some time since I`ve seen anything quite this badly transferred. Add to this the awful greenish-grain stock favoured by Director`s at the time and the results are generally pretty miserable.

Audio

Nothing to complain about, though the cheesy slide guitar sting used for scene bridging becomes tiresome after a few episodes.

Features

There`s a short interview with Glynis Barber on a breakfast show, and two entire episodes of `Tale of the Unexpected` , filmed just after `Dempsey and Makepeace` stopped airing, and at the height of this show`s popularity, each featuring one of the two principals.

The first is `The Dead Don`t Steal` featuring Glynis Barber as the abused `other woman` seemingly coming back from the grave to wreak revenge.

The second is the rather clumsy `Finger of Suspicion` featuring Michael Brandon, which has the most absurd twist in the tale I`ve ever seen.

Both are filmed on cheesy eighties video which looks horribly dated.

Conclusion

For me, Dempsey and Makepeace is equal parts The Sweeney (gritty, grainy London streets), Starsky and Hutch (wise-cracking rapport between partners) and The Avengers, with Harriet Makepeace coming across as an updated Emma Peel.

Unfortunately though, as a police drama, it fails to convince, with unlikely dialogue and wooden acting from just about evereyone with the exception of the principals. It also seems incredibly dated by today`s standards.

The directing is generally uninspiring too, suffering as it does from `first take fever` where every shot cost money (it`s all shot on film), and is therefore tightly choregraphed which goes against the spirit of its wisecracking, freewheeling, fun loving stars.

But for all of that, watching Series 3 was a lot of nostalgic fun, particularly with so much location footage revealing a South-East London yet to enjoy its millennium makeover.

The on-screen chemistry between the captivating Glynis Barber and cheeky Michael Brandon is as elctric today as it was then, and is the saving grace of an otherwise fairly pedestrian show.

Despite a truly awful transfer, nostalgia freaks will undoubtedly want to add this to their collection.