 | Wainthropp 101 Hetty Wainthropp Investigates saw four series (seasons) of production, from 1996 to 1998. It was filmed on location in Lancashire. The story centered on the adventures of Hetty Wainthropp, a retiree turned private detective armed only with her sharp tongue and Margaret Thatcher hair. Think Miss Marple with attitude and a hat collection. Together with her husband Robert and her teenaged assistant Geoffrey Shawcross (who was unwittingly roped into service after Hetty caught him shoplifting, the little vagabond), Hetty solved a different crime each week, while sticking (mostly) to her "no murders" rule and her no-nonsense style of investigating -- which usually involved making Geoffrey do all the dirty work. American fans often compare the show to "Murder She Wrote" as a simple, family-oriented mystery, in that the danger is never really all that dangerous, the dialogue can be a tad unrealistic (heh) and everyone learns A Valuable Lesson in the end. It's a fair comparison, but I've always been a bigger fan of British TV myself... and Jessica Fletcher never had a pretty young thing to drive her around in a convertible VW bug. Hetty was played by Patricia Routledge, whom many people remember as Hyacinth Bucket from "Keeping Up Appearances". But Hetty is a far cry from the Lady of the Boo-Kay Residence. Her matronly detective is keen-witted and sharp, and always solves her case with tact and style. Well, most of the time. Cast List Hetty Wainthropp -- Patricia Routledge Robert Wainthropp -- Derek Benfield Geoffrey Shawcross -- Dominic Monaghan Janet Fraser -- Suzanne Maddock Frank Wainthropp -- Frank Mills DCI Adams -- John Graham Davies |
