Season 3 Discussion

[dubbel zout]

8 minutes ago, Pickles said:

I would be surprised if there is a fourth season. They seemed to wrap everything up pretty neatly in this last episode. 

I think if they can work out Norton's schedule (and possible salary demands), there will be another season. Though if there isn't, I think the show ended decently.

[statsgirl]

4 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

The mystery was really bad. So underdeveloped.

That's kind of the tagline for this season -- it was all about the soap opera.

I wonder if Amanda will go back to Guy now that the glitter has fallen off of Sidney.

[libsl]

I thought they treated Leonard's gay relationship a little too anachronistically. It wasn't so bad when Leonard's photographer friend said something about it being silly that someone could conflate a man loving another man with a man going after young boys. Although that point of view is contemporary it might have been talked about back then. But for Geordie, who not too long ago was calling Leonard derogatory names, to equate Mrs. M. finding love with Leonard hooking up with another man--that just doesn't seem like it would have happened back then. At most Geordie would be quietly tolerant and wouldn't make fun of Leonard, but I just can't see him winking and grinning like he did. 

Edited July 31, 2017 by libsl

[saber5055]

Actually, I could see Georgie making fun of Leonard and calling him a f***** to Sidney instead of that "knowing wink" and grin, like all of them were in some boy's club or something. That was totally out of character for the tough-ass Georgie who is so quick to beat up everyone because HE had an affair.

[SusanSunflower]

It's curious and disturbing to see the character Geordie normalizing police brutality.  After 09/11 here in the USA, Law and Order similarly toughened and roughened it's detectives (and prosecutors) to the point where I stopped watching.  It was as-if they decided that all that constitution/civil rights respecting legal system was not tough-enough to deal with terrorism ... so, suddenly Fontana was much more graphically roughing up suspect and violating the law in pursuit of the bad guys.  I'd say we know how those attitudes turned out for the nation.  

I've wondered aloud (on these boards) about the almost nostalgic references to "The Krays" and organized crime of the 1960's (and the all-too-crooked Metropolitan Police as often referenced in Endeavor, but also elsewhere, George Gently comes to mind).  There's an odd tobacco and whiskey breath nostalgia for that time when-men-were-men and cops were -- oddly enough -- quite corrupt. 

I don't know if ITV is pandering to the American audience in this or if there's also an appetite for this sort of bloodied knuckled copper in the UK as well, or for part of the UK audience that watches these "cosy" mysteries.  Anyone have any insights?   Policemen who gratuitously beat up suspects, deny them medical attention and/or protection from other prisoners can't be redeemed in my book because they catch bad-guys. 

 

Agree that the teacher/kidnapper made no sense at all since a man who lost a child would probably not be that callous with the feeling of the kidnapped child's parents, or the child's trauma at being spirited away from all he knows .  What was his plan for next week, next month, etc.  -- Crazy folks doing crazy things because they're crazy doesn't work for me ... nor grief stricken folks doing crazy things because they're grief stricken ... lazy plot device. 

[nara]

16 hours ago, riverwind said:

I really enjoyed the finale. It ended with things finally resolved for Sydney. I love his character in the show, he is so gentle  and kind. I feel like he has been so tortured with his love for Amanda and his faith. I keep going back to season one when he goes to Amanda's engagement party and he has been drinking and he tries to convey something to her, but she just dismisses him and I think he has a scuffle with someone and end up on the floor.

 

he just didn't care about him and then suddenly she did. I love when Mrs. McGuire said you'll get over your first love, we all do.

I don't agree that she didn't care about him.  I thought it was obvious from the first scene at the pond that she was in love with him.  He didn't ask her to marry him, and I think she was waiting for him to do so.  (Whether she would have actually married him instead of Guy is up for debate.)  When he finally asks her to run away with him, she was already engaged and so they switch back into pretending they're just friends.  By the time her engagement party happened, she probably thought it was "too late" to change her mind.  It was really inappropriate of him to get drunk and create a scene and it was pretty awful of her to allow Guy to suggest that Sidney marry them.  It's a pity they couldn't just have spoken more openly to each other, but I guess such things were not done.

That being said, you do get over your first love.  I assume they both will too.

[atlantaloves]

Guys, keep me posted if this show is renewed will ya. I was so late in the game liking this show, but now I love it, except I hate Geordie. (but love that beautiful Mr. Green, who is the reason I started watching this show to begin with). I loved the ending, and if they want to wrap it up as is, they did a very fine job! And, yes, Dickens getting the last word was exactly as it should be. Arf. 

[MortysCleaningLady]

On 7/30/2017 at 10:01 PM, chitowngirl said:

It took a long time to get there, but the last 10 minutes was worth it.

"The grey makes me look like a harlot!" "How is that possible?"

This was absolutely the highlight of the episode for me.  In fact, I may have to start using the gray part as a catchphrase.

[AllAboutMBTV]

Quote

now that Mrs. M is Mrs. C, will she move out of the vicarage and in with Jack? Or will Jack move in? That place has to be pretty crowded.

Mrs. C has her own (lovely) house, as we saw in the episode in which her now-late husband Ronnie stole her savings account book and locket. She doesn't live at the vicarage.

I hope there's another season, mainly because I enjoy just looking at the show (and several of the actors). As I said farther upthread, they need to refocus on the mysteries and ditch the soap operatics. If they must have B and C plots, Sidney apparently has a whole church full of parishioners he can deal with. The ladies who do the flowers for the altars could easily be a running subplot (see Alan Bennett's "A Bed Among the Lentils" from his "Talking Heads" series), never mind the choir director, the choristers, the warden, the verger, etc. The Grantchester cricket match made for a nice change (and, lordy, James Norton in cricket whites...), so how about the local garden show, the village summer fete, the local WI, any college at Cambridge, etc. I know they're all British cliches, but they're better than the cliches of miserable affairs.

[Brattinella]

1 hour ago, AllAboutMBTV said:

so how about the local garden show, the village summer fete, the local WI, any college at Cambridge, etc. I know they're all British cliches, but they're better than the cliches of miserable affairs.

THIS in spades!  I vote for all of those.  No more cheating, okay, show?

[saber5055]

Thanks, AllAboutMBTV, for clarifying where Mrs. M lives. I thought that drawer was in the vicarage and wondered how Ronnie snuck upstairs to steal the money and locket. I'm not sure if there are enough parishioners to fill another season with stories since there appears to be only about a dozen max during Sunday services. And what a poor showing for Mrs. M's wedding. That church should have been packed to the gills. Where are the Grantchester extras when you need them?

[Kohola3]

I wish they would use more physically different actors for some of the roles. I was totally confused because the dad and the teacher looked quite a bit alike to me.  And the kidnapping was just a stupid premise overall.  Why was the kid running from a supposedly beloved teacher at the beginning telling him to "stay away"?  And what was with the scarf?  And, as someone else pointed out, why was the kid all wrapped in a blanket and needed to be carried?  High drama for no apparent reason.

Re:  the bishop being called an Uncle Tom.  The definition: The term "Uncle Tom" is used as a derogatory epithet for an excessively subservient person, particularly when that person is aware of their own lower-class status based on race.

Loved Leonard and the groom having a quick snort at the altar!  Love Leonard period.  Totally over Sidney.

Edited August 2, 2017 by Kohola3

[seacliffsal]

I waited several weeks before watching the episodes on my dvr because I just hate the Amanda/Sydney story line.  I did finally watch to see if I could tolerate the season and really was never invested in this season (focused on my laptop during the episodes instead of really paying attention to the t.v.).  Although I should be encouraged that it looks like the Amanda/Sydney story line is over as they broke up, it seems like they broke up every season just to end up together.  I just do not want to watch their angst or how they hurt others in their pursuit of each other.  All of us have job related restrictions-such as I can't have a glass of wine at school when my students act up...  Sydney always knew the Church's stance on adultery and marrying a divorcee.  It's not like it was news.  Same with Georgie-what a surprise, his wife found out and had him leave.  Gee, who would have ever thought it?  Both Sydney and Georgie need to grow up and make a decision rather than trying to play it both ways.

I would watch a show of Mrs. C, Leonard, and Dickens...

If this show comes back I will give it a try and see if the Amanda/Sydney break up really sticks this time...

[MJ Frog]

Jesus wept.

That managed to make me hate almost everybody on the show. Everyone trying to talk Sidney out of leaving the church because they needed him REALLY rubbed me the wrong way. Amanda and Grace needed him too. I understand they love their friend, and the congregation loved him too, but there were vicars before him, and would be more after. And I would NEVER tell someone I care about, "I know how happy this woman and her little girl make you, but you should give up your chance for love and a family for ME. 'Cause I'll be sad if you leave." Things change and people you love move on. That's the deal.

"You're always leaving when people need you." Dick move, Leonard. That was the worst sort of manipulation. Unfortunately Sidney proved Leonard right when he left Amanda waiting for him. Dick move, Sidney.

 

On 7/30/2017 at 10:16 PM, beadgirl said:

"How long are you going to punish yourself?" He was punishing everyone but himself.

Yeah, I bet the dude he just beat the shit out of would have something to say about that. But, you know, it hurt Geordie more than it hurt him. And yes, Sidney's forgiveness was nice and all, but he didn't cheat on Sidney.

What I really wanted was for the show to end with Sidney telling the church to fuck off while he gets to be with the woman and baby girl he loved. I let myself believe this, when I knew all along. Dammit.

Edited August 4, 2017 by MJ Frog
Too many pronouns.

[MissLucas]

3 hours ago, MJ Frog said:

Everyone trying to talk Sidney out of leaving the church because they needed him REALLY rubbed me the wrong way. Amanda and Grace needed him too. I understand they love their friend, and the congregation loved him too, but there were vicars before him, and would be more after. And I would NEVER tell someone I care about, "I know how happy this woman and her little girl make you, but you should give up your chance for love and a family for ME. 'Cause I'll be sad if you leave." Things change and people you love move on. That's the deal.
 

The basic premise of the show is a sleuthing vicar - despite all the soap opera - so the writing ultimately had to bend it that way. If I was a betting person this is how I'd predict a possible season 4 is going to shape up:  Amanda's husband is going to die. Probably getting murdered and Amanda will be the prime suspect so Sidney will have to pull a Lord Peter.

Edited August 3, 2017 by MissLucas

[MJ Frog]

14 hours ago, MissLucas said:

The basic premise of the show is a sleuthing vicar - despite all the soap opera - so the writing ultimately had to bend it that way.

Yeah, I know -- I was just thinking that would be a good way to end the show. And I also think the writers could have given Sidney his epiphany without his friends' dickish behavior. "Don't get married Sidney, we need you." Blech.

[BlackberryJam]

This is just a general observation, but there doesn't seem to be an All Seasons thread. 

They are showing past seasons on PBS. Sidney and Geordie are so much more likable. 

[kaygeeret]

Quote

On ‎6‎/‎18‎/‎2017 at 9:29 PM, statsgirl said:

And the writing makes her life so, so sad (her father rejects her, her friends won't take her in, Sidney can't marry her and stay in the church) that it's like I'm being hit over the head with a stick to like her.  She is a character that the show's writer loves and thus Hildegard, who was a mature adult, goes and immature Amanda stays.

Amanda wouldn't bother me so much if A) she weren't so self-centred and B) she didn't make Sidney into his worst possible self.  Around Amanda he lies and sneaks around and puts her ahead of everyone and everything else.  And then just when it's the right time for them to step up and be adult, something happens and they're sucked into the bad drama again.

And the Sydney/Amanda soap opera is bad drama and takes over the show.

I really liked Morwen Christie on The A Word but I can't stand Amanda.

Preach it!

Truth to power!

 

Yeah gods, get over Amanda and Sid....make a CHOICE!

[Kid]

On 5/18/2017 at 11:12 PM, zxy556575 said:

Poor Sidney, forced to choose between religion and love, but my heart broke the hardest for Leonard. I'm so glad he didn't go ahead with an unhappy, doomed marriage.

I LOVE Leonard!!  He is kind, loyal, ethical and he has a strength of character that guarantees that he has your back when it is necessary.  He has a backbone and I admire that.