Ep 9. Who Only Stand and Wait

Pie in the Sky is a British comedy-drama television series that aired from 1994 to 1997. Set in the fictional town of Middleton, the series stars Richard Griffiths as Henry Crabbe, a former Detective Chief Inspector who has retired from the police force to open a restaurant called Pie in the Sky. Season 1 episode 9 is titled "Who Only Stand and Wait."

In this episode, Henry is hired by the local council to investigate a case of fraud involving a school's building fund. When Henry visits the school, he discovers that the headmaster, Mr. Lipscombe, and the school bursar, Mrs. Dixey, have been embezzling money from the fund and using it to pay for their personal expenses. However, when Henry confronts them about their misdeeds, they deny any wrongdoing and instead accuse Henry of trying to frame them.

Despite this setback, Henry continues to investigate the case. He discovers that Mr. Lipscombe and Mrs. Dixey have been working with a local contractor named Mr. Saunders, who has been inflating the prices of the school's building projects in exchange for a cut of the embezzled funds. With the help of his kitchen staff, Henry devises a plan to catch Mr. Saunders in the act and expose the fraud once and for all.

The episode also explores Henry's personal life, particularly his relationship with his son, Howard. Howard is still angry with his father for leaving the police force and becoming a chef. He believes that Henry is wasting his talents and should be doing something more important with his life. However, Henry is determined to prove to Howard that he is making a difference in his own way, both through his work as a chef and his investigations of local crimes.

Overall, "Who Only Stand and Wait" is a fun and engaging episode of Pie in the Sky. It combines elements of crime drama with comedy and manages to strike a great balance between the two. The characters are well-developed and the plotline is both intriguing and entertaining. Fans of the show will definitely enjoy this episode and it's a great introduction to the series for those who are new to it.