Fri 23 Oct 2020
A TV Episode Review: GRANTCHESTER “Episode 1″ (2014).
Posted by Steve under Reviews , TV mysteries[4] Comments
GRANTCHESTER “Episode 1.†ITV, UK, 06 October 2014. Shown in the US as part of Masterpiece Theater (PBS, 2015). James Norton (Sidney Chambers), Robson Green (Inspector Geordie Keating), Morven Christie, Tessa Peake-Jones. Based on the short story collection Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death, written by James Runcie. Developed for television by Daisy Coulam. Director: Harry Bradbeer. Currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Sidney Chambers is the Anglican vicar in the small English village of Cambridgeshire. Set in the early 1950s, you might say that the small town is as dangerous place to live as Cabot Cove, since the series is now in its sixth season. Blessed with a honest smile and a sense of who people are, he makes a good partner with local policeman Inspector Keating in tracking down murderers; the latter is a by-the-books detective who resents Chambers’ intrusion on this, their first case, but they quickly become good friends.
The reason for the initial resentment is that Keating thinks the case is all wrapped up, as an obvious suicide. But after Chambers is persuaded to intercede by the dead man’s mistress (and the wife of his business partner), Keating reluctantly has to agree that Chambers – and his keen eye for items found at the murder scene – is right. It’s a good mystery, but I claim it’s unfair to the viewer to not be able to read what the two detectives do in the dead man’s diary. Well, we do, but you can measure the length of time it’s on the screen in nanoseconds.
Both stars have engaging personalities, however, and that goes a long way in paving over small little complaints such as this. There is, or will be, an ongoing sub-plot that may prove interesting, that of a platonic girl friend that Chambers has known since they were both were young. But when she announces her engagement to someone else, it appears that both of them are beginning to wonder if their friendship was so platonic after all.
October 23rd, 2020 at 9:32 pm
I love this series though I wish they did the novels, which they don’t quite. I look on them as more or less related items. Complimentary if not the same.
I haven’t watched since Norton left and a new character replaced him, but I hear it is still good, and will watch when the new ones are available I suppose.
Green alone is reason enough to watch, and while it isn’t always fair play it is, often enough, close enough for government work as the saying goes.
October 23rd, 2020 at 9:39 pm
I enjoyed this one well enough that while I won’t binge watch it, I’ll put it into some sort of regular rotation. Based on this first episode, there’s going to be a lot to like.
October 26th, 2020 at 9:16 pm
What I’ve seen of Granchester is low key, “realistic”, full of modern social controversies, and devoid of comedy or humor. It has beautiful color photography. But I’ve rarely been able to like the show very much.
October 27th, 2020 at 7:50 pm
We agree on the beautiful photography, Mike, but I found plenty to smile at in this first episode, anyway, though nothing laugh out funny. Lighthearted when it needed to be and more serious when the story demanded it. Nothing forced, just smooth and easy.