7.4/10109 votesLoading...#1 - Rumpole and the Golden Thread
Season 3 Episode 2 - Aired 10/18/1983
Rumpole flies to Neranga, in Africa, to defend David Mazenze (his former law pupil) on a charge of murder. Rumpole meets with politcs, tribal hatred, and confusion - and his client seems to have no credible alibi to offer for the time of the murder.
Director: N/A
Writer: John Mortimer
- 7.6/10104 votesLoading...
#2 - Rumpole and the Fascist Beast
Season 2 Episode 4 - Aired 6/19/1979
Rumpole defends Captain Rex Parkin, who is charged with inciting a riot by racist speeches. Rumpole also has a new pupil, one Latif Khan.
Director: N/A
Writer: John Mortimer
- 7.7/10187 votesLoading...
#3 - Rumpole and the Younger Generation
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 4/3/1978
Rumpole defends young Jim Timson, who has been grassed up for robbery with violence by 'Peanuts' Molloy - one of a rival gang of East End villains with whom the Timsons have an ancient feud. Unhappily, Jim's only alibi rests upon a junior member of the Molloy family. Meanwhile, Rumpole is having trouble communicating with his own son, Nick. He is also vexed by the question of who will be the new Head of Chambers at Number 3, Equity Court. Might he dare to dream that it could be him?
Director: Herbert Wise
Writer: John Mortimer
- 7.7/10164 votesLoading...
#4 - Rumpole and the Alternative Society
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 4/10/1978
Rumpole is in the west of England to visit an old friend from his days in the Royal Air Force, Sam ('Three Fingers') Dogherty, and to defend Kathy Trelawney, who is charged with selling cannabis to a police agent provocateur.
Director: Herbert Wise
Writer: John Mortimer
- 7.7/10107 votesLoading...
#5 - Rumpole and the Man of God
Season 2 Episode 1 - Aired 5/29/1979
Rumpole defends a vicar who is charged with stealing three shirts from a department store, but the troubled clergyman refuses to take the stand in his own defense. George Frobisher, who is in line to be appointed as a Circuit Judge, comes to dinner with the Rumpoles and introduces his new girlfriend. Rumpole remembers seeing her in court and advises his friend to think again.
Director: N/A
Writer: John Mortimer
- 7.7/1082 votesLoading...
#6 - Rumpole and the Right to Silence
Season 6 Episode 3 - Aired 11/11/1991
Rumpole defends a radical lecturer accused of murdering an unpopular university official - but his client refuses to give critical information in his own defence.Hilda takes offense, after Rumpole gives Ballard and Erskine-Brown advice on the keeping of secrets from their lady wives.
Director: N/A
Writer: John Mortimer
- 7.7/1078 votesLoading...
#7 - Rumpole and the Quacks
Season 6 Episode 5 - Aired 11/25/1991
Rumpole defends his own doctor, charged with sexually molesting a woman patient - and Rumpole's friend Phyllida is counsel for the prosecution.Claude Erskine-Brown is in hot water when Phyllida comes to believe he is advertising for women friends in an under-the-counter magazine.
Director: Robert Tronson
Writer: John Mortimer
- 7.8/10127 votesLoading...
#8 - Rumpole and the Honourable Member
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 4/17/1978
Rumpole defends Ken Aspen, a politician accused of raping a party worker. The defendant admits there was intercourse but claims it was consensual, and Rumpole believes he has found a strong line of defense.Meanwhile, Rumpole's favorite clerk has been accused of stealing from the petty cash at Number 3, Equity Court...
Director: Herbert Wise
Writer: John Mortimer
- 7.8/10126 votesLoading...
#9 - Rumpole and the Married Lady
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 4/24/1978
Rumpole defends a woman (Mrs Thripp) in a divorce action brought by her husband, claiming infidelity. She Who Must Be Obeyed (Mrs Rumpole) forms the opinion that her husband has a mistress - with curious results. Meanwhile, the aggrieved Thripp has begun a battle of notes.
Director: N/A
Writer: John Mortimer
- 7.8/10112 votesLoading...
#10 - Rumpole and the Learned Friends
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 5/1/1978
Guthrie Featherstone, with Rumpole as his junior, defends a safe-cracker who claims to have been framed by the notorious Inspector ""Dirty"" Dickerson. Rumpole risks his reputation by attacking police corruption before a police-friendly judge - and as a result he finds himself called to a disciplinary hearing. There is even the possibility that Rumpole may be forced to retire, but he digs his toes in.
Director: N/A
Writer: John Mortimer
- 7.8/10115 votesLoading...
#11 - Rumpole and the Course of True Love
Season 2 Episode 5 - Aired 6/26/1979
Rumpole defends a flamboyanty romantic young schoolteacher who is accused of seducing a pupil.Meanwhile, Rumpole's colleague in chambers Guthrie Featherstone pursues his ambition of becoming a High Court judge, while Phyllida has a secret to keep from a former lover.
Director: N/A
Writer: John Mortimer
- 7.9/10124 votesLoading...
#12 - Rumpole and the Heavy Brigade
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 5/15/1978
Rumpole is busy defending the youngest son of a family of villains on a murder charge. His client has all the evidence stacked against him, but meanwhile it is Rumpole's battered old bowler which is becoming the focus of bemused attention in chambers and beyondHilda has made up her mind that Rumpole is to take her to the Scales of Justice Ball. Perhaps a new hat and an acquittal at the Old Bailey will get him in the mood for dancing?
Director: Herbert Wise
Writer: John Mortimer
- 7.9/10125 votesLoading...
#13 - Rumpole and the Show Folk
Season 2 Episode 3 - Aired 6/12/1979
Rumpole travels to the north of England and practices his own theatricality in defense of Maggie Hartley, an actress accused of shooting her womanizing husband.
Director: Peter Hammond
Writer: John Mortimer
- 7.9/1097 votesLoading...
#14 - Rumpole and the Age for Retirement
Season 2 Episode 6 - Aired 7/3/1979
Rumpole defends Percy Timson, a receiver of stolen property who has been framed for the theft of an important painting which is out of his league. Meanwhile, Rumpole's wife and son Nick (who is now a college lecturer in the US) are making plans for Rumpole's retirement in the very near future - to a restful existence in Maryland.
Director: N/A
Writer: John Mortimer
- 7.9/1086 votesLoading...
#15 - Rumpole and the Family Pride
Season 7 Episode 5 - Aired 11/26/1992
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
- 8.0/10114 votesLoading...
#16 - 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
- 8.0/10187 votesLoading...
#17 - 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
- 8.0/1094 votesLoading...
#18 - 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
- 8.0/1087 votesLoading...
#19 - Rumpole and Portia
Season 5 Episode 5 - Aired 12/21/1988
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: N/A
Writer: John Mortimer
- 8.0/1076 votesLoading...
#20 - Rumpole and the Children of the Devil
Season 7 Episode 1 - Aired 10/29/1992
Rumpole again defends the Timsons, when they are accused of Satanism and their daughter Tracy has been put into local authority care. Hilda is angling for Rumpole to take her to this year's Scales of Justice Ball.
Director: James Cellan Jones
Writer: John Mortimer
- 8.0/1077 votesLoading...
#21 - Rumpole and the Reform of Joby Jonson
Season 7 Episode 4 - Aired 11/19/1992
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: N/A
Writer: John Mortimer
- 8.1/10105 votesLoading...
#22 - 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
- 8.1/1087 votesLoading...
#23 - 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
- 8.1/1089 votesLoading...
#24 - 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
- 8.1/1089 votesLoading...
#25 - 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
The Worst Episodes of Rumpole of the Bailey
Every episode of Rumpole of the Bailey ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst 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
Worst Episodes Summary
"Rumpole and the Golden Thread" is the worst rated episode of "Rumpole of the Bailey". It scored 7.4/10 based on 109 votes. Directed by N/A and written by John Mortimer, it aired on 10/18/1983. This episode scored 0.2 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Rumpole and the Fascist Beast".