Season 7 Discussion

[howiveaddict]

In my family, cancer was handled like Mrs. C.   You didn’t talk about it.  My grandpa never wanted to know if he ever had cancer.  He developed multiple myeloma, took chemotherapy and still was not told.  His brother in law had colon cancer and people were not told until after he died.  It was almost like a stigma to have it.   So glad times have changed.  

[Irlandesa]

57 minutes ago, howiveaddict said:

In my family, cancer was handled like Mrs. C.

This makes me think of how cancer was handled on another show.  The husband was told and not that wife who actually had it. 

It was the US vs. the UK. 

[Gravity Check]

7 hours ago, Driad said:

Wasn't that part of a vicar's job?

When my mom wanted a divorce around 1960, she went to her pastor to discuss it. She was worried about it being a sin, and that I would suffer in a single-parent home. So, yes, in my experience, clergy played the part of marriage counselors around that time.

(He told her that it was not a sin to want to raise me in a home free of arguing and conflict, and my parents did indeed get divorced. I thank that pastor retroactively. My folks were wonderful apart, and a nightmare together.)

Edited August 2, 2022 by Gravity Check

[sharifa70]

I felt validated when Jack told Will that Mrs. C. was appearing in public without her girdle (gasp)! Also, I’m sorry, but Mrs. C. mocking beatniks with a dramatic recital of her shopping list had me laughing out loud. 

Geordie and Cathy should just divorce and put us out of our misery. At this point I don’t know why they should stay together. 

I completely agree with Will and his whore/Madonna thing with women. I, too, was bothered by his dismissal of previous twuuu wuv non-white Maya as “just sex.” It’s…not a good look, Grantchester writers.

[sugarbaker design]

59 minutes ago, sharifa70 said:

Also, I’m sorry, but Mrs. C. mocking beatniks with a dramatic recital of her shopping list had me laughing out loud. 

Don't be sorry, I was laughing also.  Crusty. White. Bread.  [fingersnaps]

I don't know what was funnier, the poetry or "up yer bum"!

I'll take a bitter Mrs. C over a horny Will or a drunken Geordie anyday.

Edited August 2, 2022 by sugarbaker design

[dargosmydaddy]

38 minutes ago, sharifa70 said:

Also, I’m sorry, but Mrs. C. mocking beatniks with a dramatic recital of her shopping list had me laughing out loud. 

That was my favorite part of the episode!

Meanwhile, Will and Bonnie attempting to Parent Trap Geordie and Kathy was the cringiest.

[DonnaMae]

On 8/1/2022 at 6:03 AM, JudyObscure said:

although ridiculing the bad poet was meaner than I thought she could be.

She continues to be rude.  This is why I don't like the character. 

[Cetacean]

3 hours ago, sharifa70 said:

Also, I’m sorry, but Mrs. C. mocking beatniks with a dramatic recital of her shopping list had me laughing out loud.

Lawdy, me too.  It was just so her.  And, seriously, poetry about a house fly?

[ComeWhatMay]

11 hours ago, sharifa70 said:

I completely agree with Will and his whore/Madonna thing with women. I, too, was bothered by his dismissal of previous twuuu wuv non-white Maya as “just sex.” It’s…not a good look, Grantchester writers.

I was grossed out. Horndog Will was talking marriage and kids with Maya. Just no. 

I really liked Will at the beginning of his run too. Now I am debating whether to finish the series. 

[12catcrazy]

14 hours ago, ComeWhatMay said:

I was grossed out. Horndog Will was talking marriage and kids with Maya. Just no. 

I really liked Will at the beginning of his run too. Now I am debating whether to finish the series. 

Aww, we've got 2 more episodes to go - you've come this far - don't jump ship yet.

As of what I could find online yesterday, Grantchester hasn't (yet) gotten a green light for another season.  This might be the end for Will and his horndog antics.   I'm still Team Leonard and Geordie! (and Dickens)

[seacliffsal]

It has got to be the jazz.  Sydney started his slow descent into annoyingness and horndogness as he listened to more and more jazz and now Will is following Sydney into a sad descent into the same annoyingness and horndogness.  So that must be it (I kid, I kid...).  But, to me as a viewer, it is a bit disconcerting that it seems like they are turning Will into a clone of Sydney. 

As noted by others, thank goodness we have Leonard and Dickens.  Maybe the next season would be Leonard taking Dickens on a road trip.

[JudyObscure]

Aside from the fact that I didn't know Maya was considered non-white and only noticed how much she reminded me of a young Joan Baez --  I like the way the British have been casting people of all colors the last few years.

They've been casting actors of all colors in parts that were traditionally only cast with white people.  Recently they cast a black woman to play Jackie in "Howards End," although E. M Forster hadn't written it that way, and I thought it was a very interesting choice. 

I don't want the casting directors to feel they need to do what many American show runners seem to do -- that is, read through scripts and make sure any non-white character is written as a near saint and treated with kid gloves by the other characters in the story unless the part calls for a straight up racist villain.  I think that's unrealistic and terribly limiting for the actors.

Last week, Will learned from listening to the women who worked at the brothel that lots of men are into a fantasy that is only in their heads.   He recognized himself and his relationship with Maya.  Yes, he had said he was in love and was envisioning marriage, but he suddenly faced the truth, that he didn't even know Maya.  They had barely said two words to each other before jumping in bed.  Yes, It was just sex!  That can happen sometimes with men and women regardless of anyone's color.

I think the casting of Maya was fine.  She was fascinating, sexy and mysterious, and that's what the part called for.

Edited August 3, 2022 by JudyObscure

[12catcrazy]

1 hour ago, seacliffsal said:

It has got to be the jazz.  Sydney started his slow descent into annoyingness and horndogness as he listened to more and more jazz and now Will is following Sydney into a sad descent into the same annoyingness and horndogness.  So that must be it (I kid, I kid...).  

In movies from the 1930s (especially the early 30s "pre-code" movies) when they wanted to show someone (usually a woman) who is on the moral slide to Hell, they ALWAYS had the person listening to Jazz - either by playing records or dancing provocatively in a "Hot" Jazz club.   Nothing screamed "BAD GIRL" like a beautiful woman listening to Jazz.  

[JudyObscure]

Good catch, 12CatCrazy!  I'm going to watch for that.

  When we watched "The Crown" my husband and I loved the way they used music to show how "wild" Princess Margaret was.

After she meets Lord Snowden for the first time she goes back to her rooms in the palace and plays, "I Only Have Eyes For You," on her record player, and dances alone in her room. It was so hot!

[Sarah 103]

I meant to mention to this in an earlier post but forgot. I can't believe they had a mid 1960s Motown song (I can't remember the song now, but it was something by the Four Tops) in a scene that was set in 1959. It must have been an incredibly expensive song to license. 

[sharifa70]

3 hours ago, JudyObscure said:

Aside from the fact that I didn't know Maya was considered non-white and only noticed how much she reminded me of a young Joan Baez --  I like the way the British have been casting people of all colors the last few years.

They've been casting actors of all colors in parts that were traditionally only cast with white people.  Recently they cast a black woman to play Jackie in "Howards End," although E. M Forster hadn't written it that way, and I thought it was a very interesting choice. 

I don't want the casting directors to feel they need to do what many American show runners seem to do -- that is, read through scripts and make sure any non-white character is written as a near saint and treated with kid gloves by the other characters in the story unless the part calls for a straight up racist villain.  I think that's unrealistic and terribly limiting for the actors.

Last week, Will learned from listening to the women who worked at the brothel that lots of men are into a fantasy that is only in their heads.   He recognized himself and his relationship with Maya.  Yes, he had said he was in love and was envisioning marriage, but he suddenly faced the truth, that he didn't even know Maya.  They had barely said two words to each other before jumping in bed.  Yes, It was just sex!  That can happen sometimes with men and women regardless of anyone's color.

I think the casting of Maya was fine.  She was fascinating, sexy and mysterious, and that's what the part called for.

I also love that the casting directors don’t seem to be casting actors of certain races to play certain parts. My only point was that color-blind casting or not, they still need to be careful with the optics when it comes to a brown-appearing woman who’s had a few drinks = someone Will will jump right into bed with vs a white-appearing woman who’s had a few drinks = Will is going to be all 1950’s about their relationship. The juxtaposition within a few episodes of each other is particularly stark, even if those scenes were separated by an episode in which Will learned a thing or two.

Edited August 3, 2022 by sharifa70

[Cetacean]

Ellora Torchis (Maya) has a mixed ethnicity - her father is Swiss-Italian, her mother South African-Indian.  She says : “In the UK, there’s this idea I’m very Asian, and in the US, I go up for Latino parts.  Wherever I am, there’s a different approach to who I am.” 

[christie]

1 hour ago, sharifa70 said:

I also love that the casting directors don’t seem to be casting actors of certain races to play certain parts. My only point was that color-blind casting or not, they still need to be careful with the optics when it comes to a brown-appearing woman who’s had a few drinks = someone Will will jump right into bed with vs a white-appearing woman who’s had a few drinks = Will is going to be all 1950’s about their relationship. The juxtaposition within a few episodes of each other is particularly stark, even if those scenes were separated by an episode in which Will learned a thing or two.

See, for me, those optics went right over my head; I thought Will was all 1950s over Bonnie 'cause she's Geordie's niece (sort of he's "respecting her" 'cause he respects his friend; a case of a woman not being identified as a person in her own right but how she relates to another man). 

[sharifa70]

2 minutes ago, christie said:

See, for me, those optics went right over my head; I thought Will was all 1950s over Bonnie 'cause she's Geordie's niece (sort of he's "respecting her" 'cause he respects his friend; a case of a woman not being identified as a person in her own right but how she relates to another man). 

I completely believe that was the intent, and that race wasn’t a factor in Will’s behavior.

Re optics: I work in a sector where race and equity are a huge part of daily conversations. I don’t work directly with the equity team, though, so I don’t notice how much I’ve actually internalized those discussions until something like this comes up. 

[christie]

36 minutes ago, sharifa70 said:

I completely believe that was the intent, and that race wasn’t a factor in Will’s behavior.

Re optics: I work in a sector where race and equity are a huge part of daily conversations. I don’t work directly with the equity team, though, so I don’t notice how much I’ve actually internalized those discussions until something like this comes up. 

No, no, it's good that you mentioned it; it gave another dimension to something that was, already, problematic. 

[HoodlumSheep]

A bit late to the party (family stayed for a visit this weekend), but episode thoughts:

A wild Daniel appears! Tbh I haven't really missed him? I've always been rather neutral towards him, so idk. I'm fine if from here on out he only pops up once in a while. Surprised to see him part of a church group though, but at least they addressed that.

Will and Bonnie...Will made the right choice, but he could have probably handled it better?

Cathy and Geordie...I hate to say it but at this point they need to divorce. Everyone's already made good points about them so I probably don't need to expand upon it. It's just too much. Time to cut the chord.

Y'all it's too obvious about that student guy they've been keeping around. This episode all but confirmed he's the real homeless killer. Go back and listen to how they profile the killer in that episode. The religious discussions with Leonard this episode???? Hellooooooo. If not I'll eat my hat.

[cardigirl]

On 8/1/2022 at 4:40 PM, OlderThanDirt said:

Can't decide what the plan is for the young curate wannabe.

I have my doubts about him. Like, he's too nice. 

ETA: Dammit, @HoodlumSheep beat me to it. 

Edited August 5, 2022 by cardigirl

[limecoke]

Ok. Just finished this season on PBS Passport. Looked like a series ending episode to me so I’m assuming that’s it for Grantchester. For the most part I enjoyed it though I never warmed to Will.  I’m miss Robson Green-he’s wonderful.

[christie]

2 hours ago, limecoke said:

Ok. Just finished this season on PBS Passport. Looked like a series ending episode to me so I’m assuming that’s it for Grantchester. For the most part I enjoyed it though I never warmed to Will.  I’m miss Robson Green-he’s wonderful.

Yes, a million times yes to your post, especially the part about missing Robson Green. I'll also miss Al Weaver; I loved him as Leonard.

[dargosmydaddy]

I liked their conversation in the interrogation room, and I have to admit I'm glad they're back together, but Geordie and Cathy's reconciliation felt way too rushed. You can't spend an entire season having them seriously at odds and wrap it up with one conversation. Similar to the Mrs. C./ Jack falling out of a few seasons ago, the pacing of this felt all wrong, and the ending felt unearned and not particularly believable.

On the same note, I'm spoiled as to the major plot points of next week, and I have no idea how certain characters can get from point A to point B in one episode...

[Sarah 103]

It's so strange to have the show set in 1959, when Cathy's storyline really belongs more in the mid to late 1960s, especially with some of the language she is using. 

Will cannot stop screwing up his love life/romantic life. I can't believe he slept with Maya again. He knew it was wrong for him, he knew it was a bad idea, even thought she was at least single this time, and he still had sex with her. 

Taking my usual dip in the shallow end of the pool, I enjoyed seeing Will in his t-shirt boxing. It's been awhile since we've seen him box. Maybe he's more stressed out than he's been.

[JudyObscure]

When we last saw Bonnie she was screaming at Will for not wanting to have sex with her on the first date, then last night Will runs into her and he apologizes and she says she forgives him but doesn't apologize in return. Next she barges into the vicarage, sees he has another woman there, and starts screaming at him again calling him entitled when she's the one who keeps acting like they're married when they  only had one friendly dinner.  It doesn't help that I don't find the actress attractive at all so the whole thing smacks of the plain woman in the office yelling at the handsome guy for not liking her back. I want to tell Bonnie, "He's just not that into you!"

He is that into Maya and, now that she's free, I don't mind their relationship, they just need to be a lot more discreet.  I expect Maya will go off on her own to Paris soon and that fire can be allowed to go out. 

Kathy didn't apologize for anything either, just decided to forgive Geordie for being romantically nostalgic, (the fiend) but I'm glad to see them back together. 

Mrs. C was really mean again when Will was just trying to help her. 

Are we supposed to always be on the women's side here?  

I needed Leonard to spread a little kindness and he didn't show up.

Edited August 8, 2022 by JudyObscure

[Irlandesa]

8 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

Will cannot stop screwing up his love life/romantic life. I can't believe he slept with Maya again.

I don't think he did.  He said something about "it's not what it looks like" and Maya said something about him leading people on a second time. Clearly he was going to but I think it's going to be revealed that he stopped it.

He's still messy, though.

12 hours ago, dargosmydaddy said:

I have to admit I'm glad they're back together, but Geordie and Cathy's reconciliation felt way too rushed. You can't spend an entire season having them seriously at odds and wrap it up with one conversation.

I agree.  I think they should have had this conversation in the first episode and then working to figure out what that means for the rest of the season before finally reconciling instead of continuous conflict and then it all wrapped up in a five minute convo.

I do appreciate that they mentioned the affair.  I had a feeling they had forgotten he did that.

[cinsays]

1 hour ago, Irlandesa said:

I don't think he did.  He said something about "it's not what it looks like" and Maya said something about him leading people on a second time. Clearly he was going to but I think it's going to be revealed that he stopped it.

He's still messy, though.

I hope he is finally done with her but probably not.  

I would much prefer to see him with Bonnie or someone new.

[Cetacean]

I rather like Bonnie but I am confused as to where this whole thing is headed. I don't care for Maya at all and don't trust her either.

I got whiplash with the sudden reconciliation of Geordie and Kathy.  I guess they have to cram in as much as possible with the small number of episodes.

I have liked this season way more than last year.  

I missed Leonard this week!  He is the bright spot.

I wonder if Mrs. C will stick to her plan or decide to go on with treatment.  One wonders if she even really has cancer;  I'm csure there were a lot of missed or wrong diagnosis back then,.

[seacliffsal]

This episode was a mess IMO.  Reconciliation in the interrogation room?  Vicar agreeing to go to Europe with his fling (I was surprised he knew her telephone number as he barely knew her name...).  Bonnie letting herself into the vicarage in the early morning?  Police chasing pensioners around town and finding them at tea?  It seems like the writers have run out of ideas and also don't understand social changes of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s while not realizing events are not interchangeable amongst decades.  

The only high point was a Dickens sighting.

[sistermagpie]

7 hours ago, JudyObscure said:

When we last saw Bonnie she was screaming at Will for not wanting to have sex with her on the first date, then last night Will runs into her and he apologizes and she says she forgives him but doesn't apologize in return. Next she barges into the vicarage, sees he has another woman there, and starts screaming at him again calling him entitled when she's the one who keeps acting like they're married when they  only had one friendly dinner.  It doesn't help that I don't find the actress attractive at all so the whole thing smacks of the plain woman in the office yelling at the handsome guy for not liking her back. I want to tell Bonnie, "He's just not that into you!"

I really rolled my eyes at Bonnie doing that thing that most people don't do in real life--barging right into somebody's house when they're obviously not inviting you in, of course after continuing to jabber at them no matter how many times they're obviously trying to cut you off. I mean, I'm fine with her telling him that her feeling angry at him, she realized, was something she realized she really appreciated, but the idea that she'd do it like this was pretty contrived. It really is like she it never occurs to her that however she feels, Will is in the same headspace she is.

It was funny to me that Kathy finally came up with a description of her own feelings that wasn't just a judgment of Geordie. 

[DonnaMae]

Was last night the finale?  If so, there had better be another season.

[dubbel zout]

7 hours ago, JudyObscure said:

Mrs. C was really mean again when Will was just trying to help her. 

She also yelled at Dickens to get off the comfy chair he was snoozing in.

2 minutes ago, DonnaMae said:

Was last night the finale?  If so, there had better be another season.

Next week is the season finale, and there hasn't been news of a renewal yet. I'd be a bit surprised if it weren't renewed (assuming most of the cast is game), as I think it's one of PBS's Sunday flagship shows.

[Sarah 103]

49 minutes ago, seacliffsal said:

Police chasing pensioners around town and finding them at tea?  It seems like the writers have run out of ideas and also don't understand social changes of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s while not realizing events are not interchangeable amongst decades.  

Finding the pensioners at tea made sense and I don't think that's an anachronism. Geordie and Will found out that one the older man's wild story/fantasy was that someday they would show up to an expensive hotel in a fancy car. From there, it made sense to check all of the places that fit that decription, especially since they knew what kind of stolen car to look for in the parking lot. 

I totally agree with you that the writers do not fully understand the decade/year that the show is currently set in. 

[magdalene]

3 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

Next week is the season finale, and there hasn't been news of a renewal yet. I'd be a bit surprised if it weren't renewed (assuming most of the cast is game), as I think it's one of PBS's Sunday flagship shows.

Isn't that up to ITV though? It being an ITV show.

I missed Leonard this episode.

[dubbel zout]

PBS pays ITV some sort of licensing fee, which can't be insubstantial, and that amount might be enough to sway them to making another season.

[J-Man]

More anachronistic language: I don't think anyone ever said "my happy place" until at least the '80s or '90s.

Did anyone catch the red letters for the last two episodes? The 7/31 letters made no sense at all to me. The 8/7 letters spelled out 'Jubilee' and then started another word but I couldn't figure it out.

[sugarbaker design]

30 minutes ago, J-Man said:

The 8/7 letters spelled out 'Jubilee' and then started another word but I couldn't figure it out.

Jubilee and Munin, two ravens in the Tower of London.

[statsgirl]

17 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

It's so strange to have the show set in 1959, when Cathy's storyline really belongs more in the mid to late 1960s, especially with some of the language she is using. 

Also strange to see Bonnie so open about sex when in Call The Midwife set a few years in the future, the actress played a character who was a determined virgin till marriage.

7 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

He said something about "it's not what it looks like" and Maya said something about him leading people on a second time.

As I was screaming at Maya "You were the one who led him on the first time, not telling him that you're engaged.

By the way, why is Will calling Geordie's boss "Elliot'? They're not bubddies, they've barely crossed paths, and it feels strange when they are basically estranged.

Like others, I thought that Geordie/Kathy was resolved too fast. But I don't mind because it was poorly written all along.

Good for the women striking for equal pay; too bad that over 60 years later we still don't have it.

[Daff]

20 hours ago, Cetacean said:

I wonder if Mrs. C will stick to her plan or decide to go on with treatment.  One wonders if she even really has cancer;  I'm csure there were a lot of missed or wrong diagnosis back then,.

According to the preview, she changes her mind about something, because she’s in a hospital bed admitting, “I’m scared!”  Given her age and the severe side effects of chemo/radiation at that time, I’m surprised the solution wasn’t a complete hysterectomy. The professionals could then determine if it was indeed cancer, and if it had metastasized. The doctor’s whole approach seems backward to me. 

[sugarbaker design]

10 minutes ago, Daff said:

I’m surprised the solution wasn’t a complete hysterectomy.

As of Series 1 Episode 5, the audience still hasn't heard what the treatment(s) is.  I would imagine a hysterectomy would be the first thing done.

[Daff]

6 minutes ago, sugarbaker design said:

As of Series 1 Episode 5, the audience still hasn't heard what the treatment(s) is.  I would imagine a hysterectomy would be the first thing done.

You’re correct, but Mrs. C, herself, discussed the “treatments” making her so sick she wouldn’t feel up to normal activities. Can’t remember if she was speaking to Leonard or Mr. C. 

[sugarbaker design]

3 minutes ago, Daff said:

You’re correct, but Mrs. C, herself, discussed the “treatments” making her so sick she wouldn’t feel up to normal activities.

I gotcha, I remember this conversation, but we still don't know, for sure, if a hysterectomy is off the table.  I agree with you that back in that time a hysterectomy would've been the default treatment.

[statsgirl]

At the time, a hysterectomy was the default treatment for everything from cancer to painful periods. That would probably be the first treatment that they would do. Maybe Mrs. C. is opposed because she thinks that it would make her "less of a woman". That's the kind of logic she seems to be working on.

[dubbel zout]

She's well beyond childbearing years—do you think she'd feel that way? I think Mrs. C is overwhelmed by the diagnosis and the fact that treatment is being presented to her as a fait accompli. She's trying to regain some control over events. 

[statsgirl]

3 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

She's well beyond childbearing years—do you think she'd feel that way?

I think that her thinking is all mixed up. She may be overwhelmed by the treatment but she was also blaming God for giving her cancer in the first place.

If one has been through treatment for cancer and knows how hard it is, I can understand choosing not to go through it again.  But Mrs. C. is shutting the door on any treatment from the start which she must have been told is a death sentence, T go directly there when she has a good life, friends, and a husband she cares about doesn't seem logical thinking to me.

[HoodlumSheep]

On 8/7/2022 at 10:34 PM, dargosmydaddy said:

I liked their conversation in the interrogation room, and I have to admit I'm glad they're back together, but Geordie and Cathy's reconciliation felt way too rushed. You can't spend an entire season having them seriously at odds and wrap it up with one conversation. Similar to the Mrs. C./ Jack falling out of a few seasons ago, the pacing of this felt all wrong, and the ending felt unearned and not particularly believable.

On the same note, I'm spoiled as to the major plot points of next week, and I have no idea how certain characters can get from point A to point B in one episode...

This. All it took was one talk and boom! Everything's okay again. All I want is to see them have one nice, big open discussion about everything that's gone down the past 2ish seasons *at least*. Instead we get this vague, brushing over of details.

The whole "happy place" thing might be as good as it gets with Geordie addressing his PTSD and war stuff with Cathy onscreen unfortunately. :(

Will continues to be an absolute dumb dumb. Too wishy washy.

This was a very weak episode overall. Pretty boring. Not a lot of thought went into it. 

Father Brown shout out! Lol. 

Edited August 10, 2022 by HoodlumSheep

[Daff]

5 hours ago, HoodlumSheep said:

nstead we get this vague, brushing over of details.

I was actually cringing over the attempted sexy-seductive innuendo-laden exchange. I suppose the writers thought it was cute and creative, but I found it more reminiscent of a disgusting Taylor-Burton dialogue-all focused on helpless obsession. 

[sugarbaker design]

14 hours ago, statsgirl said:

But Mrs. C. is shutting the door on any treatment from the start which she must have been told is a death sentence,

Wasn't cancer essentially a death sentence in 1959?

14 hours ago, statsgirl said:

To go directly there when she has a good life, friends, and a husband she cares about doesn't seem logical thinking to me.

This isn't about logic, it's about emotions.  Emotions like fear, anger, regret, disillusionment etc.  Along with a spiritual crisis, that's a lot to process.  Mrs. C is overwhelmed.  At least she doesn't have to do Geordie's laundry anymore.