An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (TV series)
An Unsuitable Job for a Woman is a British television mystery drama series, based upon the novel of the same name by P.D. James, that starred Helen Baxendale and Annette Crosbie.[1] Two series were produced, each focusing on two separate feature-length dramas, each based in part upon the book of the same name and its sequel, The Skull Beneath the Skin.[2] These aired on ITV between 24 October 1997 and 16 May 2001, also airing in the United States on PBS as part of their Mystery! series.[3]
An Unsuitable Job for a Woman | |
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Genre | Mystery |
Based on | An Unsuitable Job for a Woman by P.D. James |
Directed by | Ben Bolt John Strickland David Evans Mary McMurray |
Starring | Helen Baxendale Annette Crosbie Rosemary Leach Struan Rodger |
Composer(s) | Colin Towns |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
No. of series | 2 |
No. of episodes | 10 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) | Rebecca Eaton Stephen Matthews Douglas Rae |
Producer(s) | Colin Ludlow Debbie Shewell |
Cinematography | Dick Dodd |
Editor(s) | David Head |
Running time | 60 minutes (UK; 1997–1998) 120 minutes (UK; 1999–2001) |
Production company(s) | Ecosse Films WGBH Boston HTV |
Distributor | ITV Studios |
Release | |
Original network | ITV |
Picture format | 16:9 |
Audio format | Stereo |
Original release | 24 October 1997 – 16 May 2001 |
Baxendale stars as Cordelia Gray, a young, aspiring private detective learning the ropes from her mentor, disgraced ex-policeman Bernie Pryde (Jeff Nuttall). But when Pryde's sudden suicide leaves Cordelia the sole proprietor of his ramshackle agency, she is forced to continue her education on the job. With only Mrs. Sparshott (Annette Crosbie), the agency's longtime secretary and her new assistant on the team, Cordelia finds herself thrust headfirst into unfamiliar waters. The complete series was released on DVD in the United States on 8 January 2008.[4]
Cast
- Helen Baxendale as Cordelia Gray
- Annette Crosbie as Edith Sparshott
- Rosemary Leach as Miss Markland
- Struan Rodger as DCS Fergusson
Guest cast
Sacrifice
- Ian McDiarmid as Ronald Callender
- Phyllis Logan as Elizabeth Leaming
- Jeff Nuttall as Bernie Pryde
- Frank Middlemass as Mr. Markland
- Mark Heap as Det. Sgt. Marskell
A Last Embrace
- Gemma Jones as Julia Hampson
- Leigh Lawson as Andrew Hampson
- Julian Rhind-Tutt as Philip Hampson
- Andrew Bicknell as Peter Forbes
- Mark Dexter as Barry Forbes
- Matilda Ziegler as Hilary Hampson
Living on Risk
- Gwyneth Strong as Det. Insp. Richards
- Steve John Shepherd as Lee
- Craig Fairbrass as Jason
- James Hiller as Dave Crawford
Playing God
- Flora Montgomery as Laura Fergusson
- Anna Madeley as Petra
- Gerard Butler as Tim Bolton
- Jack Ellis as Stephen Childs
- Catherine Russell as Caroline Childs
- David Harewood as Det. Insp. Peterson
- Colin Tierney as Det. Sgt. Clacey
- John Bowler as Det. Const. Wilton
Episodes
Series 1 (1997–1998)
No. overall | No. in series | Title | Directed by | Written by | British air date | UK viewers (million)[5] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | "Sacrifice: Part 1" | Ben Bolt | William Humble | 24 October 1997 23 April 1998 (PBS) | N/A | |
Cordelia Gray inherits the detective agency she works for, after the death of her boss. Her first case comes when she is hired by Ronald Callender, an eminent scientist, to investigate why his son, Cambridge University student Mark Callender, has committed suicide. She soon discovers the case is more dangerous and complex than it at first appeared. | |||||||
2 | 2 | "Sacrifice: Part 2" | Ben Bolt | William Humble | 31 October 1997 30 April 1998 (PBS) | N/A | |
Cordelia moves into the summer house where Mark Callender was found hanged, and finds herself threatened. Mark's friends also seem determined to deflect her investigation into his suicide. Cordelia then discovers that Ronald stands to benefit from his son's death. | |||||||
3 | 3 | "Sacrifice: Part 3" | Ben Bolt | William Humble | 7 November 1997 7 May 1998 (PBS) | N/A | |
Cordelia uncovers the mysterious circumstances relating to the discovery of Mark's body. As she gets closer to the truth, there is a further twist as the investigation ends in nightmarish fashion. | |||||||
4 | 4 | "A Last Embrace: Part 1" | John Strickland | William Humble | 19 February 1998 14 May 1998 (PBS) | N/A | |
Cordelia goes undercover as a holiday relief at the Claircourt Park Hotel when the proprietor is accused by his wife of sexually harassing female staff. But when she arrives, the woman has disappeared. | |||||||
5 | 5 | "A Last Embrace: Part 2" | John Strickland | William Humble | 26 February 1998 21 May 1998 (PBS) | N/A | |
Cordelia is upset and unsure whom to trust after events at the hotel. The Hampson family is thrown into discord when a murderer strikes. | |||||||
6 | 6 | "A Last Embrace: Part 3" | John Strickland | William Humble | 5 March 1998 28 May 1998 (PBS) | N/A | |
Cordelia finds herself conflicted as her investigation moves towards a conclusion. |
Series 2 (1999)
No. overall | No. in series | Title | Directed by | Written by | British air date | UK viewers (million)[5] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 | 1 | "Living on Risk: Part 1" | David Evans | Christopher Russell | 27 August 1999 14 October 1999 (PBS) | 6.31 | |
With the agency struggling, and now pregnant, Cordelia welcomes a seemingly straightforward job. But is the man she is hired to follow a killer or a victim? | |||||||
7 | 2 | "Living on Risk: Part 2" | David Evans | Christopher Russell | 27 August 1999 21 October 1999 (PBS) | 6.31 | |
Cordelia discovers she may have been hired to help commit a crime, not prevent to one. | |||||||
8 | 3 | "Playing God: Part 1" | Mary McMurray | Barbara Machin | 28 October 1999 (PBS) 16 May 2001 (ITV) | 6.57 | |
Now heavily pregnant, and facing an uncertain future, Cordelia accepts a job from her an adversary, DCS Fergusson, who hires her to spy on his daughter's boyfriend, Tim Bolton, but then abruptly breaks the job off. | |||||||
9 | 4 | "Playing God: Part 2" | Mary McMurray | Barbara Machin | 4 November 1999 (PBS) 16 May 2001 (ITV) | 6.57 | |
Cordelia is hired by Tim's daughter, Laura, to resume the investigation. |
References
- TV.com. "An Unsuitable Job for a Woman – Episode Guide". TV.com. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
- "An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (an Episode Guide)". epguides.com. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
- "Cordelia Gray". thrillingdetective.com. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
- "Amazon.com: An Unsuitable Job for a Woman 1 and 2: Helen Baxendale, Mystery: Movies & TV". Amazon.com. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
- "Weekly top 10 programmes". BARB. Retrieved 16 December 2017.