Paul Temple

Synopsis

Paul Temple is a classic late-1960s British detective series that follows the urbane crime novelist and investigator Paul Temple, played by Francis Matthews, alongside his capable wife Steve (Ros Drinkwater). Each episode presents a self-contained mystery — from blackmail and murder to enigmatic conspiracies — that Temple investigates using a blend of polished deduction, charm, and contacts in high society. The show balances a measured, cerebral approach to crime-solving with the stylish production values and period atmosphere of its era, offering steady pacing, character interplay, and locations that evoke both London and broader European settings. Fans of traditional whodunits will appreciate the series’ emphasis on plot, clueing, and the professional partnership between Paul and Steve, which provides recurring warmth and continuity without relying on sensationalism. The series is notable for Matthews’s suave, assured lead performance and for keeping the mysteries front and centre in each episode, making it an accessible entry point for viewers who enjoy methodical, character-driven detective drama.

Cast

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  Francis Matthews

  Paul Temple

• Ros Drinkwater

  Steve Temple

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  George Sewell

  Sammy Carson

• Blake Butler

  Eric

Reviews

Critical and audience response to Paul Temple has generally been mixed-to-positive, with appreciation focused on Francis Matthews’s urbane lead performance and on the show’s faithful, old-fashioned approach to mystery storytelling. IMDb lists the series with a 7.4/10 user rating, reflecting steady viewer affection for the programme’s competent plotting and the chemistry between Paul and Steve. Professional aggregator scores such as Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic do not provide a contemporary Tomatometer or Metascore for the series, so assessment comes primarily from archived press, television-reference sources, and viewer reaction.

Supportive commentary highlights the show’s strengths: many viewers praise Matthews as an ideal, polished gentleman-detective and note that the episodes deliver well-constructed puzzles rather than sensational thrills. The series is often described as possessing a period charm — viewers who enjoy 1960s television production values and a more deliberate narrative tempo tend to find it rewarding. At the same time, retrospective critics and some modern viewers point out limitations: scripts can be formulaic from episode to episode, production values occasionally betray budget constraints, and the pacing may feel slow to audiences accustomed to contemporary fast-cut crime drama. Overall consensus frames Paul Temple as a solid, workmanlike crime series with particular appeal to fans of traditional puzzle mysteries and classic television acting, while acknowledging it can feel dated in tone and scope to others. As the Wikipedia entry notes, “Paul Temple is a BBC television series which ran from 1969 to 1971, starring Francis Matthews as the eponymous detective and Ros Drinkwater as his wife, Steve.” That encapsulates the series’ enduring identity: a character-led, episodic detective show whose strengths lie in its leads and its commitment to the conventions of the classic whodunit.