Season 5 • Episode 4
LatestA climber dies after a cliff fall and a witness claims that his climbing partner is responsible.
Wycliffe is a British television series, based on W. J. Burley's novels about Detective Superintendent Charles Wycliffe. It was produced by HTV and broadcast on the ITV Network, following a pilot episode on 7 August 1993, between 24 July 1994 and 5 July 1998. The series was filmed in Cornwall, with a production office in Truro. Music for the series was composed by Nigel Hess and was awarded the Royal Television Society award for the best television theme. Wycliffe is played by Jack Shepherd, assisted by DI Doug Kersey and DI Lucy Lane. Each episode deals with a murder investigation. In the early series, the stories are adapted from Burley's books and are in classic whodunit style, often with quirky characters and plot elements. In later seasons, the tone becomes more naturalistic and there is more emphasis on internal politics within the police.
Acting
Jack Shepherd's weary authority anchors every scene.
Score
That RTS-winning theme slaps harder than it should.
Production
Cornwall shot so beautifully you'll ignore the body count.
Creator
W.J. Burley
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Nigel Hess composed the theme while stuck in Cornwall traffic; the mournful brass apparently reflects his mood.
Wycliffe helped establish 'Cornwall as character' — without it, no Poldarek 2.0 or Doc Martin tourism boom.
GB
