Season 6 Discussion

[izabella]

12 hours ago, magdalene said:

Race may have nothing to do with it. I hope not.  It could  simply be a combination of resenting the new curate because he has taken Leonard's place and not being consulted.  I am kind of resenting the new curate myself which I know is not right, but I can't help feeling that way.  The new guy does come across as holier than thou and tattling to the bishop about Will rubbed me the wrong way. Obviously objectively  Will is not being at all fair to the new curate. 

I know Will said he had expected to select the new curate.  I wonder if he believes the new guy was hand picked by the bishop specifically to spy on him, and that's another reason he is cold to him.

[Pallas]

12 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

I liked seeing snow flurries in this episode. We don't usually see winter in Grantchester, do we? I guess they want the gray skies to match the gray tone of the show this season.

Because of COVID, filming for Season 6 began last October -- a month later than usual -- and then with delays, extended through the winter until April, 2021. 

[buttersister]

Quote

My guess is they both passed out in the bed and nothing happened. 

Cliche 101. Check. Ugh.

I'll miss Leonard when he (hopefully) gets out of jail at some point and goes off with Daniel (they deserve a nice place in France). Weaver never made a false step with that character.

Geordie! Seen him wrapped a bit too tightly before, this isn't headed anywhere good.

And STFU, Will. Kindly do not become Sydney. Show picked up when he left, no need to bring it back down with the patented bad brew of angst/boy detective/crap vicar (TM Grrarrggh).

[Grrarrggh]

1 hour ago, buttersister said:

And STFU, Will. Kindly do not become Sydney. Show picked up when he left, no need to bring it back down with the patented bad brew of angst/boy detective/crap vicar (TM Grrarrggh).

At least Sidney felt some angst about not doing his job. Will, aside from the occasional baptism or sermon, seems to have completely forgotten he's supposed to be serving his flock etc etc etc. It would have made more sense if he was already in the Archbishop's sight's because he'd been ignoring his duties, then having everything with Leonard piled on top. 

[Daff]

On 11/8/2021 at 10:16 AM, Dr.OO7 said:

They could have still been arrested

I think the term was “public indecency”. Which would probably result in the officer warning them to move along (no matter what the state of dress). Also, I paid attention to the shorts Will was wearing as he got up, but because he had warily looked under the covers upon waking. (? That puzzled me-wouldn’t you know if your butt was naked in bed without having to look?)

Edited November 10, 2021 by Daff

[DonnaMae]

1 hour ago, Daff said:

That puzzled me-wouldn’t you know if your butt was naked in bed without having to look?)

LOL!  Maybe his shorts are very loose around the waist.

[dubbel zout]

42 minutes ago, DonnaMae said:

2 hours ago, Daff said:

That puzzled me-wouldn’t you know if your butt was naked in bed without having to look?)

LOL!  Maybe his shorts are very loose around the waist.

Ha! I think that's also something of a trope. It lets the viewers know the person doesn't remember anything from the night before.

[magdalene]

On 11/8/2021 at 6:17 PM, seacliffsal said:

I think Will is heading in the same direction that I did not care for with Sydney-being so wrapped up in his own personal dramas that he loses sight of his profession which is to care for and support the people of his parish and community.  If one doesn't want to do that, then leave the ministry (I know it's hard to always be supporting and giving to others, but that is the calling).

They like to spackle on the angst real thick on this show. I doubt they are ever going to write an angst free vicar.

And they seem to be heading into heavy angst with Geordie about his war time trauma too. I did not like how he got so short tempered and snappish with his wife this episode.

[HoodlumSheep]

Uuugghhh Geordie whyyyyy

That was painful to watch. :(

I don't like how he's spiralling back into season 2 geordie behavior. Not one bit.

Poor Cathy.

Edited November 15, 2021 by HoodlumSheep

[Cetacean]

Geez, can this season get any darker?  I'm ready to slit my wrists by the end of the episode.

[Pallas]

Leonard's working his way through fear, shame and clues was inspiring. He may have found a new calling -- as a crime-solving lay chaplain. 

[ComeWhatMay]

When Geordie raised his hand to Cathy, I came close to writing him off, but when he unfolded that too long list of names he keeps on him he had me again. Leave Johnny alone and start living for your friends robbed of doing so who would have done good with the chance Johnny and you got. I know that’s easier said than done. 

Leonard’s trajectory was brutal to watch, but he looked stronger than he ever has preaching to his fellow prisoners and that was wonderful to see. Keep going, Leonard. 

[dargosmydaddy]

On 11/8/2021 at 12:09 AM, Sarah 103 said:

Eseme must be very proud and pleased that she gets to eat dinner with the adults. 

I was going to respond to this last week and mention that I found it odd that Esme is always set apart from the next oldest daughter, who, to the best of my recollection, wasn't much younger than her. But then I didn't, because we so rarely see the other three Keating kids for more than a second, and I thought maybe I was misremembering her age, or the show had since de-aged her.

But tonight we finally got to see the Keating family en masse, and darn if Ivy (whose name I had to Google, because the show so rarely mentions it) isn't the same size as Esme, and surely no more than two years (and probably less) younger than her... I get that the show wants Esme to be the bratty teen/ world-weary oldest sister, and doesn't want to bother with storylines for the younger kids, but I can't help feeling sorry for poor, neglected Iris, always lumped in with the littles. And I thought her one line (about Daddy being sick) might have worked better coming from the younger daughter (whose name is Dora, if anyone cares... the show certainly doesn't).

Edited November 15, 2021 by dargosmydaddy
Because I couldn't even get poor Ivy's name right...

[Ms Lark]

I am hoping that little shit photographer Bryan gets arrested for "indecency" himself and gets the book thrown at him. Either that or winds up a floater for blackmailing the wrong person. I hope Leonard gets out, reunites with Daniel, and they GTF out of Britain! Although, I would miss the character.

New curate strikes me as an ambitious snitch.

[magdalene]

I was so proud of Leonard. Not only did he face his terror and his shame he also found the courage to look beyond his own troubles and revealed that slimy prison vicar as a murderer. Because of Leonard an innocent man was saved and went free.

I had to concentrate on Leonard being in a better place emotionally and spiritually at the end.

Because I was so upset about the Geordie story line.  No matter how much PTSD is coming to the surface I do believe how Geordie is treating Cathy is beyond awful.

I think it may be time to show a divorce story line next season.  Cathy and the children may be better off without Geordie in their lives.

I wish the show hadn't done such a dark and depressing  season given the trying times we are living through this year and last.

Next week looks like a barrel of laughs too.

 

 

[sugarbaker design]

I didn't think we'd see an episode featuring Leonard in the big house.  I was worried going in, but it wasn't as awful as I thought it would be.  I was curious if the other inmates would know Leonard's offense, and boy was my question answered.  

And we got two murder mysteries for the price of one!

I can't believe I'm posting this but I'm more worried about Geordie than I am about Leonard.  Geordie's prison is much more harmful.

[cinsays]

27 minutes ago, sugarbaker design said:

I didn't think we'd see an episode featuring Leonard in the big house.  I was worried going in, but it wasn't as awful as I thought it would be.  I was curious if the other inmates would know Leonard's offense, and boy was my question answered.  

And we got two murder mysteries for the price of one!

I can't believe I'm posting this but I'm more worried about Geordie than I am about Leonard.  Geordie's prison is much more harmful.

He'd better stop hanging out with Johnny but he probably won't.

When Geordie unfolded his list of war buddies and their fate and he gasped at the end, is it because he was responsible for the guy's death that got shot?

 

[sugarbaker design]

8 minutes ago, cinsays said:

When Geordie unfolded his list of war buddies and their fate and he gasped at the end, is it because he was responsible for the guy's death that got shot?

I guess more will be revealed.  At the very least, even if he wasn't directly responsible, he may have been understandably traumatized by it.  It's awful to see the effects of something that happened so long ago is having profound effects on Geordie's family.  Long shadows, indeed.

[Daff]

12 hours ago, dargosmydaddy said:

I was going to respond to this last week and mention that I found it odd that Esme is always set apart from the next oldest daughter, who, to the best of my recollection, wasn't much younger than her. But then I didn't, because we so rarely see the other three Keating kids for more than a second, and I thought maybe I was misremembering her age, or the show had since de-aged her.

But tonight we finally got to see the Keating family en masse, and darn if Iris (whose name I had to Google, because the show so rarely mentions it) isn't the same size as Esme, and surely no more than two years (and probably less) younger than her... I get that the show wants Esme to be the bratty teen/ world-weary oldest sister, and doesn't want to bother with storylines for the younger kids, but I can't help feeling sorry for poor, neglected Iris, always lumped in with the littles. And I thought her one line (about Daddy being sick) might have worked better coming from the younger daughter (whose name is Dora, if anyone cares... the show certainly doesn't).

And so goes the plight, in life, of the middle child…

[Daff]

9 hours ago, magdalene said:

I had to concentrate on Leonard being in a better place emotionally and spiritually at the end.

I hope he CAN keep his spirits up because the nasty warden seems to be cut from the same cloth as the evil vicar!

[dubbel zout]

1 hour ago, cinsays said:

When Geordie unfolded his list of war buddies and their fate and he gasped at the end, is it because he was responsible for the guy's death that got shot?

Maybe, but I took it more as Geordie again being affected by how many of his fellow POWs died. That list is something he obviously thinks about a lot.

He's got PTSD and survivor's guilt, at least. I'm curious how they'll deal with this, because veteran's support groups were likely few and far between, if they existed at all back then. Geordie's doing what he was told to do: Suck it up and get on with his life. But that kind of trauma comes out somehow, as we're seeing.

34 minutes ago, Daff said:

And so goes the plight, in life, of the middle child…

"Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!"

[Sarah 103]

14 hours ago, ComeWhatMay said:

Leonard’s trajectory was brutal to watch, but he looked stronger than he ever has preaching to his fellow prisoners and that was wonderful to see. Keep going, Leonard. 

His sermon was amazing. It was the first time I realized what a loss that has occured. He could have been an amazing vicar, and it will not happen. His sermon was far better than what we have seen in the past. It may be previous sermons were last minute and he didn't have time to prepare or they were supposed to be the comedic moment. 

I am so glad that Leonard has found strength and a way to do the work he wanted to. 

2 hours ago, cinsays said:

When Geordie unfolded his list of war buddies and their fate and he gasped at the end, is it because he was responsible for the guy's death that got shot?

I saw it as survivor's guilt. He saw the names of all the men who died (and he may not have been able to save any of them) and wonders why he survived and they didn't. 

14 hours ago, dargosmydaddy said:

found it odd that Esme is always set apart from the next oldest daughter, who, to the best of my recollection, wasn't much younger than her.

My guess based on pure speculation is that Esme kept asking her parents when she could sit with the adults at the dinner, and they picked an age that sounded right. She held them to it, and they're probably telling the younger siblings when you get to be ___ you can eat with the adults. 

[WatchrTina]

I have to say I'm not enjoying this season of Grantchester as much as I have in the past due to the awful circumstances in which Leonard finds himself.  I appreciate that his situation creates a wealth of opportunities for plot points -- this IS a murder mystery series after all -- as well as social commentary about the cruelty and hypocrisy of England's "morality" laws during this time, but I just hate to see his ongoing suffering.  And is EVERYONE at the top of the prison system corrupt?  Maybe that is just how it was, but I find it quite depressing to contemplate.

My hope is that Leonard will prove instrumental in the solving of a crime and will get time off for good behavior as a result.  Or maybe he'll serve his entire sentence but find satisfaction and internal peace by ministering to the spiritual needs of his fellow inmates.  Either way, I look forward to his return home (though HOW he will return and IF he will return remains uncertain).  More importantly, I look forward to the return to the contrived, pastor-solving-a-mystery-of-the-week format we have come to know and love.

 

[rove4]

Finally got caught up with the season.  I'm surprised so many people are finding the show dark this season.  As sad as I am for Leonard (my favorite character!), and as worried as I am that the actor may be leaving the show, I still find the show to be pretty light  in comparison to other things I watch.  It's still very much a cozy mystery to me. And I personally like getting more of a look into the personal lives of the characters. They are what draw me to the show.  The mysteries have always been incidental to me. 

Ugh, I can't stand Will's step-sister.  She's just annoying. I don't care one little bit about whatever her poor-little-rich-girl backstory turns out to be.

Whatever happened the journalist lady from last season, Ellie was it?  That character just up and disappeared.

I'm glad Geordie's affair was brought back up again.  That sort of thing probably always lives on in the shadows so I'm glad to see that Kathy hasn't magically forgotten all about it ever happening.  

I'm hard pressed to see how Leonard can possibly ever return to his duties as Curate, which makes me super sad. I want him to be happy and to be able to be with the man that he loves.  I just want him to be able to do it in Grantchester. Not realistic, I know.  Darn it all. 

I do like Henry though, so if he's the permanent Curate I think it could work out fine.  He may be "by the book" right now but I think the Grantchester folks will worm their ways into his heart eventually. 

[dubbel zout]

30 minutes ago, rove4 said:

Ugh, I can't stand Will's step-sister.  She's just annoying. I don't care one little bit about whatever her poor-little-rich-girl backstory turns out to be.

Same. I hate people like her, blasting her way through other people's lives with no respect for them at all, then getting all insulted people call her on her shit. All because Mummy and/or Daddy did love her enough. Ugh.

[JudyObscure]

1 hour ago, Sarah 103 said:

His sermon was amazing. It was the first time I realized what a loss that has occured. He could have been an amazing vicar, and it will not happen. His sermon was far better than what we have seen in the past. It may be previous sermons were last minute and he didn't have time to prepare or they were supposed to be the comedic moment. 

I am so glad that Leonard has found strength and a way to do the work he wanted to. 

I agree. I remember that his early sermons were far too intellectual, of the Kierkegaard says this and Augustine that, sort that were so far over the congregation's head they would look laughably lost.  His simple, heartfelt sermon to his fellow prisoners showed how much his sermons have improved as well as the newfound confidence he has earned the hard way.

I hope  when he gets out, he gets to continue his work some way, maybe as a missionary.

I laughed when Henry called  Will's step-sister "Your Freudian nightmare of a sister."

Edited November 15, 2021 by JudyObscure

[dubbel zout]

17 minutes ago, JudyObscure said:

I laughed when Henry called  Will's step-sister "Your Freudian nightmare of a sister."

That was good, and the murdered man's mother had a good—if somewhat chilling—line when she said to Will that her son had been to public school, so prison should be familiar. Yikes!

[Daff]

3 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

That list is something he obviously thinks about a lot.

…in perpetuity, traveling inside the inner band of his hat. Does anyone recall his rank? He may feel more responsible if it was higher than the others, or maybe it’s just survivor’s guilt. I’m thinking he doesn’t think much of Johnny anymore, as he pretty much admitted he can’t remember them or bring himself to think about them. Do you think he keeps going for drinks with Johnny because he’s curious how the man can just dismiss all the pain and loss?

[DonnaMae]

Why does Will allow his super annoying step-sister to hang out at the rectory?

[dargosmydaddy]

54 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

the murdered man's mother had a good—if somewhat chilling—line when she said to Will that her son had been to public school, so prison should be familiar. Yikes!

I think the actual line was in reference that visiting him was familiar because he'd been to public school (which I believe, strangely enough, refers to private/ boarding school in the UK, rather than what we mean by public school in America). 

1 minute ago, DonnaMae said:

Why does Will allow his super annoying step-sister to hang out at the rectory?

He kind of likes her? He kind of feels sorry for her? He kind of feels beholden to her for the money earlier in the season? He kind of finds the rectory boring? Some combination of the above? I do think he is becoming thoroughly annoyed by her presence, but doesn't seem to quite know how to say no to her (and the stepsister is quite good at ignoring the fact that her presence isn't welcome).

While I would hate the stepsister in real life, I will say she adds at least a little bit of levity to a very bleak season, so I don't really mind her. Between Henry's "Your Freudian nightmare of a sister is disrobing in the parlor" and his later horror when Will asked him to be part of the family ("Please tell me that doesn't make Tamara my sister"), I chuckled a few times.

[dubbel zout]

28 minutes ago, Daff said:

Do you think he keeps going for drinks with Johnny because he’s curious how the man can just dismiss all the pain and loss?

I think Geordie goes to drinks with Johnny because Johnny is one of the very few people who went through the same experience. They don't have to talk about it to understand how the other is feeling. I also think Geordie knows Johnny dismisses all the pain and loss by drinking copiously.

[Cetacean]

4 hours ago, rove4 said:

It's still very much a cozy mystery to me.

 Wow, those must be some heavy duty cozy mysteries. 

A husband drowns his wife and then lets his son go to prison for it?  A young man is drowned in a prison bathtub by a minister?  Throw in Geordie's meltdowns and treating Cathy like crap - personally, I find it very dark.

[Sarah 103]

2 hours ago, Daff said:

…in perpetuity, traveling inside the inner band of his hat. Does anyone recall his rank? He may feel more responsible if it was higher than the others, or maybe it’s just survivor’s guilt. 

I think survivor’s guilt would have happened no matter what rank Geordie had. If Geordie had a higher rank than many of the other prisoners, I can see how that would intensify the survivor’s guilt, because Geordie would see them as his men and that he had a duty/responsibiity to protect them and failed (even though he probably did all he could).  

[Quilt Fairy]

4 hours ago, WatchrTina said:

My hope is that Leonard will prove instrumental in the solving of a crime and will get time off for good behavior as a result.

Pretty sure he was instrumental in the solving of two crimes last night - and both murders, at that. 

4 hours ago, rove4 said:

I'm hard pressed to see how Leonard can possibly ever return to his duties as Curate, which makes me super sad. I want him to be happy and to be able to be with the man that he loves.  I just want him to be able to do it in Grantchester. Not realistic, I know.  Darn it all. 

What is Leonard's current standing in the Anglican church?  The bishop both fired him and said they had "withdrawn his license".  What does that mean?

[dubbel zout]

14 minutes ago, Quilt Fairy said:

The bishop both fired him and said they had "withdrawn his license".  What does that mean?

He was fired from his position as curate in Grantchester, and with no license—which I presume is given by the Church—he can't get a position elsewhere. Effectively he's blocked from working as any sort of cleric. Maybe he could get a lay position, but given what he went to jail for, that seems unlikely.

[SnapHappy]

So as the prison is now without a holy man, and Leonard can't go back to being Curate at Grantchester, I can see them bending some rules and letting him be the new prison Chaplain.  Ministering to people who he understands and that understand him.  Seems like a possibility to me, as he'll be out soon.   We'd still be able to have him as part of the Grantchester family. 

Now Geordie needs to stay away from Jonny, get sober and talk to somebody.  No way he can keep up the way he's going.  It's obvious we can get at least another few seasons out of Will & the gang, so Geordie needs to get straightened out. 

Edited November 16, 2021 by SnapHappy

[Dr.OO7]

Great episode. I had the prison chaplain pegged the minute I saw him. I'm glad Henry's loosening up a bit.

I hope Geordie can stop his downward spiral before he or someone else gets hurt.

[magdalene]

8 hours ago, rove4 said:

Finally got caught up with the season.  I'm surprised so many people are finding the show dark this season.  As sad as I am for Leonard (my favorite character!), and as worried as I am that the actor may be leaving the show, I still find the show to be pretty light  in comparison to other things I watch.  It's still very much a cozy mystery to me. And I personally like getting more of a look into the personal lives of the characters. They are what draw me to the show.  The mysteries have always been incidental to me. 

Your post made me look up the definition of cozy mystery - it being the "gentlest" type in the murder genre that "comforts the reader/watcher".   I guess Grantchester does fall into the category but it has never comforted me ever. Between my teeth grinding over Sydney's love life and his misery with the vicar life style to my anxiety over Leonard and Geordie - Grantchester doesn't make me feel cozy at all. I guess Father Brown gives me that feeling.

But then again maybe I am just too sensitive.  One of my friends calls "Shetland" a cozy mystery,  Which totally mystifies me.

[sugarbaker design]

10 hours ago, magdalene said:

But then again maybe I am just too sensitive.  One of my friends calls "Shetland" a cozy mystery,  Which totally mystifies me.

Father Brown, Rosemary & Thyme, Agatha Raisin, Jessica Fletcher.  All great examples of cozies.  Shetland is not a cozy.  Grantchester's first season is a cozy, it has gotten less cozy-like with every season.

[Quilt Fairy]

I think the classic cozy sleuth is Agatha Christie's Miss Marple.   

[rove4]

15 hours ago, Cetacean said:

 Wow, those must be some heavy duty cozy mysteries. 

A husband drowns his wife and then lets his son go to prison for it?  A young man is drowned in a prison bathtub by a minister?  Throw in Geordie's meltdowns and treating Cathy like crap - personally, I find it very dark.

Well, a show about murder mysteries is always going to have dead people and the people who killed them, lol. But it's still all very "clean".  There's hardly ever any blood associated with the murders and, for me, they lack any real deep dive into the darker psychological aspects of why people kill.  It's not as saccharine sweet as anything on the Hallmark channel but it still feels pretty PG rated to me though obviously mileage varies on that. 

 

[sugarbaker design]

1 hour ago, rove4 said:

Well, a show about murder mysteries is always going to have dead people and the people who killed them, lol. But it's still all very "clean".  There's hardly ever any blood associated with the murders and, for me, they lack any real deep dive into the darker psychological aspects of why people kill.  It's not as saccharine sweet as anything on the Hallmark channel but it still feels pretty PG rated to me though obviously mileage varies on that. 

 

Right, the actual murder mystery part on Grantchester can be classified as cozy, nearly all the murders happen off-camera.  It's the serialized Sturm und Drang of the recurring characters that can't be classified as cozy.  Father Brown didn't go to prison, Rosemary never backhanded Thyme, Miss Marple didn't have a drinking problem, Agatha Raisin doesn't have PTSD.

[WatchrTina]

(WatchrTina quietly tiptoes to the keyboard to look up "Agatha Raisin" in the hopes that she's just learned of a new "cozy" British TV detective she can binge-watch . . . since she's seen EVERYTHING else that fits that category.)

Edited November 16, 2021 by WatchrTina

[WatchrTina]

17 hours ago, SnapHappy said:

So as the prison is now without a holy man, and Leonard can't go back to being Curate at Grantchester, I can see them bending some rules and letting him be the new prison Chaplain. 

The more I think about this, the more I like this idea.  It was always a bit ridiculous the number of crimes and murders that the vicars of Grantchester (or Father Brown or Jessica Fletcher) encountered in their small, rural villages.  But if Leonard ends up serving as a conduit between Will and a population of current and former inmates of the prison who know of mysteries to be solved and injustices to be righted, then that is a whole new field of opportunities for the writers to plow.

Edited November 16, 2021 by WatchrTina

[Daff]

2 hours ago, Quilt Fairy said:

I think the classic cozy sleuth is Agatha Christie's Miss Marple.   

And yet, some of Miss Marple’s monologues indicate that she truly believes there are individuals in the world who are truly evil through and through. It’s somewhat disturbing that she’s so intent upon getting into the minds of these people. 

27 minutes ago, WatchrTina said:

(WatchrTina quietly tiptoes to the keyboard to look up "Agatha Raisin" in the hopes that she's just learned of a new "cozy" British TV detective she can binge-watch . . . since she's seen EVERYTHING else that fits that category.)

You WON’T be disappointed! Engaging, witty and hilarious with unusual mysteries!

[Quilt Fairy]

7 hours ago, sugarbaker design said:

Miss Marple didn't have a drinking problem,

No, but after watching Only Murders In The Building, imagine what she could have done with her knitting needles!

[rove4]

22 hours ago, sugarbaker design said:

Right, the actual murder mystery part on Grantchester can be classified as cozy, nearly all the murders happen off-camera.  It's the serialized Sturm und Drang of the recurring characters that can't be classified as cozy.  Father Brown didn't go to prison, Rosemary never backhanded Thyme, Miss Marple didn't have a drinking problem, Agatha Raisin doesn't have PTSD.

True.  But that's probably why I never stuck with any of those shows for long, not enough meat to keep me interested. 😁 

Edited November 17, 2021 by rove4

[sugarbaker design]

4 minutes ago, rove4 said:

True.  But that's probably why I never stuck with any of those shows for long, not enough meat to keep me interested. 😁 

That's one of the downfalls of TV cozies, characters stay trapped in time and circumstance.  

[TVForever]

Cathy is an absolute jewel.

That’s all I’ve got for now🙂

[Noneofyourbusiness]

On 11/15/2021 at 1:41 PM, WatchrTina said:

And is EVERYONE at the top of the prison system corrupt?  Maybe that is just how it was, but I find it quite depressing to contemplate.

Was?