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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!

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...
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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Rumpole of the Bailey Season 4 Episode 4 - Rumpole and the Judge's Elbow
    8.4/10(88 votes)

    #1 - Rumpole and the Judge's Elbow

    S4:E4

    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:Donald McWhinnie
    Writer:John Mortimer

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  2. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 6 Episode 1 - Rumpole a la Carte
    8.4/10(109 votes)

    #2 - Rumpole a la Carte

    S6:E1

    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

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  3. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 7 Episode 6 - Rumpole on Trial
    8.4/10(118 votes)

    #3 - Rumpole on Trial

    S7:E6

    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:Unknown

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  4. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 3 Episode 6 - Rumpole and the Last Resort
    8.3/10(107 votes)

    #4 - Rumpole and the Last Resort

    S3:E6

    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

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  5. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 4 Episode 2 - Rumpole and the Blind Tasting
    8.3/10(101 votes)

    #5 - Rumpole and the Blind Tasting

    S4:E2

    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:Roger Bamford
    Writer:John Mortimer

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  6. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 7 Episode 3 - Rumpole and the Eternal Triangle
    8.3/10(88 votes)

    #6 - Rumpole and the Eternal Triangle

    S7:E3

    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

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Rumpole of the Bailey

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  7. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 3 Episode 1 - Rumpole and the Genuine Article
    8.2/10(109 votes)

    #7 - Rumpole and the Genuine Article

    S3:E1

    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

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  8. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 4 Episode 3 - Rumpole and the Official Secret
    8.2/10(100 votes)

    #8 - Rumpole and the Official Secret

    S4:E3

    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:Rodney Bennett
    Writer:John Mortimer

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  9. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 4 Episode 5 - Rumpole and the Bright Seraphim
    8.2/10(93 votes)

    #9 - Rumpole and the Bright Seraphim

    S4:E5

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

    Director:Martyn Friend
    Writer:John Mortimer

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  10. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 5 Episode 1 - Rumpole and the Bubble Reputation
    8.2/10(93 votes)

    #10 - Rumpole and the Bubble Reputation

    S5:E1

    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:Unknown
    Writer:John Mortimer

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  11. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 5 Episode 6 - Rumpole and the Quality of Life
    8.2/10(99 votes)

    #11 - Rumpole and the Quality of Life

    S5:E6

    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:Roger Bamford
    Writer:John Mortimer

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  12. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 6 Episode 4 - Rumpole at Sea
    8.2/10(99 votes)

    #12 - Rumpole at Sea

    S6:E4

    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

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  13. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 6 Episode 6 - Rumpole for the Prosecution
    8.2/10(80 votes)

    #13 - Rumpole for the Prosecution

    S6:E6

    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

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  14. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 3 Episode 5 - Rumpole and the Sporting Life
    8.1/10(102 votes)

    #14 - Rumpole and the Sporting Life

    S3:E5

    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

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  15. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 4 Episode 6 - Rumpole's Last Case
    8.1/10(95 votes)

    #15 - Rumpole's Last Case

    S4:E6

    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:Rodney Bennett
    Writer:John Mortimer

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  16. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 5 Episode 2 - Rumpole and the Barrow Boy
    8.1/10(94 votes)

    #16 - Rumpole and the Barrow Boy

    S5:E2

    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:Julian Amyes
    Writer:John Mortimer

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  17. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 5 Episode 4 - Rumpole and the Tap End
    8.1/10(90 votes)

    #17 - Rumpole and the Tap End

    S5:E4

    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:Julian Amyes
    Writer:John Mortimer

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  18. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 6 Episode 2 - Rumpole and the Summer of Discontent
    8.1/10(87 votes)

    #18 - Rumpole and the Summer of Discontent

    S6:E2

    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:Unknown
    Writer:John Mortimer

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  19. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 7 Episode 2 - Rumpole and the Miscarriage of Justice
    8.1/10(75 votes)

    #19 - Rumpole and the Miscarriage of Justice

    S7:E2

    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

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  20. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 3 Episode 4 - Rumpole and the Female of the Species
    8.0/10(93 votes)

    #20 - Rumpole and the Female of the Species

    S3:E4

    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:Donald McWhinnie
    Writer:John Mortimer

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  21. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 4 Episode 1 - Rumpole and the Old, Old Story
    8.0/10(97 votes)

    #21 - Rumpole and the Old, Old Story

    S4:E1

    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:Roger Bamford
    Writer:John Mortimer

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  22. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 5 Episode 3 - Rumpole and the Age of Miracles
    8.0/10(99 votes)

    #22 - Rumpole and the Age of Miracles

    S5:E3

    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:Mike Vardy
    Writer:John Mortimer

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  23. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 5 Episode 5 - Rumpole and Portia
    8.0/10(95 votes)

    #23 - Rumpole and Portia

    S5:E5

    Rumpole defends Stanley Culp, a scrap dealer, on charges of selling arms to terrorists. The case comes before a newly appointed Recorder - Phyllida Erskine-Brown.

    Director:Roger Bamford
    Writer:John Mortimer

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  24. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 7 Episode 4 - Rumpole and the Reform of Joby Jonson
    8.0/10(85 votes)

    #24 - Rumpole and the Reform of Joby Jonson

    S7:E4

    Rumpole defends a teenager charged with stealing from old people. Curiously, Rumpole's own apartment is promptly broken into and documents are stolen. Erskine-Brown is in the running again to 'take silk' (become a Queen's Counsel) but the word around the Inns of Court is that he does not have enough 'bottom' and will not make the grade. Phyllida launches a campaign in support of Claude, but can she pull it off?

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:John Mortimer

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  25. Rumpole of the Bailey Season 7 Episode 5 - Rumpole and the Family Pride
    8.0/10(95 votes)

    #25 - Rumpole and the Family Pride

    S7:E5

    Rumpole and Hilda are invited for the weekend at a cousin's castle - but when they get there they find their relation faces the charge of murdering a travelling woman and is looking for Rumpole to rally round to help him.

    Director:John Gorrie
    Writer:John Mortimer

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Best Episodes Summary

"Rumpole and the Judge's Elbow" is the best rated episode of "Rumpole of the Bailey". It scored 8.4/10 based on 88 votes. Directed by Donald McWhinnie and written by John Mortimer, it aired on 2/9/1987. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Rumpole a la Carte".