Television series

Pie in the Sky

Name: Pie in the Sky
Genre: Drama, Crime
Released: 1994
Cast: Richard Griffiths, Maggie Steed, Malcolm Sinclair, Nick Raggett, Bella Enahoro

Other titles called Pie in the Sky: the 1935 film.

Police procedural
Light-hearted

A cosy British police drama with an inspired hook: a reluctant detective who'd rather be running his restaurant. Richard Griffiths is Henry Crabbe, caught between murder investigations and menu planning in the fictional town of Middleton. It's comfort viewing—warm, gentle, occasionally funny, with crimes that feel manageable and a rhythm that lets you breathe. For people who want their crime drama to be about something other than despair.

If you liked this

Midsomer Murders1998

Same era, same gentle British tone, same cosy-yet-deadly formula. John Nettles as an amateur detective stumbling through picturesque villages where everyone's committing murder. It has Pie in the Sky's warmth without the restaurant subplot.

But Runs for twenty-eight series. Commitment is required, and the village settings can feel samey after a while.

Heartbeat1992

Period police procedural with real heart and humour. Set in 1960s Yorkshire, it balances small-town mysteries with genuine character moments. Same BBC One sensibility, similar rhythm—crime as backdrop to human stories.

But The nostalgia can be heavy-handed. It occasionally mistakes sentiment for depth.

A Touch of Frost1992

David Jason as a gruff detective who bends the rules to get results. Serious crime writing with real stakes, but grounded in character and dialogue. If you want Pie in the Sky's warmth with actual darkness underneath.

But Considerably darker than its lighter cousin. No restaurant, no whimsy—just good police work and genuine tragedy.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Pie in the Sky

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Strictly Come Dancing2004

Both are comfort television with structure underneath. Both work because the frame doesn't matter; what matters is watching people try, care, and occasionally fail. Pie in the Sky solves murders; Strictly solves loneliness.

This feels like a wildcard from another planet, but hear it: the structure is identical to Pie in the Sky. A procedural framework (judged routines, scores, elimination) wrapped around warmth, character, and genuine human moments. Richard Griffiths appeared as a celebrity contestant—you could watch for that alone.

But It's a reality competition show. If you hate that format, no argument will land. It's also become a cultural institution, which makes approaching it fresh genuinely difficult.

Dalziel and Pascoe

Yorkshire detectives with chemistry and wit. It's procedural, but the banter between the two leads lifts it. Clever writing, proper mysteries, and an intelligence that respects the audience.

But The dynamic can tip into cosy-crime occasionally. Not every episode lands.

Jonathan Creek1997

Magician-turned-investigator solving impossible crimes. Written by David Renwick, it's clever and often brilliant, with a dry humour that feels fresher than most 90s television.

But The central character's quirks can grate. Some solutions feel designed to be clever rather than inevitable.

Waking the Dead2000

Cold case unit with real emotional weight. Trevor Eve leads a team through old crimes, which allows for darker storytelling while maintaining the British TV warmth that makes Pie in the Sky work.

But Started strong but lost focus by its later series. Best viewed early and then stopped.

Cagney & Lacey1982

American police procedural with genuine character development. Two female detectives working homicide with humour and humanity. It influenced every cop show that came after, including Pie in the Sky's DNA.

But Eighties production values and pacing. The cases are sometimes secondary to the character work, which won't suit everyone.

The Bill1984

Long-running British police drama with ensemble cast and solid procedural bones. More serious than Pie in the Sky but with the same commitment to character and everyday detail.

But Vast archive to choose from. Early series are better, but committing to the show means wading through later decline.

Bergerac1981

John Nettles again, this time as a private detective on Jersey. Lighter tone, good humour, genuine mysteries. It's the spiritual grandfather of Pie in the Sky's warmth.

But Dated more noticeably than contemporaries. The setting, while pretty, can feel isolating rather than cosy.

Babette's Feast1987

Both believe that food is love, and that hospitality is a form of grace. Pie in the Sky is the comedy version of this belief; Babette's Feast is the theological one. One winks; the other prays.

Danish film about an exiled French chef cooking a single perfect meal for a small, austere religious community. What Henry Crabbe wants—a world where food and care are the same thing—is what this film quietly, beautifully argues for. Slow, profound, almost sacred.

But Nothing happens except a meal is prepared and eaten. If you need plot momentum or narrative tension, this will feel like watching paint dry. It requires patience most television audiences have forgotten how to have.