My Critique of Inspector Wexford
The Ruth Rendell Mysteries distinguished itself through George Baker’s quietly cerebral portrayal of Wexford, focusing on moral ambiguity rather than procedural theatrics. Where contemporaries fetishised forensic detail or urban grit, this series privileged slow-burn psychological inquiry within its fictional Kingsmarkham.
Its unflashy, dialogue-driven style now feels dated, and the later non-Wexford entries diluted the core identity. Yet its serious engagement with social issues like racism and capital punishment grants the show enduring relevance.
For the modern viewer, it remains essential as a bridge between classic British whodunits and character-driven drama.
Principal Characters & Performances
Chief Inspector Reginald Wexford
George Baker’s portrayal of Chief Inspector Reg Wexford is the definitive anchor of the series. He did not play a hard-boiled detective or a troubled genius.
Instead, Baker presented Wexford as a thoughtful, literate, and deeply humane policeman. His performance was grounded in a sense of weary wisdom and a quiet, persistent curiosity about people.
Wexford’s strength was his psychological insight, often gleaned from his love of books and his observations of human nature. Baker allowed the character’s compassion and occasional impatience to surface naturally, particularly in interactions with his more conventional colleague, Mike Burden.
This created a detective who solved crimes not just through procedure, but through empathy and a nuanced understanding of motive.
The character’s domestic life with his wife Dora, portrayed with warmth by Louie Ramsay, was a consistent feature. These scenes were not mere filler.
They provided essential grounding, showing Wexford as a complete man whose professional discernment was informed by his stable, if sometimes tested, home life. Baker’s Wexford remains one of British television’s most fully realised and enduring police figures.
Detective Inspector Mike Burden
As Wexford’s principal colleague, Christopher Ravenscroft’s Detective Inspector Mike Burden served as the perfect foil. Initially, Burden embodied a more traditional, conservative, and often judgmental police mindset.
Ravenscroft expertly charted the character’s subtle evolution across the series, influenced by Wexford’s more liberal perspective.
Their dynamic was the engine of many investigations. Wexford’s intuitive leaps would often clash with Burden’s methodical, by-the-book approach, creating a productive tension.
Ravenscroft never let Burden become a caricature. His performance showed a man of principle, sometimes rigid, but fundamentally decent and capable of growth.
This was especially evident in stories dealing with social change, where Burden’s initial prejudices were gently challenged. The inclusion of his family life, with Ann Penfold as his wife Jean, added another layer.
It contrasted with the Wexfords’ household, offering a different view of the pressures and supports in a policeman’s life. Ravenscroft made Burden’s journey feel authentic and integral to the series’ depth.
Notable Support and Guest Stars
The ensemble around Wexford and Burden provided a solid foundation of familiar faces. Ken Kitson appeared in supporting police roles, contributing to the credible day-to-day operation of the Kingsmarkham station.
Sean Pertwee later joined as Sergeant Barry Vine, bringing a younger, diligent energy to the investigative team.
The series excelled, however, in its casting of guest actors for individual storylines. These were often accomplished performers who brought complex suspects and victims to life.
Episodes featured powerful turns from actors like George Harris and Jenny Jules in “Simisola,” and Mel Martin and Richard Johnson in “Kissing the Gunner’s Daughter.”
Virginia McKenna and Norman Rodway appeared in “The Speaker of Mandarin,” lending gravitas to the overseas mystery. These guest stars were never mere plot devices.
They elevated each story, matching the lead performances in quality and ensuring that the world of Kingsmarkham felt densely populated with real, compelling individuals, each with secrets worth uncovering.
Key Episodes & Defining Stories
Simisola: Part One
This 1996 story sees Wexford personally approached by his doctor, Raymond Akande, to find his missing daughter. What begins as a favour swiftly darkens into a case exposing systemic racism and discrimination in employment and policing.
Adapted from Ruth Rendell’s acclaimed novel, it is a landmark episode for its direct engagement with social issues.
The guest cast, including George Harris as Dr. Akande and Jenny Jules as the missing Melanie, delivers performances of profound dignity and urgency.
It matters because it represents the series at its most contemporary and morally engaged, pushing Wexford to confront institutional biases within his own world. Fans remember it for its courage and its unflinching look at a side of English life often ignored in mainstream drama of the time.
A New Lease of Death: Part One
This early episode confronts Wexford with a profound professional crisis. A past murder case he investigated, which ended in an execution, is reopened, casting doubt on his original conclusions.
The story delves into the haunting legacy of capital punishment and the fallibility of justice.
It is a defining character study of Wexford’s integrity. The episode requires him to re-examine his own certainty and face the possibility of a catastrophic error.
This introspective, conscience-driven plot showcases the series’ preference for psychological and ethical tension over physical action. Fans value it for its moral complexity and for showing the weight of responsibility that defines Baker’s Wexford from the outset.
From Doon with Death: Part One
As the television adaptation of Ruth Rendell’s first Wexford novel, this episode is historically crucial. It introduces the core dynamic between Wexford and Burden as they investigate the murder of a seemingly ordinary housewife.
The investigation hinges on a cache of inscribed books, a clue appealing directly to Wexford’s literary mind.
The mystery unravels a hidden life of passion and repression, touching on themes of forbidden love and social conformity. It matters because it establishes the series’ foundational formula: a crime rooted in the secret emotional histories of apparently commonplace lives.
Fans remember it as the purest origin of the show’s appeal, where a detective’s understanding of human nature proves more vital than forensic science.
The World of Inspector Wexford
The fictional town of Kingsmarkham is the essential backdrop. It is not a picture-postcard village nor a gritty urban landscape, but a believable provincial English market town.
The series used real locations to create this setting, filming in suburban streets, rural lanes, and local pubs that felt instantly familiar.
This environment grounded the stories in a recognizable social reality. The crimes disrupted the quiet order of middle-class homes, council estates, and affluent properties alike.
Kingsmarkham’s police station, with its mundane routines, felt like a real workplace. The changing English weather and seasons visible across episodes added to the authentic atmosphere.
This carefully constructed world made the intrusion of murder feel both shocking and psychologically plausible, as dark secrets surfaced in everyday places.
Origin Story
The series began as part of “The Ruth Rendell Mysteries” for ITV, first airing in August 1987. It was created by adapting Rendell’s novels and stories featuring Chief Inspector Reg Wexford.
Initial production was handled by Television South, with later series produced by Meridian Broadcasting and Blue Heaven Productions.
Executive producers like Graham Benson oversaw its development. The programme was a deliberate effort to translate Rendell’s literary prestige to television, offering sophisticated, character-driven crime drama.
Its successful formula ensured a long production run, with the Wexford stories becoming the centrepiece of the broader anthology series for many viewers.
Narrative Style & Tone
The series is a dialogue-driven police procedural with a strong emphasis on psychology and motive. Plots are typically multi-part, allowing for a slow-burn investigation where red herrings and character studies can develop naturally.
Action is minimal; the tension arises from interviews, revelations, and the gradual piecing together of hidden lives.
The tone is measured and intelligent, focusing on the moral dilemmas and social observations within the mystery. Brian Bennett’s distinctive musical score is used sparingly to underscore atmosphere.
The style is classic British television drama: naturalistic, location-based, and reliant on the strength of its scripts and performances to explore the complexities behind each crime.
How is Inspector Wexford remembered?
The series is recalled as a hallmark of quality Sunday evening drama from its era. It maintained a reputation for intelligence and substance throughout its run from 1987 to 2000.
George Baker’s embodiment of Wexford is consistently praised as the definitive interpretation, capturing the character’s humanity and depth.
Its connection to Ruth Rendell’s work lent it a prestige status as a literary adaptation. The show’s focus on social issues and psychological realism has earned it a respected place in the history of British crime television.
Continued repeats on channels like ITV3 demonstrate its enduring appeal. For fans, it represents a time when crime drama prioritized character and motive, set in a world that felt authentically and compellingly real.
In Closing
For those who appreciate crime stories where the mystery lies in the human heart as much as in the deed, the world of Inspector Wexford remains a rich and rewarding destination.