Right, confession time. I binged DCI Banks during lockdown. Watched all 32 episodes in about two weeks. My partner thought I’d lost it.
But here’s the thing – the show ended in 2016, nearly a decade ago, and people still go on about it. Why? The Inspector Banks cast was absolutely class.
Stephen Tompkinson Made Inspector Banks Actually Likeable
Tompkinson played Inspector Banks for six years. That’s 32 episodes of playing a grumpy Yorkshire detective who couldn’t keep his personal life together.
What’s mad is how different TV Banks looked from the books. Peter Robinson wrote Banks as this tall, dark-haired bloke. Tompkinson’s nothing like that. But Robinson said after meeting him that Tompkinson just got the character. Sometimes casting’s about feeling rather than looks.
Banks wasn’t your typical TV copper. He messed up constantly. Got suspended more times than I can count. His marriage fell apart. He had this thing with his colleague that everyone knew was a terrible idea.
That’s what made him watchable, though. Tompkinson played him as a real person, not some genius detective who solves everything by the episode’s end. He was stubborn as hell and made decisions that had you shouting at the telly.
My mum loved the show. Said Banks reminded her of blokes she used to work with; a bit difficult, thought they knew best, but you’d want them in your corner when things went sideways.
Andrea Lowe’s Annie Was Everything
Andrea Lowe played DS Annie Cabbot for 27 episodes. The show needed her. Banks on his own would’ve been too grim.
Annie brought this warmth that balanced everything out. She was smart and tough, but also had this emotional side that made her feel real. The chemistry between her and Tompkinson was brilliant; that slow-burn tension kept everyone hooked.
Then they killed her off. Season 5, episode 4. Stabbed to death just after she’d decided to leave her husband for Banks.
Why Was Annie Killed Off On DCI Banks? Lowe said later they couldn’t imagine the characters being all domestic and happy. Fair enough, but loads of fans reckon it’s why the show ended.
I’ll be honest, I nearly stopped watching after that episode. It felt like the writers had shot themselves in the foot. Annie’s death left this massive hole that nothing really filled.
Quick thing: Lowe was pregnant during series two. That’s why Annie suddenly went on maternity leave. Real life got in the way of telly. Happens all the time, apparently.
The Rest Of The Team
Jack Deam played DC Ken Blackstone for all 32 episodes. Solid, dependable, and got on with the job. Not flashy, but every team needs someone like Blackstone doing the actual work whilst Banks charges about breaking rules.
Caroline Catz came in as DI Helen Morton during Inspector Banks’ Cast Season 2. She stayed for 24 episodes, which is a decent run. Morton was tougher than Annie, more career-focused, and less interested in Banks’ drama. Some fans preferred her. I liked both for different reasons.
Lorraine Burroughs played DS Winsome Jackman for 14 episodes, then just… disappeared. No goodbye, no explanation. One series she’s there; the next series she’s not. Characters vanishing with zero explanation is properly annoying.
By Inspector Banks Cast Season 3, both Annie and Helen were working together. That created some interesting dynamics. Two very different women dealing with Banks’ nonsense.
Danny Rahim and Samuel Anderson appeared in later seasons as new team members. Fresh faces, new energy. Though changing cast too much can mess with a show’s rhythm.
Why’d They Cancel It?
ITV pulled the plug in November 2016. No clear reason was given, just the usual corporate speak about not recommissioning.
Why Was DCI Banks Cancelled is still debated. The final season opened with 6 million viewers. That’s not bad at all. Some reckon Annie’s death killed the show. Others say it just ran its course.
There’s no DCI Banks Season 5 continuation despite fans wanting more. The show ended with “Undertow” wrapping up Annie’s murder. Banks, suspended again (obviously), kept investigating anyway and eventually sorted it.
Thirty-two episodes total isn’t terrible for British television. We don’t do the 22-episode American seasons. Three two-part stories per series gave each mystery time to breathe.
Early seasons stuck close to Peter Robinson’s novels. Later ones did original stories. Fans argued about which was better, as fans do.
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Why It Sticks With You
My partner still hasn’t forgiven me for making her watch it during lockdown. But she got proper invested by series two. That’s the Inspector Banks cast doing its job.
The show wasn’t showy. No massive budget, no Hollywood stunts. Just a decent crime drama with characters you gave a toss about. Yorkshire looked gorgeous in every shot, mind you.
Tompkinson made you care about this difficult, flawed copper who kept making the wrong choices for the right reasons. Lowe brought heart to a show that could’ve been just another grim detective series. The supporting cast held it together.
Nine years on, people are still watching it on streaming services. Still asking questions about the cast. Still annoyed about Annie dying.
That’s proper telly, innit? When a show sticks with you years after it ended. When you remember characters like they were actual people you knew.
Tompkinson’s done loads since. So has Lowe. Caroline Catz too. But mention DCI Banks to anyone who watched it, and they’ll have opinions. Strong ones.
The Inspector Banks cast wasn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. They just played their characters honestly, built relationships that felt genuine, and made you care enough to keep watching even when the plots got a bit daft.
Can’t ask for much more than that, really.
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Nicely written and very engaging. It reminded me why DCI Banks remains such a memorable series.