# List of DCI Banks episodes
**List of DCI Banks episodes** covers the episodes of the crime drama *DCI Banks*, produced by Left Bank Pictures for ITV1 with international distribution by BBC Worldwide America.[1](https://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/dci-banks/series-1) The run consists of a two-part pilot, four six-part series each adapting three novels, and a six-part final series with a single continuing storyline.[1](https://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/dci-banks/series-1) [Stephen Tompkinson](https://www.edgepedia.org/stephen-tompkinson) stars as DCI Alan Banks, with [Andrea Lowe](https://www.edgepedia.org/andrea-lowe) as DS Annie Cabbot and [Caroline Catz](https://www.edgepedia.org/caroline-catz) as DI Helen Morton.[3](https://www.epguides.com/DCIBanks/) The series was cancelled and the run ended in October 2016.[3](https://www.epguides.com/DCIBanks/)
The run consists of a two-part pilot, four six-part series each adapting three novels, and a six-part final series with a single continuing storyline.[1](https://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/dci-banks/series-1)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format | Two-part stories, mostly adapting one Peter Robinson novel each, except series 4, which consists of three original two-part stories, and series 5, which follows one storyline across six episodes[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) • [10](https://www.kpbs.org/news/2015/apr/23/dci-banks-season-4/) |
| Lead cast | Stephen Tompkinson as DCI Alan Banks (series 1–5), Andrea Lowe as DS Annie Cabbot (series 1–5), Caroline Catz as DI Helen Morton (series 2–5)[3](https://www.epguides.com/DCIBanks/) |
| Production | Left Bank Pictures for ITV1, six episodes per series, with international distribution by BBC Worldwide America[1](https://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/dci-banks/series-1) |
| Status | Cancelled/ended; run ended October 2016[3](https://www.epguides.com/DCIBanks/) |
## Background
Each series is a six-part commission for ITV1 with international distribution by BBC Worldwide America.[1](https://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/dci-banks/series-1)
## Series 1 (2010–11)
Series 1 comprises the two-part pilot and three further two-part adaptations: *Playing with Fire*, *Friend of the Devil*, and *Cold is the Grave*.[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) In *Playing with Fire*, two bodies are found after a fire on narrow boats and Banks and DS Annie Cabbot trail an arsonist.[1](https://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/dci-banks/series-1) *Cold is the Grave* concludes the series with a case close to home, as Banks is asked by his boss, Superintendent Gerry Rydell, to find his missing teenage daughter.[1](https://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/dci-banks/series-1)
| # | Title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Aftermath: Part 1" | 27 September 2010[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) |
| 2 | "Aftermath: Part 2" | 4 October 2010[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) |
| 3 | "Playing with Fire: Part 1" | 16 September 2011[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) |
| 4 | "Playing with Fire: Part 2" | 23 September 2011[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) |
| 5 | "Friend of the Devil: Part 1" | 30 September 2011[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) |
| 6 | "Friend of the Devil: Part 2" | 7 October 2011[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) |
| 7 | "Cold is the Grave: Part 1" | 14 October 2011[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) |
| 8 | "Cold is the Grave: Part 2" | 21 October 2011[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) |
## Series 2 (2012)
Series 2 adapts three novels, *Strange Affair*, *Dry Bones That Dream*, and *Innocent Graves*, and introduces DI Helen Morton, whose arrival fills the place of DS Annie Cabbot as her maternity leave approaches.[4](https://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/dci-banks/series-2) In *Strange Affair*, Banks receives a disturbing phone message from his estranged brother Roy and heads to [Harrogate](https://www.edgepedia.org/harrogate) to find him.[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide)
| # | Title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | "Strange Affair: Part 1" | 10 October 2012[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) |
| 10 | "Strange Affair: Part 2" | 17 October 2012[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) |
| 11 | "Dry Bones That Dream: Part 1" | 24 October 2012[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) |
| 12 | "Dry Bones That Dream: Part 2" | 31 October 2012[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) |
| 13 | "Innocent Graves: Part 1" | 7 November 2012[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) |
| 14 | "Innocent Graves: Part 2" | 8 November 2012[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) |
## Series 3 (2014)
Series 3 adapts *Wednesday's Child*, *Piece of My Heart*, and *Bad Boy*, and marks the return of DS Annie Cabbot from maternity leave, leaving Banks to manage two strong-willed detectives.[5](https://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/dci-banks/series-3) The finale, "Bad Boy: Part 2", aired 10 March 2014.[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide)
| # | Title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | "Wednesday's Child: Part 1" | 3 February 2014[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) |
| 16 | "Wednesday's Child: Part 2" | 10 February 2014[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) |
| 17 | "Piece of My Heart: Part 1" | 17 February 2014[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) |
| 18 | "Piece of My Heart: Part 2" | 24 February 2014[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) |
| 19 | "Bad Boy: Part 1" | 3 March 2014[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) |
| 20 | "Bad Boy: Part 2" | 10 March 2014[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) |
## Series 4 (2015)
Series 4, broadcast in March 2015, pairs the crime stories with personal arcs: a deeper exploration of Banks's relationship with his parents, complications in Annie and Banks's on/off romance, and a personal crisis threatening Helen's career.[6](https://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/dci-banks/series-4) Writers for the series were Nicholas Hicks-Beach and Paul Logue.[6](https://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/dci-banks/series-4)
| # | Title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | "What Will Survive: Part 1" | 4 March 2015[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) |
| 22 | "What Will Survive: Part 2" | 11 March 2015[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) |
| 23 | "Buried: Part 1" | 18 March 2015[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide) |
## Series 5 (2016)
Series 5 broke the two-part novel format: for the first time the series featured an ongoing story arc across all six episodes, focusing on the investigation into career criminal Steve Richards ([Shaun Dooley](https://www.edgepedia.org/shaun-dooley)) and his wife Tamsin ([Maimie McCoy](https://www.edgepedia.org/maimie-mccoy)), with Shaun Dooley and Maimie McCoy joining the returning cast.[7](https://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/dci-banks/series-5) The arc opens when the victim of a frenzied attack is found in woodland near a shrine to a local girl who recently committed suicide there, and Banks becomes convinced that local crime boss Steve Richards was involved.[7](https://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/dci-banks/series-5) Episode titles in the series include "To Burn In Every Drop of Blood", "A Little Bit of Heart", and the two-part finale "Undertow".[8](https://www.kpbs.org/news/arts-culture/2017/01/04/dci-banks-season-5) • [9](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/dci-banks)
## Cast continuity across the episodes
Stephen Tompkinson and Andrea Lowe appear throughout series 1–5, while Caroline Catz's DI Helen Morton joins in series 2 and stays to the end; supporting roles include [Jack Deam](https://www.edgepedia.org/jack-deam) as DS Ken Blackstone, Lorraine Burroughs as DS Winsome Jackman (series 1–2), Nick Sidi as Chief Superintendent Ron McLaughlin (series 2–3), and Danny Rahim as DC Tariq Lang (series 3–4).[3](https://www.epguides.com/DCIBanks/) Writing credits changed over the run: series 1 was written by Robert Murphy and Laurence Davey, series 2 added Andrew Payne and Rob Williams, series 3 paired Robert Murphy with Catherine Tregenna, and series 4 and 5 were written by Nicholas Hicks-Beach and Paul Logue.[1](https://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/dci-banks/series-1) • [4](https://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/dci-banks/series-2) • [5](https://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/dci-banks/series-3) • [6](https://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/dci-banks/series-4) • [7](https://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/dci-banks/series-5)
## References
1. [DCI Banks, Series 1, Left Bank Pictures](https://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/dci-banks/series-1)
2. [DCI Banks Episode Guide, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1758/dci-banks/episodeguide)
3. [DCI Banks (a Titles & Air Dates Guide), epguides.com](https://www.epguides.com/DCIBanks/)
4. [DCI Banks, Series 2, Left Bank Pictures](https://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/dci-banks/series-2)
5. [DCI Banks, Series 3, Left Bank Pictures](https://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/dci-banks/series-3)
6. [DCI Banks, Series 4, Left Bank Pictures](https://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/dci-banks/series-4)
7. [DCI Banks, Series 5, Left Bank Pictures](https://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/dci-banks/series-5)
8. [DCI BANKS: Season 5, KPBS Public Media](https://www.kpbs.org/news/arts-culture/2017/01/04/dci-banks-season-5)
9. [DCI Banks, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/dci-banks)
10. [DCI BANKS: Season 4](https://www.kpbs.org/news/2015/apr/23/dci-banks-season-4/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Seasons, episodes, and installments › Installment collections and reference › Scripted live-action episode lists › Live-action episode lists*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license