Season 1 Discussion

[zxy556575]

Not being argumentative, but to me, Sidney was initially (and consistently, I think) portrayed as a somewhat bored cleric in a country village who is still suffering emotional aftereffects from the war. He has a curious and clever mind and was eager to distract himself from the daily humdrum by helping investigate a murder. He doesn't really talk about God or religion unless someone else brings it up. I agree with others who wonder why he chose this life, as he seems ill-suited for it.

 

I know far more about Sidney's romantic attachments than I do his religious ones.

[magdalene]

The one night stand and the lies haven't made me dislike Sidney or give up on the show.  I think once he finally comes to terms with his war trauma he'll be a happier man and maybe a more effective and happier vicar? 

 

I also didn't realize how far they veered away from the books already. Vow. Makes me wonder whether the biggies like 

marriage and child will happen at all on the TV show.

[Pyralis]

Bloody Downton Abbey - now I have to see the last few minutes on line.  Thank you WQLN

 

ETA - that 8 minutes was the most important of the whole episode and maybe of the whole series.

Edited February 23, 2015 by Pyralis

[alias1]

I haven't seen anything from Sidney that indicates he is not a good vicar.  In fact, he is an excellent vicar.  He listens to everyone, helps everyone.  I love that he left that gal the book she read as a young girl.  That's the kind of thoughtful person he is. 

 

Yes, he has personal demons and I think it makes him more sympathetic to others.  I'm quite sure his God has forgiven him.  Sidney needs to forgive himself.  I wonder if Hildegard will be back.  But anyway, it's obvious to me that he isn't over Amanda. 

 

I am so going to miss this show.   

Edited February 23, 2015 by SierraMist

[Merneith]

I agree that Sidney is a great vicar. I think he's the most genuine priest of any denomination I've seen on tv. Priests - all religious persons - are human and they have the same frailties and temptations as the rest of us. That doesn't mean they're not genuine in their calling. Sidney genuinely cares for the people who ask him. He cares about being a good man. He's disappointed that he let himself down by sleeping with Gloria (I agree he should have been better to her, though.) If he wasn't a true religious person, none of this stuff would be eating at him.

 

Priests are not wizards. They're just people trying to do their best.

 

I'll miss this show, too. I hope it comes back next season. Won't miss Amanda, though I do like that actress. (And I do hope next season is about Sidney moving on.)

[whatsatool]

Its renewed. He needs a new girl. Agreed.

[HelenBaby]

I thought the scene near the end where he's talking to Geordie about what happened during the war was devastating.

[sadiegirl]

Sidney genuinely cares for the people who ask him. He cares about being a good man. He's disappointed that he let himself down by sleeping with Gloria (I agree he should have been better to her, though.) If he wasn't a true religious person, none of this stuff would be eating at him.

 

I have to disagree with this.  I'm not a religious person and I care about being a good person.  I'm also bothered when I act impulsively and against my better judgement.  I don't think you have to be religious for those things to be true.  You do have to be someone who wants to be good, who wants to do good and who wants to treat people kindly and not use them, religious or not.  So, I think those things are eating at him because he's a good person trying to do his best, not necessarily because he's religious.

[zxy556575]

Another searing episode. Happy to see that the wife of the developer (who I really want to call Trump) got up the courage to publicly shame him.

 

I thought the scene late in the show of Geordie writhing in pain in the hospital meant he had relapsed after being better, and I was dreading it. Gotta say, some of the arcs on this thing are quite jumpy and disjointed for me.

 

My assumption is that Mrs. Maguire is the housekeeper because Sidney's not married? Wonder what would happen to her if did.

 

I also have to give a lot of credit to the set designers. The period hospital, factory, police station -- all really detailed and well done.

[izabella]

I thought the scene near the end where he's talking to Geordie about what happened during the war was devastating.

 

That is where my DVR cut out.  Can anyone explain what happened after that?  I saw up to the point Sidney was about to mercy kill the wounded soldier he was holding.

[BindsTheTuna]

I thought the scene late in the show of Geordie writhing in pain in the hospital meant he had relapsed after being better, and I was dreading it.

 

 

I took that as Geordie having a nightmare.

 

All I know from UK landmarks is repeated viewings of Antiques Roadshow, but I'm pretty sure Sidney and Amanda were meeting at Dulwich Picture Gallery, right? 

[dubbel zout]

My assumption is that Mrs. Maguire is the housekeeper because Sidney's not married? Wonder what would happen to her if did.

 

I think Mrs. Maguire would still be there even if Sidney married, though her duties might change a bit. It seems she comes with the house.

[HelenBaby]

That is where my DVR cut out.  Can anyone explain what happened after that?  I saw up to the point Sidney was about to mercy kill the wounded soldier he was holding.

Well, he did shoot the kid and was telling Geordie about the kid holding a letter to his sweetheart and how he couldn't send it because it was bloodstained. Then they showed everyone including Geordie at a picnic, which was a cute scene. They also showed that Sidney had held onto the kid's letter and he confessed to Hildegard that he'd spent the night with someone while in London. She was very upset. Oh and the reason for the picnic is that he told Amanda he couldn't officiate at the wedding so Geordie, his family and Leonard had a picnic to distract him.

[magdalene]

I really liked Sidney giving the book to the prostitute. Actions like this are the reason I like him so much. Now if he could just learn to be kinder to himself.  Lots of respect to Hildegard for walking away. I hope that's not the last we see of her. And this episode finally gave me some affection and respect for Amanda as well.

And I loved the wife shaming her husband publicly moment.

[izabella]

Thank you, HelenBaby!

[alias1]

I have to disagree with this.  I'm not a religious person and I care about being a good person.  I'm also bothered when I act impulsively and against my better judgement.  I don't think you have to be religious for those things to be true.  You do have to be someone who wants to be good, who wants to do good and who wants to treat people kindly and not use them, religious or not.  So, I think those things are eating at him because he's a good person trying to do his best, not necessarily because he's religious.

I agree with you that you don't have to be religious to be a good person (I'm not religious) and I think Sidney would be a good person even if he weren't religious.  But he is religious, or at least he chose a religious profession.  So I think it would be important to him to reconcile his faith with his actions.  The comment was made that he shouldn't be a vicar because (I guess) he doesn't live up to the exemplary life that should be that of a vicar.  That seemed really harsh to me.  He is a very good person but I think it's important to him to feel forgiven.  Surely His God has forgiven him, but he so badly needed to be forgiven by Hildegard.  I felt his pain when he said to her, "everyone needs me, but I need you."

 

The problem is that the show hasn't done a good job of showing us why Hildegard is apparently in love with him.  Where are all the talks they should have been having that showed their growing affection for each other?  Apparently she loves some idea of him without really knowing him.  I know it's a mystery show but if they are going to explore Sidney's mental state, they also need to make us believe the relationship is happening.

[ComeWhatMay]

I would very much like to watch last night's episode again before bed tonight to catch details I missed, but I suspect that my DVR, Downton Abbey & [insert your PBS affiliate here], in my case WETA, have conspired to prevent me from viewing the last several minutes again. I will be scouring my program listings for re-air before I leave on my business trip. I will actually buy the DVD of this series. I swore off buying series on DVD. So much for that...

It was an important step in Sidney's healing to admit to Geordie -- someone who could understand as a combat veteran of WWII himself -- what he did & have Geordie understand. Sidney needed to say it out loud in a safe place to a safe person to begin to make peace with it himself. It's a process that won't be or I should say should not be over when we return next series.

I thought Geordie had a nightmare too. I think hearing Sidney speak about what happened to him brought up some of his own memories, especially in light of being shot. I suspect Geordie does his best to compartmentalize what happened to him & immerses himself in his loving family, but traumatic incidents will bring those memories back to the fore.

 

Seeing Sidney so forlorn staring at that painting made me appreciate Amanda's presence in his life over the last seven years. Amanda made a significant difference to him -- she began the process of pulling him "out of the shadows" -- & clearly does love him very much. Their exchange at the spot where they reconnected seven years ago reminded me of a line of Violet's in the monster that ate the last eight minutes of the show about "missed opportunities." It would appear Sidney & Amanda missed theirs & that for Sidney to move on, he needed to tell himself they could have never been. FWIW, I think if Sidney asked Amanda to marry him before her father foisted Guy on her, Amanda would have said yes. Would they have been happy? Given that Amanda would have lost her father & two brothers -- at least until they came of age -- in the process, probably not. It was sad -- & a good insight into Amanda's character -- to see someone in the 50's equivalent of Vera Wang looking so forlorn. I see a lot of Archie & that architect in Guy so I'll be curious whether we see Amanda again. It doesn't mean a union with Sidney -- although I like her & them -- is in order, but if Guy is shown to be heinous, I would like to see her walk from that marriage & make her own way in the world if Sidney is to remain a missed opportunity.

 

Speaking of walking away, good on Hildegard for walking away from Sidney. Sidney lied to her face, which is why I could easily envision Hildegard not getting back with him down the road -- & I hope Hildegard's not shown to have been living her life in anticipation of that should it happen. I would tell a friend in Hildegard's space to move on & not look back. It's a shame because Hildegard is the epitome of the ride or die woman & Sidney at his lowest saw that too. Still wearing her wedding ring or not, Sidney did blow it with somebody good. I also think Hildegard wants to be wanted & desired the way Sidney wants & desires Amanda & wanted & desired Gloria the night they were together -- the stare down at the funeral the next day was hot (I know how that sounds). It's not just the writing that would need to bring Sidney & Hildegard to that space, but the actors. I'm not sure that kind of heat is there with James & Pheline.  

[sadiegirl]

 

It's a shame because Hildegard is the epitome of the ride or die woman & Sidney at his lowest saw that too.

Can you expand on this?  I don't know what that means, exactly.

[caligirl50]

You can watch full episodes of the show on PBS.org.

[ComeWhatMay]

Can you expand on this?  I don't know what that means, exactly.

Hildegard had shown in small -- coming to his rescue with Brant over the wisteria that Brant found simply intolerable -- & in large -- quietly cleaning Sidney's wounds, that she was a strong woman who Sidney could lean on when everyone leans on him. Sidney said as much to her. Having lost most of her family in WWII, Hildegard could also relate to & understand Sidney's war trauma. She could have been Sidney's Cathy. Hildegard wouldn't bail when times got tough -- hence my ride or die expression.

From what I understand the whole Sidney/Amanda/Hildegard dynamic is different in the book & we know there is no night with the jazz singer whose record Hildegard bought Sidney. Remember Sidney told Hildegard the woman's name was Gloria -- Ouch. Hildegard is no dummy either.   

[photo fox]

I haven't seen anything from Sidney that indicates he is not a good vicar.  In fact, he is an excellent vicar.  He listens to everyone, helps everyone.

I do think Sidney is a good vicar, because I think he's just a naturally empathetic man, and people find him easy to talk to. My question is whether he really wants to be a vicar, as opposed to a psychiatrist, for example. He doesn't - to me - seem to be particularly drawn to the "religion" aspect of his job, and often acts exasperated by much of it. (He puts off writing sermons, tries to avoid troublesome parishioners, etc.) Honestly, he seems kind of exhausted by people's expectations and neediness, as illustrated by his comment to Hildegard that "everyone needs me, and I need you." So while he's good at it, it doesn't seem to feed his soul like I think a true vocation or "calling" would. Which isn't a failing, but makes me wonder why he chose that path.

 

And this episode finally gave me some affection and respect for Amanda as well.

I did like seeing some backstory for Sidney and Amanda, and I gained some affection for her as well for being the person who helped pull Sidney "out of the shadows". I have no interest in them as a romantic coupling, however, so I was disappointed to see them leave her wedding as a bit of a cliffhanger. I just find her to be weak character, because while I understand the pressures of the times, I still believe that if you love someone, you let them go. Also, I think that she may lighten Sidney's mood, but I don't think she can ever understand the dark parts of him. If he told her the story he told Sidney, she would never be able to handle it, IMO. 

 

It was an important step in Sidney's healing to admit to Geordie -- someone who could understand as a combat veteran of WWII himself -- what he did & have Geordie understand. Sidney needed to say it out loud in a safe place to a safe person to begin to make peace with it himself. It's a process that won't be or I should say should not be over when we return next series.

That scene was so fantastic. I knew (generally) what was coming, but it was still totally arresting. I adore Sidney and Geordie's friendship. 

 

Hildegard had shown in small -- coming to his rescue with Brant over the wisteria that Brant found simply intolerable -- & in large -- quietly cleaning Sidney's wounds, that she was a strong woman who Sidney could lean on when everyone leans on him. Sidney said as much to her. Having lost most of her family in WWII, Hildegard could also relate to & understand Sidney's war trauma. She could have been Sidney's Cathy. Hildegard wouldn't bail when times got tough -- hence my ride or die expression.

Co-sign. What I said above about Amanda not understanding (and possibly even being horrified by) Sidney's darkness? I believe Hildegard would understand. And I think she'd make a great vicar's wife, because she's so calm and self-possessed. His "they all need me, and I need you" really spotlighted that for me. Being a vicar/pastor/whatever can be incredibly draining, so having a spouse (or other support system) who understands is so important.

[magdalene]

If Hildegard had not been in a marriage with an alcoholic serial philanderer I would have rooted for her to forgive Sidney and continue to build their relationship at this moment. But for her self-esteem and self-respect she needed to walk away. I'll admit though that I hope that this is not the end of them because I really like Hildegard and I think she is a good person and good for Sidney in big ways and small ways. I am rooting for that at least that part of the source material concerning this relationship stays in the TV show. 

[elle]

 Oh and the reason for the picnic is that he told Amanda he couldn't officiate at the wedding so Geordie, his family and Leonard had a picnic to distract him.

I loved that scene at the end.  It surprised me because I had thought Geordie was a bachelor all this time.  Those were all his daughters with the ever patient Leonard, right?  (didn't Leonard say something about having a lot of siblings earlier?)

 

How do Sidney and Geordie know one another?  Did they meet before the war or after Sidney came back?

[HelenBaby]

I had to go back to page one because I couldn't remember but Sidney was looking into the death of a parishioner that was ruled a suicide by the police but was actually a murder and Geordie was the officer on the case. Then they bonded over their war experience and other common interests.

[elle]

I think Mrs. Maguire would still be there even if Sidney married, though her duties might change a bit. It seems she comes with the house.

Based only on what I've seen on PBS, it seems that there is a caretaker and a housekeeper that part of the whole Vicarage package.  Or that may just be for the shows.

 

Another searing episode. Happy to see that the wife of the developer (who I really want to call Trump) got up the courage to publicly shame him.

I did sadly wonder what would become of her, if she would be able to break free from him or suffer the fate of Johnny's mother.

 

 

I had to go back to page one because I couldn't remember but Sidney was looking into the death of a parishioner that was ruled a suicide by the police but was actually a murder and Geordie was the officer on the case. Then they bonded over their war experience and other common interests.

Thank you for looking that up for me.  The two of them seem like such "old friends".  Seeing a lot of Sidney's old friends, it probably is good the Geordie isn't one of them.  They are, as Anne Shirley would say, "kindred spirits".

[BookThief]

Bloody Downton Abbey - now I have to see the last few minutes on line.  Thank you WQLN

We're in the same neck of the woods! A coworker who knows I watch Downton Abbey came in this morning and the first thing he did was ask if I watched Grantchester and how it was cut off mid-sentence. But fortunately (for me, anyway) I had to record the after-midnight showing so there was no issue for me (it's also airing again tonight at 4:30am, at least on WQLN).

 

I like this show, but I don't love it. And normally I want people who seem to want to be together to actually be together, but Amanda seems unwilling to say what she really wants (though he was drunk, I don't think she could mistake what his veto meant). Other people have said it--she wants to have her cake and eat it too. And because we didn't see the wedding I'm not going to presume it actually happened until the show definitively tells us one way or the other.)

 

This episode I was most interested in The Adventures of Mrs. Maguire and Leonard. "Mrs. Maguire! I mean, mum! Mum!"

[zxy556575]

Probably my modern sensibilities, but I don't like Amanda continuing to put all the blame on Sidney for them not being together he "didn't ask" and "didn't say." She has a mouth, too.

 

I do think Sidney is a good vicar, because I think he's just a naturally empathetic man, and people find him easy to talk to. My question is whether he really wants to be a vicar, as opposed to a psychiatrist, for example. He doesn't - to me - seem to be particularly drawn to the "religion" aspect of his job, and often acts exasperated by much of it. (He puts off writing sermons, tries to avoid troublesome parishioners, etc.) Honestly, he seems kind of exhausted by people's expectations and neediness, as illustrated by his comment to Hildegard that "everyone needs me, and I need you." So while he's good at it, it doesn't seem to feed his soul like I think a true vocation or "calling" would. Which isn't a failing, but makes me wonder why he chose that path.

 

Well put. Sidney seems so restless and unfulfilled in his work, even before he hared off to see the archdeacon to try to quit. When he's troubled he turns to music and booze and cigarettes and now detective work. We haven't seen him turn to prayer for succor.

Edited February 24, 2015 by lordonia

[elle]

This episode I was most interested in The Adventures of Mrs. Maguire and Leonard. "Mrs. Maguire! I mean, mum! Mum!"

Yes!  They were very good decoys!

[truther]

I really enjoyed the ep.  There was some powerful stuff.  Mostly things people have already touched on, though I also appreciated how Sidney plumbed the depths after basically being dismissed by everyone -- the police commander telling him to stop playing cop, then Geordie's wife saying roughly the same thing, then being kicked out of Amanda's party, etc.  They stripped away his dignity pretty fast there. 

 

The backstory with Amanda and the museum was great.

 

Thinking about it for a bit, though, reminded me that there were a few off notes.  I thought the police commander, DS whatever he was, was ridiculously over the top, just like his counterpart in London.  Especially since he seemed to be making no effort whatsoever to solve the murder of one of his policemen. 

 

And speaking of that murder, I couldn't fathom why the shooter would cooperate with Sidney at all.  Shouldn't he have simply said "nope, sorry, can't help you"?  Instead he was the one who told Sidney about the site of the atrocity, sending Sidney off to investigate further. 

[sadiegirl]

Maybe it is obvious, but not to me - Geordie is short for what?

[magdalene]

"Geordie" is a variant of "George". It's a Scottish variation I think.

[M. Darcy]

 

And speaking of that murder, I couldn't fathom why the shooter would cooperate with Sidney at all.  Shouldn't he have simply said "nope, sorry, can't help you"?

 

People always do that in British mysteries.  They are always telling people more than they need to as opposed to just saying "none of your business Miss Marple".

[elle]

 

And speaking of that murder, I couldn't fathom why the shooter would cooperate with Sidney at all.  Shouldn't he have simply said "nope, sorry, can't help you"?

I thought that the murderer was trying to lead Sidney to the developer guy as the murderer.  If it had not been for Geordie's clue to Sidney "heart", it is possible that the murders could have led to him since his alibl was given by his abused wife, which may or may not have been true.

 

People always do that in British mysteries.  They are always telling people more than they need to as opposed to just saying "none of your business Miss Marple".

And even when they do, she would often ignore the statement anyway and go on investigating. :0)

[photo fox]

I thought that the murderer was trying to lead Sidney to the developer guy as the murderer.  If it had not been for Geordie's clue to Sidney "heart", it is possible that the murders could have led to him since his alibl was given by his abused wife, which may or may not have been true.

Agreed.

The biggest WTF moment for me was Sidney confronting him in the privacy of the farmhouse. The guy was already heading out the door to go to the cop shop, so why not wait and confront him there? Or at least wait until you're in town? Even on the front doorstep would have been a better option. Seriously, people, don't confront known murderers in private! (But yes, Marple does this all the time, too. lol)

[dargosmydaddy]

 

It surprised me because I had thought Geordie was a bachelor all this time.  Those were all his daughters with the ever patient Leonard, right?

We saw his wife and kids in the very first episode, briefly, and in the one where the baby was sick (episode 4?).

[ComeWhatMay]

I took Sidney confronting Miller -- as I sat there thinking wait until you get him somewhere safer for you -- as Sidney losing control of his emotions. The man shot Geordie after all & with all the other things swirling within him, it did not strike me as odd that Sidney could not maintain his composure & got physical with the guy. The Scots Guard still lives within the vicar. Annie's earlier comment about Sidney helped remind me.

 

Given how their last meeting went & how humiliated Sidney was at its end, I do so want Sidney to have some sort of victory at some point over Sir Edward, if not Guy as well (I will settle for demonstrated confidence & self-worth in the presence of either or both however the couples derby plays out). I would simply love it if Sir Edward had to ask for assistance from Sidney down the line. I could easily see how he would on this show. That would be pretty fun to watch.

 

I'm eager to see what the writers have in store for series two (what they opt to keep & what gets tossed via our book friends) & who's there & who's not outside of the core two of Norton & Green.
 

[dubbel zout]

Those were all his daughters with the ever patient Leonard, right?

I loved how Leonard good-naturedly gave in to one of the daughters telling him he was a princess, not a prince. Hee. Leonard will make a good vicar.

Edited February 25, 2015 by dubbel zout

[JudyObscure]

Leonard and Mrs. Maguire doing their terrible acting in the police station had me in stiches.  I'm starting to love all the regular cast -- I'm not just watching for Dickens anymore.

[jennifda]

Jennifda, thanks for the information. From just reading a synopsis I saw differences -- but wow.

I like that they are making changes & that Runcie's choice for Sidney is not foreseeable -- at least just now. The tv show is based on the book -- not the book on TV after all. And this keeps it interesting for book fans who aren't put off by the changes.

It does make me wonder, though, what Runcie thinks. I suppose since Sidney is clearly based on Runcie's father, they should take care not to do anything that would seem to Runcie offensive -- I would want a good relationship with the man who gave me my source material. These seem like talented writers who would take care not to bite the hand that's fed them a solid foundation while putting their own stamp on things.

I think he probably sees the character as more related to his own rather than necessarily the same character in a way. Reading the books, you can see why Sidney would be the way he is as the writer based him on his dad-kind and self-deprecating but not terribly exciting.

He has two women interested in him, but even that is a bit like a comfortable tale someone would tell about their parents, "My mom was so beautiful a prince himself threw himself at her feet, but she only had eyes for my dad" kind of boasting. When the spoilers mentioned come along, he is still just a nice middle-aged reliable guy whose worse sin is not liking people offering him sherry all the time.

In the show, you got a young viral actor who has more appeal hopping off his bike than Mr. Grey with a crop. He can also portray a range of emotions and you have to keep the audience interested. Not everyone is going to care about the romance angle, but plenty are. So that is why I think we are getting Hildy heading off. In the book she is in Grantchester after being in Germany specifically because of the spoiler mentioned, why on earth would she have returned otherwise? It reminds me of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries if you watch it on Netflix. In the book she has a ongoing relationship, but in the show the man was in two episodes and then gone forever. I think Hildy and Amanda are in the show because they are in the books from the start and the adapters are honoring them for the readers, but now Hildy has no reason to be there and Amanda can pop up from time to time for angst purposes but be dropped when they don't need her. Bring on a new girl or keep him without a girl for a bit. I would rather spend a bit more time on just his relationships with his favorite copper and curate.

I thought for sure the abused wife was coming up behind her husband to shoot him.

Edited February 25, 2015 by jennifda

[Merneith]

I have to disagree with this.  I'm not a religious person and I care about being a good person.  I'm also bothered when I act impulsively and against my better judgement.  I don't think you have to be religious for those things to be true.  You do have to be someone who wants to be good, who wants to do good and who wants to treat people kindly and not use them, religious or not.  So, I think those things are eating at him because he's a good person trying to do his best, not necessarily because he's religious.

Yeah, I didn't say that you have to be a religious person to be a good person. Obviously, one does not. I'm saying that being a good person is more important to being a good priest than being highly educated or talking about God constantly. I think Sidney is a better priest than Leonard (who is coming along nicely) is more stereotypically priestly.

 

I'm also saying that his behavior this last epdisode or two doesn't mean he's not a good person or even a religious person. He screwed up; it happens, even to religious people. I think he's trying to do better. And you know what - I think it's telling that when Sidney had a crisis and went to his boss, he wasn't talking about leaving the priesthood, just moving to a less hands-on position because he felt so guilty.

[SoSueMe]

I am wondering about Sidney's battlefield action. Using spoiler tag, just in case :) 

 

I know it was a mercy killing but was that accepted in the UK then? There were so many witnesses. I am very sympathetic to his situation but it's hard to believe that he didn't suffer some sort of legal consequences. 

 

I get a kick out of how Mrs. Maguire is evolving. Especially banding together with Leonard to help out Sidney.

Edited February 27, 2015 by SoSueMe

[dubbel zout]

It seemed all the other men were on board with Sidney's actions, so I doubt any of them would rat him out. And I doubt there would have been time for any sort of investigation anyway.

[jordanpond]

I had said that I did not think Sidney was a good vicar. I really gave thought to what people who disagreed with me said -- if I'm going to participate in a board where people offer so many opinions, I have to leave open the possibility that people can persuade me. And sometimes I am persuaded!

But, several people said that they think he is a good vicar because he tries to do the right thing. I still have to disagree. When entering some professions, there is a moral or ethical component that can't be compromised. As one example among many, it is not enough for a defense attorney to merely try to uphold attorney/client privelege. He or she must actually do it. All the time. And I think the bar is set even higher for clergy, because morality and ethics aren't just part of their profession, they are the profession. Not that I think any member of clergy can be perfect, but the errors Sidney makes a rather big ones.

Second, I don't see that Sidney even"tries" very hard. On at least two occasions,he not only lied to someone, but had time to think it over, and, rather than correct his error, he chose to lie again. And with respect to the one night stand, he went to a nightclub by himself and drank hard liquor -- not the actions of anyone who is trying at all to avoid making a big mistake.

Well, reasonable minds certainly will disagree. I did give your opinions serious consideration, but I guess I remain too turned off by Sidney's actions to give the show another try.

[dargosmydaddy]

Finally got to see the finale last night, and my love for this show knows no bounds. I hope it continues for a long time, but if Norton and Green end up going on to bigger things, I hope we get a Leonard and Mrs. M. spin-off.

[mbutterfly]

Agreed.

The biggest WTF moment for me was Sidney confronting him in the privacy of the farmhouse. The guy was already heading out the door to go to the cop shop, so why not wait and confront him there? Or at least wait until you're in town? Even on the front doorstep would have been a better option. Seriously, people, don't confront known murderers in private! (But yes, Marple does this all the time, too. lol)

But happily they trip over her knitting yarn. Sidney might need to carry some yarn if he's going to continue to pursue killers in lonely places. 

[dcalley]

Well, he did shoot the kid and was telling Geordie about the kid holding a letter to his sweetheart and how he couldn't send it because it was bloodstained. Then they showed everyone including Geordie at a picnic, which was a cute scene. They also showed that Sidney had held onto the kid's letter and he confessed to Hildegard that he'd spent the night with someone while in London. She was very upset. Oh and the reason for the picnic is that he told Amanda he couldn't officiate at the wedding so Geordie, his family and Leonard had a picnic to distract him.

Was he (finally) going to rewrite the letter so the sweetheart could get it? It kind of made me mad that he didn't take such a simple step sooner. Maybe it was too smudged in places. Or perhaps it was too painful for him, but was there no one else he could have asked to rewrite it? And the handwriting not matching is no excuse; just say the guy's hand was injured and he dictated it.

 

I thought Sidney had been fired as officiant in a previous episode, so at this point he was just a guest not attending.

[TrininisaScorp]

It took the entirety of the first series, but I finally see what Jimmy sees in Amanda.  Their meeting in the museum was cute and "bringing him out of the shadows" endears her to me a little bit. That said, I don't want the thing between them to continue.  They don't work for me in their present time and I can't with her father or husband. 

 

I don't blame Hildegard one bit.  I wonder if we see her again, but I get why she walked away.  Interestingly, I liked her interactions this episode.   Her way of handling Mr. Brandt and the cuts on Sidney's face were well done.

 

I knew Geordie wasn't going to die (let's not kill off 1/2 of the best relationship on the show), but it was worrying!  Sidney had a dark cloud over him the entire episode and his story was heartwrenching, so the scene at the end with the river side picnic was lovely.  I live for Sidney and Geordie's walk and talks. 

 

Leonard and Mrs. Maguire are right to worry about Sidney.  He seems so not okay. 

[Cranston]

I did a funny thing today.  I ordered Season 1 on dvd....so I and my family can watch it over and over.  I hardly ever purchase shows, but Downton Abbey and Grantchester are so very good, so watchable several times over.  I will never get to England, a life long dream.  My Mother was born in Blackburn and I am a devoted Anglophile.  Watching British produced tv shows (we watch just about all of them) delights me.  I don't think we Yankees do nearly as well in overall production skills. 

 

 

[attica]

I will never get to England, a life long dream.

 

This makes me sad. Don't rule it out!  It's not that far, and they speak the language! It's easy enough to find inexpensive (yet perfectly nice) accommodations there, maybe more so than many places in the US. I did two weeks in England for less than my cousin spent in a single week at DisneyWorld, including airfare, and I wasn't doing youth hostel-type stuff. Because life's too short for that. :)  And that so much of the countryside could be used, without cgi, to film a series set in the 40s, is just a treat. 

[Cranston]

Yes, the visuals in so many British productions are what delight me, even more than the plot or even the cast members.  When will Grantchester be back...next winter some time?