Bulman
title: "Bulman" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1980s-british-crime-television-series", "itv-television-dramas", "1985-british-television-series-debuts", "1987-british-television-series-endings", "british-english-language-television-shows", "1980s-british-drama-television-series", "british-television-spinoffs", "television-series-by-itv-studios", "television-shows-set-in-manchester", "television-shows-produced-by-granada-television"] topic_path: "geography/united-kingdom" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulman" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox television"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| image | Bulman (TV series).jpg |
| genre | Crime drama |
| creator | Murray Smith |
| based_on | The XYY Man by Kenneth Royce |
| starring | {{Plainlist |
| composer | Dick Walter |
| country | United Kingdom |
| language | English |
| num_series | 2 |
| num_episodes | 20 |
| executive_producer | Richard Everitt |
| producer | {{Plainlist |
| editor | {{Plainlist |
| cinematography | Mike Blakeley |
| runtime | 60 minutes |
| company | Granada Television |
| network | ITV |
| first_aired | |
| last_aired | |
| related | Strangers |
| :: |
| image = Bulman (TV series).jpg | caption = | alt_name = | genre = Crime drama | creator = Murray Smith | based_on = The XYY Man by Kenneth Royce | developer = | writer = | director = | creative_director = | presenter = | starring = {{Plainlist|
- Don Henderson
- Siobhan Redmond
- Thorley Walters
- John Benfield
- Mark McManus
- Simon Molloy
- Dennis Blanch
- Jeremy Gagan | judges = | voices = | narrated = | theme_music_composer = | opentheme = | endtheme = | composer = Dick Walter | country = United Kingdom | language = English | num_series = 2 | num_episodes = 20 | list_episodes = | executive_producer = Richard Everitt | producer = {{Plainlist|
- Steve Hawes
- Sita Williams | editor = {{Plainlist|
- Barry Bowmer
- Paul Griffiths-Davies
- Kim Horton | cinematography = Mike Blakeley | camera = | runtime = 60 minutes | company = Granada Television | network = ITV | first_aired = | last_aired = | related = Strangers
Bulman is a British television crime drama series, principally written and created by Murray Smith. It was first broadcast on ITV on 5 June 1985. The series, featuring retired ex-cop George Bulman (Don Henderson) and his assistant Lucy McGinty (Siobhan Redmond), was a spin-off from the 1978 TV series Strangers, itself a spin-off of the 1976 TV series The XYY Man, which was adapted from the novels of Kenneth Royce. Produced by Granada Television, Bulman ran for two series, with the final episode broadcast on 8 August 1987.
In this incarnation, Don Henderson once again stars as former Detective Chief Inspector George Bulman, who is ostensibly retired from police work and now spends his spare time repairing old clocks. However, aside from fixing clocks, Bulman is also working as a private investigator, and even has an assistant, Lucy McGinty. Aside from a number of private clients, Bulman and Lucy are frequently drawn into the clandestine world of the secret service through the machinations of security chief Bill Dugdale (Thorley Walters), and also find themselves helping the police with cases under the instruction of Bulman's former boss Jack Lambie (Mark McManus). Bulman's former assistant, Derek Willis (Dennis Blanch), also appears in two episodes.
Both series were released on DVD via the Network imprint on 1 July 2013; however, these have since gone out of production. A complete box set was released on 20 August 2018, again via Network Distributing.
Cast
- Don Henderson as George Bulman
- Siobhan Redmond as Lucy McGinty
- Thorley Walters as William 'Bill' Dugdale (Series 1 — Episodes 4, 6, 7 & 13; Series 2 — Episodes 5 & 7)
- John Benfield as DI Holmes (Series 1 — Episodes 1, 5 & 11)
- Mark McManus as DCS Jack Lambie (Series 1 — Episodes 1, 2 & 13)
- Simon Molloy as DS Mackay (Series 1 — Episodes 1, 5 & 7)
- Dennis Blanch as DS Derek Willis (Series 1 — Episodes 1 & 3)
- Jeremy Gagan as DCI Faulkner (Series 1 — Episodes 1 & 3)
Episodes
Series overview
| color1 = #D48142 | link1 = #Series 1 (1985) | episodes1 = 13 | start1 = | end1 =
| color2 = #43C210 | link2 = #Series 2 (1987) | episodes2 = 7 | start2 = | end2 =
Series 1 (1985)
| total_width = 72 | background = #D48142 | overall = 5 | series = 6 | title = 21 | writer = 13 | director = 13 | airdate = 14 | episodes = | EpisodeNumber = 1 | EpisodeNumber2 = 1 | Title = | DirectedBy = William Brayne | WrittenBy = Murray Smith | OriginalAirDate = | ShortSummary = Despite having retired from the police force to fix clocks, Bulman is asked to help out on a case. | LineColor = D48142 | EpisodeNumber = 2 | EpisodeNumber2 = 2 | Title = | DirectedBy = Ken Grieve | WrittenBy = Murray Smith | OriginalAirDate = | ShortSummary = Bulman acts as safeguard for a businessman. | LineColor = D48142 | EpisodeNumber = 3 | EpisodeNumber2 = 3 | Title = | DirectedBy = Christopher King | WrittenBy = Murray Smith | OriginalAirDate = | ShortSummary = Bulman investigates when a man fails a security check. | LineColor = D48142 | EpisodeNumber = 4 | EpisodeNumber2 = 4 | Title = | DirectedBy = Bill Gilmour | WrittenBy = Murray Smith | OriginalAirDate = | ShortSummary = Bulman helps a woman find out why her son was killed. | LineColor = D48142 | EpisodeNumber = 5 | EpisodeNumber2 = 5 | Title = | DirectedBy = William Brayne | WrittenBy = Murray Smith | OriginalAirDate = | ShortSummary = Bulman assists the police when a woman who blames her husband's death on a policeman swears revenge. | LineColor = D48142 | EpisodeNumber = 6 | EpisodeNumber2 = 6 | Title = | DirectedBy = Charlie Nairn | WrittenBy = Murray Smith | OriginalAirDate = | ShortSummary = Bulman goes undercover as a tramp to solve a case. | LineColor = D48142 | EpisodeNumber = 7 | EpisodeNumber2 = 7 | Title = | DirectedBy = Roger Tucker | WrittenBy = Murray Smith | OriginalAirDate = | ShortSummary = Lucy is used as bait to catch a female KGB agent. | LineColor = D48142 | EpisodeNumber = 8 | EpisodeNumber2 = 8 | Title = | DirectedBy = Christopher King | WrittenBy = Henry Livings | OriginalAirDate = | ShortSummary = Bulman is hired to fix a church clock but must contend with a hitman instead. | LineColor = D48142 | EpisodeNumber = 9 | EpisodeNumber2 = 9 | Title = | DirectedBy = Bill Gilmour | WrittenBy = Paul Wheeler | OriginalAirDate = | ShortSummary = Bulman investigates thefts in a wealthy household. | LineColor = D48142 | EpisodeNumber = 10 | EpisodeNumber2 = 10 | Title = | DirectedBy = David Carson | WrittenBy = Murray Smith | OriginalAirDate = | ShortSummary = Bulman is hired by an American to find his family property. | LineColor = D48142 | EpisodeNumber = 11 | EpisodeNumber2 = 11 | Title = | DirectedBy = Ken Grieve | WrittenBy = Henry Livings | OriginalAirDate = | ShortSummary = Bulman interferes with the schemes of a vengeful villain. | LineColor = D48142 | EpisodeNumber = 12 | EpisodeNumber2 = 12 | Title = | DirectedBy = Bill Gilmour | WrittenBy = Paul Wheeler | OriginalAirDate = | ShortSummary = Bulman helps a couple running a catering service. | LineColor = D48142 | EpisodeNumber = 13 | EpisodeNumber2 = 13 | Title = | DirectedBy = Tom Cotter | WrittenBy = Murray Smith | OriginalAirDate = | ShortSummary = Bulman goes undercover to investigate robberies by prisoners. | LineColor = D48142
Series 2 (1987)
| total_width = 72 | background = #43C210 | overall = 5 | series = 6 | title = 21 | writer = 13 | director = 13 | airdate = 14 | episodes = | EpisodeNumber = 14 | EpisodeNumber2 = 1 | Title = | DirectedBy = William Brayne | WrittenBy = Murray Smith | OriginalAirDate = | ShortSummary = Bulman re-encounters a convict that he helped to put away during his time in the police force. | LineColor = 43C210 | EpisodeNumber = 15 | EpisodeNumber2 = 2 | Title = | DirectedBy = David Carson | WrittenBy = Murray Smith | OriginalAirDate = | ShortSummary = Bulman investigates when a reporter is killed at a racetrack. | LineColor = 43C210 | EpisodeNumber = 16 | EpisodeNumber2 = 3 | Title = | DirectedBy = Gareth Morgan | WrittenBy = Murray Smith | OriginalAirDate = | ShortSummary = Bulman helps Commander Morrison on a case. | LineColor = 43C210 | EpisodeNumber = 17 | EpisodeNumber2 = 4 | Title = | DirectedBy = William Brayne | WrittenBy = Murray Smith | OriginalAirDate = | ShortSummary = Bulman poses as a butler to investigate a butler's disappearance. | LineColor = 43C210 | EpisodeNumber = 18 | EpisodeNumber2 = 5 | Title = | DirectedBy = Bruce MacDonald | WrittenBy = Murray Smith | OriginalAirDate = | ShortSummary = Bulman investigates when he hears rumours that Dugdale has been found dead. | LineColor = 43C210 | EpisodeNumber = 19 | EpisodeNumber2 = 6 | Title = | DirectedBy = Sarah Harding | WrittenBy = Murray Smith | OriginalAirDate = | ShortSummary = Bulman investigates a series of incidents involving young children and animals. | LineColor = 43C210 | EpisodeNumber = 20 | EpisodeNumber2 = 7 | Title = | DirectedBy = Brian Mills | WrittenBy = Murray Smith | OriginalAirDate = | ShortSummary = Bulman offers to help out Dugdale one last time. | LineColor = 43C210
References
References
- "Sins of Omission (1985)".
- "The XYY Man - Show News, Reviews, Recaps and Photos - TV.com".
- "Bulman - Show News, Reviews, Recaps and Photos - TV.com".
- (3 February 2014). "Encyclopedia of Television". Routledge.
- (28 March 2021). "Sorry, pal…".
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