History Series / InspectorLynley

->'''Barbara Havers:''' No. [[UndyingLoyalty You resign]], [[MostImportantPerson I resign]].
->'''Tommy Lynley:''' But that's absurd! Why, for heaven's sake?
->'''Barbara:''' [[OddCouple Well... no one else will work with me]].
->'''Lynley:''' [[{{Tsundere}} This is you being nice to me, isn't it]].
->'''Barbara:''' [[SarcasticDevotee Yeah]]. [[TrueCompanions Shall we hit the pub]]?
->-''The Inspector Lynley Mysteries'', "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS01E02PaymentInBlood Payment In Blood]]"

'''''The Inspector Lynley Mysteries''''' was a {{BBC}} series that ran from 2001--2007, starring Creator/NathanielParker as aristocratic Detective Inspector Thomas "Tommy" Lynley, [[TheBritishTitleSystem 8th Earl of Asherton]], and Creator/SharonSmall as his working-class partner, Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers, both of UsefulNotes/ScotlandYard. The first eleven episodes were based on novels by the American author Elizabeth George, though the author's plots and characters were often significantly altered, and the show went its own way from that point on. Most, if not all, fans consider the television show to take place in an AlternateContinuity from the books.

'''''The Inspector Lynley Mysteries''''' was a {{BBC}} series that ran from 2001--2007, starring Creator/NathanielParker as aristocratic Detective Inspector Thomas "Tommy" Lynley, [[TheBritishTitleSystem 8th Earl of Asherton]], and SharonSmall as his working-class partner, Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers, both of UsefulNotes/ScotlandYard. The first eleven episodes were based on novels by the American author Elizabeth George, though the author's plots and characters were often significantly altered, and the show went its own way from that point on. Most, if not all, fans consider the television show to take place in an AlternateContinuity from the books.

* AbilityOverAppearance: SharonSmall was supposedly too pretty to play the plain Barbara Havers, but absolutely nailed the character in the pilot and won author Elizabeth George completely over. Her performance is to this day lauded as one of the best aspects of the series.

'''''The Inspector Lynley Mysteries''''' was a {{BBC}} series that ran from 2001--2007, starring NathanielParker as aristocratic Detective Inspector Thomas "Tommy" Lynley, [[TheBritishTitleSystem 8th Earl of Asherton]], and SharonSmall as his working-class partner, Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers, both of UsefulNotes/ScotlandYard. The first eleven episodes were based on novels by the American author Elizabeth George, though the author's plots and characters were often significantly altered, and the show went its own way from that point on. Most, if not all, fans consider the television show to take place in an AlternateContinuity from the books.

* HeldGaze: Lynley and Havers give [[TheXFiles Mulder and Scully]] a run for their money in terms of just how charged these moments could get. These looks between them spoke ''volumes'' about the depths of their relationship. In fact, during many of the most critical moments of their relationship, the words coming out of their mouths were completely incidental to the conversation they were having with their eyes.

* In "Well Schooled In Murder" a young boy is found dead, covered in yellow paint. Though it's explained by the end of the episode, the really strange thing is that throughout the investigation, ''no one'' ever mentions it.

'''''The Inspector Lynley Mysteries''''' was a {{BBC}} series that ran from 2001--2007, starring NathanielParker as aristocratic Detective Inspector Thomas "Tommy" Lynley, [[TheBritishTitleSystem 8th Earl of Asherton]], and SharonSmall as his working-class partner, Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers -- both of UsefulNotes/ScotlandYard. The first eleven episodes were based on novels by the American author Elizabeth George, though the author's plots and characters were often significantly altered. Most, if not all, fans consider the television show to take place in an AlternateContinuity from the books.

'''''The Inspector Lynley Mysteries''''' was a BBC television series that ran from 2001--2007, centred around the aristocratic Detective Inspector Thomas "Tommy" Lynley, [[TheBritishTitleSystem 8th Earl of Asherton]] (NathanielParker), and his working-class partner, Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers (SharonSmall), both of UsefulNotes/ScotlandYard. The first eleven episodes were based on novels by the American author Elizabeth George, though the author's plots and characters were often significantly altered. Most, if not all, fans consider the television show to take place in an AlternateContinuity from the books.

If you're looking for tropes specific to the lead characters, please see the [[Characters/InspectorLynley character sheet]]. And for tropes specific to individual episodes, check out the Episodes List below, but beware spoilers!

[[index]]
[[folder:Episode List]]
[[AC:Pilot]]
* "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS00E01AGreatDeliverance A Great Deliverance]]"[[note]]two-part episode[[/note]]

[[AC:Series 1]]
* "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS01E01WellSchooledInMurder Well-Schooled in Murder]]"
* "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS01E02PaymentInBlood Payment in Blood]]"
* "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS01E03ForTheSakeOfElena For the Sake of Elena]]"
* "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS01E04MissingJoseph Missing Joseph]]"

[[AC:Series 2]]
* "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS02E01PlayingForTheAshes Playing for the Ashes]]"
* "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS02E02InThePresenceOfTheEnemy In the Presence of the Enemy]]"
* "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS02E03ASuitableVengeance A Suitable Vengeance]]"
* "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS02E04DeceptionOnHisMind Deception on His Mind]]"

[[AC:Series 3]]
* "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS03E01InPursuitOfTheProperSinner In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner]]"
* "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS03E02ATraitorToMemory A Traitor to Memory]]"
* "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS03E03ACryForJustice A Cry for Justice]]"
* "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS03E04IfWishesWereHorses If Wishes Were Horses]]"

[[AC:Series 4]]
* "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS04E01InDivineProportion In Divine Proportion]]"
* "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS04E02InTheGuiseOfDeath In the Guise of Death]]"
* "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS04E03TheSeedOfCunning The Seed of Cunning]]"
* "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS04E04WordOfGod Word of God]]"

[[AC:Series 5]]
* "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS05E01NaturalCauses Natural Causes]]"
* "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS05E02OneGuiltyDeed One Guilty Deed]]"
* "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS05E03ChineseWalls Chinese Walls]]"
* "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS05E04InTheBlinkOfAnEye In the Blink of an Eye]]"

[[AC:Series 6]]
* "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS06E01Limbo Limbo]]"
* "[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS06E02KnowThineEnemy Know Thine Enemy]]"
[[/folder]]
[[/index]]

->'''Lynley:''' [[AffectionateSpitfire This is you being nice to me, isn't it]].

->- '''DI Fiona Knight''', ''The Inspector Lynley Mysteries'', "Natural Causes"

->-''The Inspector Lynley Mysteries'', "Payment In Blood"

* AnimalWrongsGroup: Appear in "Playing for the Ashes", as suspects for the murder.

* TurnInYourBadge: In "Limbo", Lynley is on [[spoiler:indefinite compassionate leave]] after [[spoiler:Helen's death]] when he is [[spoiler:hauled in for questioning on suspicion of murder]]. Naturally, he ropes Barbara in to help him as they fight to clear his name.

* ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS00E01AGreatDeliverance A Great Deliverance]]''[[note]]two-part episode[[/note]]

* ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS01E01WellSchooledInMurder Well-Schooled in Murder]]''
* ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS01E02PaymentInBlood Payment in Blood]]''
* ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS01E03ForTheSakeOfElena For the Sake of Elena]]''
* ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS01E04MissingJoseph Missing Joseph]]''

* ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS02E01PlayingForTheAshes Playing for the Ashes]]''
* ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS02E02InThePresenceOfTheEnemy In the Presence of the Enemy]]''
* ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS02E03ASuitableVengeance A Suitable Vengeance]]''
* ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS02E04DeceptionOnHisMind Deception on His Mind]]''

* ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS03E01InPursuitOfTheProperSinner In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner]]''
* ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS03E02ATraitorToMemory A Traitor to Memory]]''
* ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS03E03ACryForJustice A Cry for Justice]]''
* ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS03E04IfWishesWereHorses If Wishes Were Horses]]''

* ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS04E01InDivineProportion In Divine Proportion]]''
* ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS04E02InTheGuiseOfDeath In the Guise of Death]]''
* ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS04E03TheSeedOfCunning The Seed of Cunning]]''
* ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS04E04WordOfGod Word of God]]''

* ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS05E01NaturalCauses Natural Causes]]''
* ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS05E02OneGuiltyDeed One Guilty Deed]]''
* ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS05E03ChineseWalls Chinese Walls]]''
* ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS05E04InTheBlinkOfAnEye In the Blink of an Eye]]''

* ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS06E01Limbo Limbo]]''
* ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS06E02KnowThineEnemy Know Thine Enemy]]''

* AloofOlderBrother: Lynley has been one towards his brother Peter for a long time. He tries hard to make up for it in ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS02E03ASuitableVengeance A Suitable Vengeance]]'', when the said brother falls in trouble.

* BeautifulDreamer: In a meta instance of this trope, ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS04E02InTheGuiseOfDeath In The Guise Of Death]]'' gives viewers a lovely shot of the normally-frumpy Barbara sleeping peacefully, her hair a [[FieryRedhead halo of reddish-gold]] around her face. Then she's [[NotAMorningPerson woken up]] by her irritatingly cheerful partner knocking on her door asking her to go traipsing about Cornwall with him... and he [[WhatAnIdiot doesn't even let her]] [[MustHaveCaffeine drink her coffee first]]. HilarityEnsues.
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: {{Invoked}} by Lynley in ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS03E04IfWishesWereHorses If Wishes Were Horses]]'' when Helen [[spoiler: miscarries]]. He feels responsible because earlier, when he had first heard that [[spoiler: Helen was pregnant]], he had been less than thrilled. Barbara, very sensibly, tells him that it isn't his fault.

* ClearMyName: ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS06E01Limbo Limbo]]''.
* ContinuityNod: Billy, the young Adorkable DC from ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS03E01InPursuitOfTheProperSinner In Pursuit Of The Proper Sinner]]'', appears again in ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS03E03ACryForJustice A Cry For Justice]]''.

* CooldownHug: How Lynley calms Barbara down (for a given value of "calmed down"; she progresses from hysterical punching and screaming to hysterical sobbing, which at least has the benefit of no one winding up with a bloody nose) after she's [[spoiler:held hostage]] in ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS04E01InDivineProportion In Divine Proportion]]''.
* CuteAndPsycho: [[spoiler: Carly in ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS05E02OneGuiltyDeed One Guilty Deed]]'' went a little unhinged after she killed Martin.]]

* DefectiveDetective: ''Oh my God.'' Lynley and Havers, both of them. One is a [[MarriedToTheJob workaholic]] with a personal life worthy of a soap opera; the other is a BrokenBird who has raised antisociality and [[JerkassFacade self-protection via jerkassery]] to an art form. Somehow, they become [[LikeAnOldMarriedCouple incredibly]] [[TrueCompanions close]] [[TheNotLoveInterest friends]] anyway, which spawns an absolutely glorious amount of CharacterDevelopment for both of them. And [[ThePowerOfFriendship it]] [[ThePowerOfTrust is]] [[ThePowerOfLove beautiful]].
* {{Deuteragonist}}: Havers, in a ''rare'' example of an [[TheInspector Inspector's]] partner being this. Unlike most non-protagonist Detective Sergeants in British mystery fiction, Havers' storyline gets almost as much focus as the eponymous protagonist's right from the get-go. In addition, though she frequently acts as TheWatson to her partner, it isn't uncommon for ''him'' to act as TheWatson to ''her'' (for instance, the majority of ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS05E01NaturalCauses Natural Causes]]'', or the caravan site in ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS05E02OneGuiltyDeed One Guilty Deed]]''). This very trope has been cited as one of the things that sets this series apart from other {{Detective Drama}}s of its kind, and as one of the best aspects of the show.

* DrowningMySorrows: This is how Lynley "copes" with [[spoiler:Helen's death]] until [[MostImportantPerson Barbara]], after six months of trying, finally snaps him out of it in ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS06E01Limbo Limbo]]''.
* EpiphanyTherapy: Lynley goes through this in ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS05E01NaturalCauses Natural Causes]]'', realizing he wants to make it work with Helen. He does it while "undercover" at a center that's an XMeetsY between a rehab clinic and a ChurchOfHappyology. [[spoiler: It turns out the head of the center is behind a real estate land-grab, not the murders.]]

* FinishingEachOthersSentences: In ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS05E01NaturalCauses Natural Causes]]'', Lynley and Havers go back and forth like this when they solve the MysteryOfTheWeek, upon which DI Fiona Knight, temporarily partnered with Havers, remarks, "You really ''are'' a double act, aren't you!"
* FireForgedFriends: Barbara and Lynley Do Not Like Each Other when they're originally assigned together. Their superior officers were counting on this, hoping they would do something outrageous enough to get themselves fired when forced to work together. By the end of ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS00E01AGreatDeliverance A Great Deliverance]]'', their plan has [[HoistByHisOwnPetard backfired]] [[TrueCompanions quite]] [[UndyingLoyalty spectacularly]]... and Barbara and Lynley only get ''[[MostImportantPerson closer]]'' from there.
* FlashbackEcho / {{Trigger}}: In ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS04E01InDivineProportion In Divine Proportion]]'' when Barbara [[spoiler:is held hostage at gunpoint]]. Her flashback is to the [[Recap/InspectorLynleyS03E04IfWishesWereHorses previous series' finale]], in which [[spoiler:she was shot in the abdomen]]; she shows obvious signs of PTSD throughout the episode and goes a little nuts at the end. It takes -- who else? -- Lynley literally [[spoiler:pulling her off the guy]] and administering a CooldownHug to bring her back to normal. (No actual flashback occurs; because the triggering event happens in the previous episode, however, the audience is quite clearly supposed to draw the parallel.)

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Barbara Havers has a quite earthy[[note]]read: perverted[[/note]] sense of humour, and some of her quips can make viewers wonder how this ever got aired before the watershed. For instance, during the episode ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS01E03ForTheSakeOfElena For The Sake Of Elena]]'' after one of their suspects has, er, exposed himself:

* [[InstantDeathBullet Instant Death Stab]]: Averted in ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS01E02PaymentInBlood Payment In Blood]]'', where a single stab through the throat is enough to kill the victim, but only because it impales her to a mattress, allowing a bleed-out.

* JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope: Seems to be the killer's motive in the episode ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS04E01InDivineProportion In Divine Proportion]]''. [[spoiler: The killer is a police officer. Years ago, he murdered a rapist after the rapist's victim committed suicide. In the episode, he kills the victim's sister, and at the end of the episode is ready to kill everyone who helped him kill the rapist.]]
* LastNameBasis: Lynley and Havers are this, with a couple of exceptions. The first one, noted lower down, is YouCalledMeXItMustBeSerious; the other is when Havers is staying with him at the family estate in Cornwall. This is lampshaded in ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS04E02InTheGuiseOfDeath In The Guise Of Death]]'' when Lynley wants her help on a local murder investigation; he wakes her up at an ungodly hour of the morning, briskly saying, "Come on, Havers! Follow me!" Havers [[DeadpanSnarker snarks]]:

* LikeAnOldMarriedCouple: Once they get on even footing with each other, their bickering takes on a hefty shading of this. It really becomes apparent after the events of ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS04E01InDivineProportion In Divine Proportion]]''; the next episode in particular (''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS04E02InTheGuiseOfDeath In The Guise Of Death]]'') is especially notable for this vibe.

* NotAMorningPerson: Most obvious in ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS04E02InTheGuiseOfDeath In The Guise Of Death]]'', when Lynley finds out the hard way that a Havers awakened too early and denied caffeine is not exactly the most pleasant creature to be around. The results are amusing.

* OneOfOurOwn: ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS06E01Limbo Limbo]]''. Barbara Havers has ''no'' intention of letting her partner get [[spoiler:convicted of murder]].

* OvertookTheSeries: Done midway through the third series. ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS03E02ATraitorToMemory A Traitor To Memory]]'' is the last book filmed.

** Lynley is tormented by the fact that his mother cheated on his father with the family doctor while his father lay dying. This becomes the main source of {{angst}} in ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS02E03ASuitableVengeance A Suitable Vengeance]]'', when Lynley and his fiancée spend a few days with his mother at Howenstowe.

* {{Protectorate}}: There is nothing Barbara Havers will not do to [[BigSisterInstinct protect children]] -- probably because of her [[CynicismCatalyst dead little brother]]. She'll also stop at nothing to rescue her partner. Meanwhile, Lynley is protective of quite a few things -- mostly children and his wife. But there is no single faster way to make Thomas Lynley lose his cool than putting Barbara Havers in danger - any semblance of reason usually goes out the window when she's threatened. As in, it takes an ''armed assault team'' to keep him from bursting into the pub where Barbara is [[spoiler:being held hostage at gunpoint]] in ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS04E01InDivineProportion In Divine Proportion]]''.

* SharpDressedMan: Lynley, at the start, which doesn't help Havers' perception of him. Interestingly, as the series goes by, Lynley starts to lose some of the sharpness for more casual attire (compare his suit and tie in the pilot, with his shirt and jeans in the ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS06E02KnowThineEnemy Know Thine Enemy]]''), while Havers sharpens up her appearance.

* ShipSinking: Meta example. In the Creator/{{PBS}} airing of ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS01E04MissingJoseph Missing Joseph]]'', host Diana Rigg notes that "[[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial it might appear that Sergeant Havers has a thing for her partner]]" but hastily goes on to mention that "she gives him nothing but grief" (while apparently missing and/or ignoring the fact that the [[UnresolvedSexualTension subtext]] in the first season alone could crush your average linebacker). She then goes on to note that Lynley is already in love with Helen Clyde - who [[spoiler:dies at the end of series 5]]. Considering that [[FanPreferredCouple shippers]] have looked past [[IncestYayShipping blood relationships]], [[GhostShipping death]], [[ShipsThatPassInTheNight little-to-no interaction]], and ''[[CrossoverShip not even being from the same universe]]'', this is hardly proof positive that nothing will ever happen, and in fact they are given an [[AndTheAdventureContinues open ending]] with [[spoiler:all romantic competition out of the way]] and seven years of added depth to their relationship. In light of all this, the denial is not particularly convincing.

** ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS03E02ATraitorToMemory A Traitor To Memory]]'' also shows this between Chief Superintendent Webberley and Detective Sergeant Leach, who were partners years before, who're [[NotSoDifferent another upper-class/working-class pair]].

* UnresolvedSexualTension: Many episodes can be seen as this. Special mention goes to ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS05E02OneGuiltyDeed One Guilty Deed]]'' and ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS03E04IfWishesWereHorses If Wishes Were Horses]]'', which both involve [[spoiler: Lynley running to Havers' aid after she gets hit with a rock and shot, respectively. Very special mention to the latter, where Lynley calls her "Barbara" and not "Havers."]] And let's not forget the last two scenes of ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS04E01InDivineProportion In Divine Proportion]]'', in which Barbara is [[spoiler:held hostage at gunpoint on her first case back from getting shot. The way he holds her close and soothes her is... a bit more than friendly. Especially that kiss he presses to the top of her head...]] Special mention ''also'' goes to the "shower scene" in ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS05E02OneGuiltyDeed One Guilty Deed]]'', when they dance around each other in tight quarters while she's in pyjamas and he's in - a ''towel''. And ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS04E04WordOfGod Word Of God]]'' where he [[spoiler:''breaks off a date'', ''shows up at Barbara's flat in the middle of the night'' and ''questions whether or not he ever truly loved Helen'']]. Immediately after this, [[spoiler:they admit that they are ''each others' reason to get up in the morning'']] -- sorry, was this supposed to be ''{{subtext}}??''

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Hadiyyah and Azhar vanish without explanation after the events of ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS02E04DeceptionOnHisMind Deception On His Mind]]'', incidentally removing the only viable romantic interest [[FanPreferredCouple not named Thomas Lynley]] Barbara ever has on the show.

* ShipSinking: Meta example. In the Creator/{{PBS}} airing of ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS01E04MissingJoseph]]'', host Diana Rigg notes that "[[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial it might appear that Sergeant Havers has a thing for her partner]]" but hastily goes on to mention that "she gives him nothing but grief" (while apparently missing and/or ignoring the fact that the [[UnresolvedSexualTension subtext]] in the first season alone could crush your average linebacker). She then goes on to note that Lynley is already in love with Helen Clyde - who [[spoiler:dies at the end of series 5]]. Considering that [[FanPreferredCouple shippers]] have looked past [[IncestYayShipping blood relationships]], [[GhostShipping death]], [[ShipsThatPassInTheNight little-to-no interaction]], and ''[[CrossoverShip not even being from the same universe]]'', this is hardly proof positive that nothing will ever happen, and in fact they are given an [[AndTheAdventureContinues open ending]] with [[spoiler:all romantic competition out of the way]] and seven years of added depth to their relationship. In light of all this, the denial is not particularly convincing.

* UnresolvedSexualTension: Many episodes can be seen as this. Special mention goes to ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS05E02OneGuiltyDeed One Guilty Deed]]'' and ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS03E04IfWishesWereHorses If Wishes Were Horses]]'', which both involve [[spoiler: Lynley running to Havers' aid after she gets hit with a rock and shot, respectively. Very special mention to the latter, where Lynley calls her "Barbara" and not "Havers."]] And let's not forget the last two scenes of ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS04E01InDivineProportion In Divine Proportion]]'', in which Barbara is [[spoiler:held hostage at gunpoint on her first case back from getting shot. The way he holds her close and soothes her is... a bit more than friendly. Especially that kiss he presses to the top of her head...]] Special mention ''also'' goes to the "shower scene" in ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS05E02OneGuiltyDeed One Guilty Deed]]'', when they dance around each other in tight quarters while she's in pyjamas and he's in - a ''towel''. ''And ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS04E04WordOfGod]]'' where he [[spoiler:''breaks off a date'', ''shows up at Barbara's flat in the middle of the night'' and ''questions whether or not he ever truly loved Helen'']]. Immediately after this, [[spoiler:they admit that they are ''each others' reason to get up in the morning'']] -- sorry, was this supposed to be ''{{subtext}}??''

* FromBadToWorse: Poor Lynley. In the ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS03E04IfWishesWereHorses final episode of series 3]]'', his wife is [[spoiler:involved in a car accident that results in her miscarriage, a hospital stay, and their separation]]. As if that's not bad enough, days later [[spoiler:his partner is shot in the line of duty]], resulting in [[spoiler:yet another hospital stay, months of recovery time and PTSD]]. Wow.

* HypocriticalHeartwarming: In the ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS00E01AGreatDeliverance pilot]]'' episode, Barbara goes on a long diatribe about everything she thinks is wrong with Thomas Lynley as a man and as a detective. When Lynley's old partner shows up and levels a number of those very same accusations at him just hours later, she immediately jumps to his defense, completely ignoring her earlier complaints. This sets up the entire precedent of their relationship: ''Barbara'' can [[WhatTheHellHero call Lynley out]] just as much as she pleases, but if anyone else tries the same thing, the 'anyone else' in question is going to get a dressing-down the likes of which s/he will never forget. Although it's not seen as much, this works in reverse as well -- Lynley has no problems [[WhatTheHellHero calling Barbara out]], but will immediately and fiercely defend her from anyone else who dares to try the same thing. Essentially, Lynley and Havers have WhatTheHellHero privileges with each other, which no one else is allowed.

* [[InstantDeathBullet Instant Death Stab]]: Averted in ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS01E02PaymentWithBlood PaymentWithBlood]]'', where a single stab through the throat is enough to kill the victim, but only because it impales her to a mattress, allowing a bleed-out.

* [[InstantDeathBullet Instant Death Stab]]: Averted in ''[[Recap/InspectorLynleyS01E02PaymentForBlood Payment For Blood]]'', where a single stab through the throat is enough to kill the victim, but only because it impales her to a mattress, allowing a bleed-out.

* LikeAnOldMarriedCouple: Once they get on even footing with each other, their bickering takes on a hefty shading of this. It really becomes apparent after the events of "In Divine Proportion"; the next episode in particular ("In The Guise of Death") is especially notable for this vibe.

* NotAMorningPerson: Most obvious in "In the Guise of Death", when Lynley finds out the hard way that a Havers awakened too early and denied caffeine is not exactly the most pleasant creature to be around. The results are amusing.

* OneOfOurOwn: "Limbo". Barbara Havers has ''no'' intention of letting her partner get [[spoiler:convicted of murder]].

* OvertookTheSeries: Done after the first two series.

** Lynley is tormented by the fact that his mother cheated on his father with the family doctor while his father lay dying. This becomes the main source of {{angst}} in ''A Suitable Vengeance'', when Lynley and his fiancée spend a few days with his mother at Howenstowe.

* {{Protectorate}}: There is nothing Barbara Havers will not do to [[BigSisterInstinct protect children]] -- probably because of her [[CynicismCatalyst dead little brother]]. She'll also stop at nothing to rescue her partner. Meanwhile, Lynley is protective of quite a few things -- mostly children and his wife. But there is no single faster way to make Thomas Lynley lose his cool than putting Barbara Havers in danger - any semblance of reason usually goes out the window when she's threatened. As in, it takes an ''armed assault team'' to keep him from bursting into the pub where Barbara is [[spoiler:being held hostage at gunpoint]] in "In Divine Proportion."

* RedOniBlueOni: Havers is red, Lynley is blue. However, as is this show's habit, the reality is slightly more complex: Havers is certainly more fiery and hotheaded in daily life, but she is generally the cool, collected one in a crisis, whereas Lynley is usually the more rational and pragmatic one, but tends to panic when the shit hits the fan. Also, Lynley is more likely to fly off the handle at suspects, whereas Havers is more likely to react with TranquilFury.

* SharpDressedMan: Lynley, at the start, which doesn't help Havers' perception of him. Interestingly, as the series goes by, Lynley starts to lose some of the sharpness for more casual attire (compare his suit and tie in the pilot, with his shirt and jeans in the final episode), while Havers sharpens up her appearance.

* ShipSinking: Meta example. In the Creator/{{PBS}} airing of "Missing Joseph", host Diana Rigg notes that "[[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial it might appear that Sergeant Havers has a thing for her partner]]" but hastily goes on to mention that "she gives him nothing but grief" (while apparently missing and/or ignoring the fact that the [[UnresolvedSexualTension subtext]] in the first season alone could crush your average linebacker). She then goes on to note that Lynley is already in love with Helen Clyde - who [[spoiler:dies at the end of series 5]]. Considering that [[FanPreferredCouple shippers]] have looked past [[IncestYayShipping blood relationships]], [[GhostShipping death]], [[ShipsThatPassInTheNight little-to-no interaction]], and ''[[CrossoverShip not even being from the same universe]]'', this is hardly proof positive that nothing will ever happen, and in fact they are given an [[AndTheAdventureContinues open ending]] with [[spoiler:all romantic competition out of the way]] and seven years of added depth to their relationship. In light of all this, the denial is not particularly convincing.

** "A Traitor to Memory" also shows this between Chief Superintendent Weberly and Detective Sergeant Leach, who were partners years before, who're [[NotSoDifferent another upper-class/working-class pair]].

* UnresolvedSexualTension: Many episodes can be seen as this. Special mention goes to "One Guilty Deed" and "If Wishes Were Horses", which both involve [[spoiler: Lynley running to Havers' aid after she gets hit with a rock and shot, respectively. Very special mention to the latter, where Lynley calls her "Barbara" and not "Havers."]] And let's not forget the last two scenes of "In Divine Proportion," in which Barbara is [[spoiler:held hostage at gunpoint on her first case back from getting shot. The way he holds her close and soothes her is... a bit more than friendly. Especially that kiss he presses to the top of her head...]] Special mention ''also'' goes to the "shower scene" in "One Guilty Deed," when they dance around each other in tight quarters while she's in pyjamas and he's in - a ''towel''. ''And'' "Word of God" where he [[spoiler:''breaks off a date'', ''shows up at Barbara's flat in the middle of the night'' and ''questions whether or not he ever truly loved Helen'']]. Immediately after this, [[spoiler:they admit that they are ''each others' reason to get up in the morning'']] -- sorry, was this supposed to be ''{{subtext}}??''

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Hadiyyah and Azhar vanish without explanation after the events of "Deception on His Mind", incidentally removing the only viable romantic interest [[FanPreferredCouple not named Thomas Lynley]] Barbara ever has on the show.

* FromBadToWorse: Poor Lynley. In the final episode of series 3, his wife is [[spoiler:involved in a car accident that results in her miscarriage, a hospital stay, and their separation]]. As if that's not bad enough, days later [[spoiler:his partner is shot in the line of duty]], resulting in [[spoiler:yet another hospital stay, months of recovery time and PTSD]]. Wow.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Barbara Havers has a quite earthy[[note]]read: perverted[[/note]] sense of humour, and some of her quips can make viewers wonder how this ever got aired before the watershed. For instance, during the episode "For the Sake of Elena" after one of their suspects has, er, exposed himself:

* HypocriticalHeartwarming: In the pilot episode, Barbara goes on a long diatribe about everything she thinks is wrong with Thomas Lynley as a man and as a detective. When Lynley's old partner shows up and levels a number of those very same accusations at him just hours later, she immediately jumps to his defense, completely ignoring her earlier complaints. This sets up the entire precedent of their relationship: ''Barbara'' can [[WhatTheHellHero call Lynley out]] just as much as she pleases, but if anyone else tries the same thing, the 'anyone else' in question is going to get a dressing-down the likes of which s/he will never forget. Although it's not seen as much, this works in reverse as well -- Lynley has no problems [[WhatTheHellHero calling Barbara out]], but will immediately and fiercely defend her from anyone else who dares to try the same thing. Essentially, Lynley and Havers have WhatTheHellHero privileges with each other, which no one else is allowed.

* [[InstantDeathBullet Instant Death Stab]]: Averted in ''Payment in Blood'', where a single stab through the throat is enough to kill the victim, but only because it impales her to a mattress, allowing a bleed-out.

* JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope: Seems to be the killer's motive in the episode "In Divine Proportion." [[spoiler: The killer is a police officer. Years ago, he murdered a rapist after the rapist's victim committed suicide. In the episode, he kills the victim's sister, and at the end of the episode is ready to kill everyone who helped him kill the rapist.]]
* LastNameBasis: Lynley and Havers are this, with a couple of exceptions. The first one, noted lower down, is YouCalledMeXItMustBeSerious; the other is when Havers is staying with him at the family estate in Cornwall. This is lampshaded in "In the Guise of Death," when Lynley wants her help on a local murder investigation; he wakes her up at an ungodly hour of the morning, briskly saying, "Come on, Havers! Follow me!" Havers [[DeadpanSnarker snarks]]:

* {{Deuteragonist}}: Havers, in a ''rare'' example of an [[TheInspector Inspector's]] partner being this. Unlike most non-protagonist Detective Sergeants in British mystery fiction, Havers' storyline gets almost as much focus as the eponymous protagonist's right from the get-go. In addition, though she frequently acts as TheWatson to her partner, it isn't uncommon for ''him'' to act as TheWatson to ''her'' (for instance, the majority of "Natural Causes", or the caravan site in "One Guilty Deed"). This very trope has been cited as one of the things that sets this series apart from other {{Detective Drama}}s of its kind, and as one of the best aspects of the show.

* DrowningMySorrows: This is how Lynley "copes" with [[spoiler:Helen's death]] until [[MostImportantPerson Barbara]], after six months of trying, finally snaps him out of it in "Limbo".
* EpiphanyTherapy: Lynley goes through this in "Natural Causes," realizing he wants to make it work with Helen. He does it while "undercover" at a center that's an XMeetsY between a rehab clinic and a ChurchOfHappyology. [[spoiler: It turns out the head of the center is behind a real estate land-grab, not the murders.]]

* FinishingEachOthersSentences: In "Natural Causes", Lynley and Havers go back and forth like this when they solve the MysteryOfTheWeek, upon which DI Fiona Knight, temporarily partnered with Havers, remarks, "You really ''are'' a double act, aren't you!"
* FireForgedFriends: Barbara and Lynley Do Not Like Each Other when they're originally assigned together. Their superior officers were counting on this, hoping they would do something outrageous enough to get themselves fired when forced to work together. By the end of the pilot episode, their plan has [[HoistByHisOwnPetard backfired]] [[TrueCompanions quite]] [[UndyingLoyalty spectacularly]]... and Barbara and Lynley only get ''[[MostImportantPerson closer]]'' from there.
* FlashbackEcho / {{Trigger}}: In "In Divine Proportion" when Barbara [[spoiler:is held hostage at gunpoint]]. Her flashback is to the previous series' finale, in which [[spoiler:she was shot in the abdomen]]; she shows obvious signs of PTSD throughout the episode and goes a little nuts at the end. It takes -- who else? -- Lynley literally [[spoiler:pulling her off the guy]] and administering a CooldownHug to bring her back to normal. (No actual flashback occurs; because the triggering event happens in the previous episode, however, the audience is quite clearly supposed to draw the parallel.)

* AloofOlderBrother: Lynley has been one towards his brother Peter for a long time. He tries hard to make up for it in ''A Suitable Vengeance'', when the said brother falls in trouble.

* BeautifulDreamer: In a meta instance of this trope, "In the Guise of Death" gives viewers a lovely shot of the normally-frumpy Barbara sleeping peacefully, her hair a [[FieryRedhead halo of reddish-gold]] around her face. Then she's [[NotAMorningPerson woken up]] by her irritatingly cheerful partner knocking on her door asking her to go traipsing about Cornwall with him... and he [[WhatAnIdiot doesn't even let her]] [[MustHaveCaffeine drink her coffee first]]. HilarityEnsues.
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: {{Invoked}} by Lynley in ''If Wishes Were Horses'' when Helen [[spoiler: miscarries]]. He feels responsible because earlier, when he had first heard that [[spoiler: Helen was pregnant]], he had been less than thrilled. Barbara, very sensibly, tells him that it isn't his fault.

* BreakTheCutie: Barbara Havers starts out as a BrokenBird, so she's not exactly [[JerkassWoobie sweet and adorable any more]] in the pilot. And yet somehow, the show proceeds to break her ''even further''. [[note]]First her father dies and she has to put her mentally ill mother in a nursing home (where she most likely dies during the early seasons). Then she's demoted (and almost sacked) for doing the right thing, after which she's shot in the line of duty and then held hostage at gunpoint on her first case back after said shooting, whereupon she has a panic attack as a result of said hostage-taking. Then her partner's suspended for excessive violence. Once he's back she's hit over the head with a rock by a psycho and would have died on a deserted moor if her partner hadn't found her. Then her partner's wife is killed right in front of them (who she couldn't save despite her attempts at CPR), after which he then goes on a drinking binge and takes all his anger and bitterness out on her despite her only trying to help.[[/note]] Ouch, show. Ouch. (This looks light compared to what her partner goes through, until you remember that in her case, a lot of the breaking was done [[BrokenBird before she even met Thomas Lynley]].)

* ClearMyName: "Limbo".
* ContinuityNod: Billy, the young Adorkable DC from "In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner", appears again in "A Cry for Justice."

* CooldownHug: How Lynley calms Barbara down (for a given value of "calmed down"; she progresses from hysterical punching and screaming to hysterical sobbing, which at least has the benefit of no one winding up with a bloody nose) after she's [[spoiler:held hostage]] in "In Divine Proportion".
* CuteAndPsycho: [[spoiler: Carly in "One Guilty Deed" went a little unhinged after she killed Martin.]]

If you're looking for tropes specific to the lead characters, please see the [[Characters/InspectorLynley character sheet]]. And for tropes specific to individual episodes, check out the Episodes List below (under construction), but beware spoilers!