Episode #1.3

Sidney reminds me of Clergy I knew in the US Episcopal church. I am talking a lifetime of 75 years. They were handsome, well educated, enjoyed sports. They had been military, liked to drink and loved women, not men. They liked to hunt. They loved their dogs.

The setting in 1953 makes it all the more believable for me. The situations he finds remind me of several wonderful Rectors I have known. They have died. Their type do not come along now in the Church. We now get women Clergy. We now get gay men. We get lesbian and gay bishops.

Please keep this series coming.

One of the darkest episodes of Grantchester that I remember, with more murders then your average Midsomer Murders. Sydney takes centre stage once again, after someone asks for his help, then ends up embroiled in a murder mystery.

It's a wonderful story, and features great performances notably from Isla Blair and Jean Marsh, but the credit I think goes to Al Weaver, Leonard is a firm favourite of mine, he's terrific here, we learn more about him as a character.

I'm surprised by how much I dislike the character of Amanda, she totally plays him along, although Morven Christie is terrific.

Series one is an absolute joy. 9/10

A rather meaty episode that also keeps the partnership between Sidney and Geordie ticking along even though at one point Sidney cuts down on his boozing.

Amanda and Guy ask Sidney to officiate their marriage. Which only drives to Sidney to drink given his feelings for Amanda and those flashbacks to the war he keeps getting.

Sidney also counsels another young couple looking to get married. Arthur Evans and Isobel Livingstone seem to be in love but her cantankerous, bed ridden mother Daisy dislikes Arthur.

Sidney also has to deal with his new curate Leonard who is to deliver his first sermon but Sidney has little time for helping him prepare as he and Geordie investigate a sudden death.

Daisy suddenly dies of supposedly natural causes and is also quickly cremated as well. She also left everything to her sister, Gladys rather than her daughter and she hated her sister.

It seems Arthur is a bit of a shady type, looking to marry women and soon absconds with their money. He easily becomes a suspect but then Gladys dies and Sidney thinks Arthur is not someone who might resort to murder when petty swindling is his type of thing.

A mysterious old man who is seen hanging about might hold the truth also a doctor who tended to both women.

After Leonard's first sermon ends up as a disaster, his second one is a more sombre reflection about love and truth. This applies to Sidney and his love for Amanda.