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The Best Episodes of Rumpole of the Bailey

Every episode of Rumpole of the Bailey ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Rumpole of the Bailey!

Rumpole of the Bailey is a British television series created and written by the British writer and barrister John Mortimer. It stars Leo McKern as...
Genres:DramaComedyCrime
Network:ITV1

Best Episodes Summary

"Rumpole and the Blind Tasting" is the best rated episode of "Rumpole of the Bailey". It scored 8.4/10 based on 92 votes. Directed by N/A and written by John Mortimer, it aired on 1/26/1987. This episode scored 0.1 points higher than the second highest rated, "Rumpole and the Last Resort".

  • Rumpole and the Blind Tasting
    8.4/1092 votes
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    #1 - Rumpole and the Blind Tasting

    Season 4 Episode 2 - Aired 1/26/1987

    Yet another of the Timsons needs Rumpole's services as an advocate, this time to answer charges of fencing stolen liquor. Rumpole accepts Ms Liz Probert - a radical left-wing activist - as a pupil, though not without certain misgivings.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: John Mortimer

  • Rumpole and the Last Resort
    8.3/10102 votes
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    #2 - Rumpole and the Last Resort

    Season 3 Episode 6 - Aired 11/15/1983

    Rumpole turns to his wife, Hilda, for help in getting a slippery solicitor to pay what he owes. Meanwhile, Rumpole is busy defending the owner of a caravan rental agency who is accused of fraud.

    Director: Stuart Burge

    Writer: John Mortimer

  • Rumpole and the Judge's Elbow
    8.3/1081 votes
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    #3 - Rumpole and the Judge's Elbow

    Season 4 Episode 4 - Aired 2/9/1987

    Rumpole defends a man charged with running massage parlours as brothels, and his former colleague in chambers Mr Justice Featherstone finds himself in an embarrassing position. The prospect of appointment as a Judge is dangled in front of Rumpole - and it is suggested that he might wish to handle the defense of his present case with suitable discretion, so to speak... The troublesome Heathstoke is working to move number 3 Equity Court into the twentieth century and tries to oust both Rumpole and Henry, the chambers clerk.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: John Mortimer

  • Rumpole a la Carte
    8.3/10103 votes
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    #4 - Rumpole a la Carte

    Season 6 Episode 1 - Aired 10/28/1991

    A live mouse is served to Erskine-Brown in a London restaurant, and Rumpole finds himself defending the self-important chef-restaurateur on the environmental health charges which follow. At home, Hilda takes up with her Canadian cousin, Jean-Pierre O'Higgins, and loses all interest in Rumpole.

    Director: Jim Goddard

    Writer: John Mortimer

  • Rumpole and the Eternal Triangle
    8.3/1082 votes
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    #5 - Rumpole and the Eternal Triangle

    Season 7 Episode 3 - Aired 11/12/1992

    Rumpole flirts with a beautiful violinist and finds himself reluctantly defending her husband, who is charged with murdering the violinist's musical partner.Meanwhile, Claude Erskine-Brown accuses Henry, the clerk at 3 Equity Court, of sexually harassing a secretary.

    Director: Robert Tronson

    Writer: John Mortimer

  • Rumpole on Trial
    8.3/10114 votes
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    #6 - Rumpole on Trial

    Season 7 Episode 6 - Aired 12/3/1992

    Hilda persuades Ballard to defend Rumpole when he faces a disciplinary hearing. Rumpole seems to have gone a good deal too far in what he said in Mr Justice Oliphant's court - or did he?

    Director: John Gorrie

    Writer: N/A

  • Rumpole and the Sporting Life
    8.2/1093 votes
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    #7 - Rumpole and the Sporting Life

    Season 3 Episode 5 - Aired 11/8/1983

    Rumpole gets out into rural England when Fiona Allways persuades him to defend her sister Jennifer, charged with murdering her skirt-chasing husband.

    Director: Bill Hays

    Writer: John Mortimer

  • Rumpole and the Official Secret
    8.2/1094 votes
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    #8 - Rumpole and the Official Secret

    Season 4 Episode 3 - Aired 2/2/1987

    Rumpole defends an elderly woman charged under the Official Secrets Act - she is claimed to have have leaked (so to speak) information revealing excessive British government expenditure on tea.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: John Mortimer

  • Rumpole and the Bright Seraphim
    8.2/1088 votes
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    #9 - Rumpole and the Bright Seraphim

    Season 4 Episode 5 - Aired 2/16/1987

    Rumpole travels to West Germany to defend a British soldier facing a court-martial charged with the murder of his sergeant.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: John Mortimer

  • Rumpole and the Bubble Reputation
    8.2/1085 votes
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    #10 - Rumpole and the Bubble Reputation

    Season 5 Episode 1 - Aired 11/23/1988

    Rumpole fights a claim for libel filed by a woman writer against a low newspaper. Claude Erskine-Brown moves in with Rumpole after being photographed at a night-club of ill repute, to the fury of Phyllida.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: John Mortimer

  • Rumpole at Sea
    8.2/1091 votes
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    #11 - Rumpole at Sea

    Season 6 Episode 4 - Aired 11/18/1991

    Without marked enthusiasm, Rumpole takes Hilda on a cruising holiday. He is appalled to learn that a High Court judge, Mr Justice Graves, is also on board, and Rumpole takes cover - but skullduggery aimed at the missing wife of a politician brings him back to the surface.

    Director: Michael Simpson

    Writer: John Mortimer

  • Rumpole and the Miscarriage of Justice
    8.2/1068 votes
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    #12 - Rumpole and the Miscarriage of Justice

    Season 7 Episode 2 - Aired 11/5/1992

    Rumpole defends a policeman, Superintendent Gannon, who is accused of changing a teenager's statement confessing to murdering a policeman. Meanwhile, Sir Guthrie Featherstone finds himself in hot water - as the Judge in the boy's case, he gave a damning summing-up against him, and now the Lord Chief Justice of England is taking an interest in the matter.

    Director: Robert Tronson

    Writer: John Mortimer

  • Rumpole and the Genuine Article
    8.1/10106 votes
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    #13 - Rumpole and the Genuine Article

    Season 3 Episode 1 - Aired 10/11/1983

    Rumpole defends Harold Brittling, an unsuccessful artist who has been charged with faking a major painting by the late Septimus Craig. But Brittling is remarkably relaxed about the case and seems to have an agenda of his own.

    Director: Robert Knights

    Writer: John Mortimer

  • Rumpole and the Female of the Species
    8.1/1087 votes
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    #14 - Rumpole and the Female of the Species

    Season 3 Episode 4 - Aired 11/1/1983

    Rumpole defends Tony Timson, who is accused of driving the getaway car for a bungled robbery by the Molloy gang - a gang whose relationship with the Timsons is about as warm as that between the Montagues and the Capulets. Meanwhile, Fiona Allways applies to join Rumpole's chambers at number 3, Equity Court, and this meets with opposition from an unexpected quarter - Phyllida.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: John Mortimer

  • Rumpole and the Old, Old Story
    8.1/1090 votes
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    #15 - Rumpole and the Old, Old Story

    Season 4 Episode 1 - Aired 1/19/1987

    Rumpole defends a business man who is accused of trying to murder his partner. After a squabble with 'She Who Must Be Obeyed', Rumpole finally leaves home - but Hilda doesn't seem to miss him very much...

    Director: N/A

    Writer: John Mortimer

  • Rumpole's Last Case
    8.1/1089 votes
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    #16 - Rumpole's Last Case

    Season 4 Episode 6 - Aired 2/23/1987

    The Timsons are in trouble again, and in need of the services of their favourite 'brief'. The old firm is back in business, but as he unravels the mystery of who carried the gun in a bungled robbery Rumpole is unaccountably wearying of it all. After investing with his turf accountant on a valuable four-horse accumulator, Rumpole makes up his mind that it's time to hang up his wig for the last time - but not before telling a few home truths to his old adversary, Mr Justice 'Mad Bull' Bullingham. Meanwhile, the gods have ideas of their own. Hearthstoke is still giving Henry and Dianne a rough time and he even contrives to infuriate Phyllida.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: John Mortimer

  • Rumpole and the Barrow Boy
    8.1/1085 votes
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    #17 - Rumpole and the Barrow Boy

    Season 5 Episode 2 - Aired 11/30/1988

    Young Nigel Timson has moved on from the world of East End villainy and is now working in financial services in the City of London. Rumpole is called on to defend Nigel against charges of insider trading. Meanwhile, Henry, the clerk in Rumpole's chambers, is thinking of running off to Australia with Dianne, the typist, and he turns to Rumpole for advice.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: John Mortimer

  • Rumpole and the Age of Miracles
    8.1/1090 votes
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    #18 - Rumpole and the Age of Miracles

    Season 5 Episode 3 - Aired 12/7/1988

    Rumpole defends his clergyman nephew in an ecclesiastical court, against charges of adultery - of which the bishop takes a dim view. Rumpole's colleagues Ballard and Erskine-Brown appear for the prosecution.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: John Mortimer

  • Rumpole and the Tap End
    8.1/1083 votes
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    #19 - Rumpole and the Tap End

    Season 5 Episode 4 - Aired 12/14/1988

    Rumpole defends Tony Timson on charges of attempted murder - with Tony's wife, April, claiming he tried to drown her - while sexist remarks by Mr Justice Guthrie Featherstone give the press a field day and, more importantly, upset the Lord Chancellor. 'She Who Must Be Obeyed' decides it's time for her to begin her own career in the legal profession.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: John Mortimer

  • Rumpole and the Quality of Life
    8.1/1088 votes
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    #20 - Rumpole and the Quality of Life

    Season 5 Episode 6 - Aired 12/28/1988

    Rumpole defends Lady Perdita Derwent, charged with the murder of her elderly husband. Meanwhile, Ms Liz Probert complains of anti-gay discrimination at number 3, Equity Court, and the portly Rumpole suffers from a strict diet imposed by She Who Must Be Obeyed.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: John Mortimer

  • Rumpole and the Summer of Discontent
    8.1/1082 votes
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    #21 - Rumpole and the Summer of Discontent

    Season 6 Episode 2 - Aired 11/4/1991

    Before Mr Justice Guthrie Featherstone, Rumpole defends a trade unionist on charges of recklessly causing the death of a truck-driver who was crossing a union picket-line. Guthrie is thinking about a strike of his own, to hit back at new rights of audience for mere solicitors in court. Meanwhile, chez Rumpole, Hilda declares she is going on strike herself.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: John Mortimer

  • Rumpole for the Prosecution
    8.1/1073 votes
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    #22 - Rumpole for the Prosecution

    Season 6 Episode 6 - Aired 12/2/1991

    Rumpole agrees to act for the family of a dead girl who are bringing a private prosecution for murder against a policeman. Did a killer receive preferential treatment from his colleagues on the Force, who knew he was guilty but decided not to charge him?Ballard asks Rumpole to prosecute Erskine-Brown, who is accused of stealing work from a colleague in chambers by changing the names on a brief.Mysteriously, Ballard spends a lot of time at a party hiding a bandaged fingertip...

    Director: Robert Tronson

    Writer: John Mortimer

  • Rumpole and the Case of Identity
    8.0/10116 votes
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    #23 - Rumpole and the Case of Identity

    Season 2 Episode 2 - Aired 6/5/1979

    With the Christmas season in full swing, Rumpole defends Dave Anstey on the charge of stabbing a sales assistant in an off-license. It seems to be a case of mistaken identity, but why does Dave's boss, on whom his alibi depends, change his story and undermine the defense? Meanwhile, Rumpole's Head of Chambers has an attractive new secretary, and starts spending a lot of time with her behind closed doors... When Guthrie Featherstone is seen gyrating at a disco with the girl from the typing pool, Rumpole means to get to the bottom of it all.

    Director: Derek Bennett

    Writer: John Mortimer

  • Rumpole's Return
    8.0/10188 votes
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    #24 - Rumpole's Return

    Season 2 Episode 7 - Aired 12/30/1980

    Rumpole has finally retired and has relocated to Miami where son Nick has a position at the university. Rumpole decided to retire after losing a long string of cases before Judge Bullingham, but is quite bored with ogling pretty girls and reading about interesting crimes in The Times. In Chambers, there is now a need to fill the vacancy a young radical lawyer seems to be the front runner. When he needs help on a case, Phyllida Erskine-Brown offers to write to Rumpole and asks for his assistance. To everyone's surprised, Rumpole returns to Chambers and finds himself with a nice little murder case to defend, yet again, before Judge Bullingham. Written by garykmcd

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Rumpole and the Old Boy Net
    8.0/1094 votes
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    #25 - Rumpole and the Old Boy Net

    Season 3 Episode 3 - Aired 10/25/1983

    Rumpole welcomes a new pupil, the beautiful Fiona Allways, and together they defend Mr and Mrs Napier-Lee, who are charged with blackmail and with running an immoral house. But the Napier-Lees are slow to defend themselves, anxious not to expose the lies of an old school friend.

    Director: Tony Dean Smith

    Writer: John Mortimer