HENRY

 Comedy-Mystery Television Series

SCREENWRITER: Bob Bernstein
Based on the Henry Grave detective novels by William Doonan
PRODUCER: Graham Leader

LOGLINE

12 million take a cruise each year. Most have fun. Some die. Henry Grave investigates.

INTRODUCTION

The modern cruise ship and its many ports of call hold a great diversity of cultures and peoples. Its rich and dynamic environment provides fertile ground for humor, conflict, and drama. Granted, murder is serious business, but Henry is a people person who relishes the cruising life. On a ship, he lives to the fullest. He won't let a criminal escape, but neither will he let an investigation get in the way of a "good time."

It's Henry's romp, and we're along for the ride. And yet, Henry is the world’s most unlikely detective. By the looks of things, he's too old, too casual, too flirtatious, maybe even senile. And he eats and drinks far too much. But underneath the glib, unpredictable facade lies a trove of secrets that make him quick and lethal. He'd be out of a job except for one thing: he always solves the case.

He specializes in investigating crimes on mega-cruise ships in international waters, where issues of jurisdiction, diplomacy, and sovereignty complicate matters, and cases must be solved before a ship reaches port and passengers and suspects disembark for parts unknown. There's no time to waste on clues, and forensics are practically non-existent. It’s a detective’s nightmare, and the sole province of one man—Henry.

He solves cases by unmasking criminals with a technique so unorthodox it skirts the edge of sanity. Were it not for his success rate, he would likely be committed to institutional care. Indulgent. Unfiltered. Secretive. Hedonistic. Scarred by a tragic past, and forced by advanced age into the abyss of an uncertain future, he rallies onward to live for the day. He won’t pass up a cocktail, a fine meal, or an engaging encounter. He won’t moderate his behavior. He won’t waste time analyzing clues. And he won’t give up until a criminal is brought to justice. His methodology—unique and often disconcerting—confuses colleagues and confounds suspects, but it all works to his advantage.

Henry knows his countdown to failure or success ticks with the speed of the ship’s propellers, and like a hunter on the prowl, he zeroes in on his prey with a personality as lethal as the .45 Officer’s Colt he carries in his jacket pocket.