grantchester season oneAnother fine murder mystery series from the PBS stable. Based on the novels by author James Runcie, it centers around atypical vicar, Sidney Chambers (played by James Norton). Sidney is the vicar of a small town called Grantchester, located just outside of Cambridge, England. Not your typical vicar, Sidney is tormented by the things he did in World War II and drinks, loves jazz music, lies, steals and smokes heavily. Plus he has feelings for the beautiful Amanda Kendell (played by Morven Chrisie). What he finds out is that Grantchester is not the quiet little berg he had hoped it would be. Instead, because he is the vicar, he finds that people tell him things they would not normally tell others. He learns details about lies, betrayal and murder. Soon he is working with the overworked Detective Inspector Geordie Keating (played by Robson Green) solving many a crime.

 

Episode 1: After spending the morning with his secret love, Amanda, Sidney Chambers races to the parish to perform the funeral service of a local solicitor. Soon his mistress Pamela (played by Rachel Shelley) informs Sidney that they were having an affair and she does not believe the solicitor killed himself, rather he was murdered. Sidney begins looking into things and ends up working with the grumpy Detective Inspector Geordie Keating.

 

Episode 2: Sidney’s sister Jen (played by Fiona Button) pressures him to attend Amanda’s engagement party. Sidney gives in and attends and plans to get through all the small talk by drinking heavily. Suddenly things take a turn for the intriguing when Amanda’s engagement ring goes missing.

 

Episode 3: Amanda and Guy (played by Tom Austen) ask Sidney to perform their wedding. He turns to the drink for comfort.  In time to save his liver, Sidney is pulled into a double murder investigation.

 

Episode 4: A man is found stabbed to death inside his house soon after a suspicious fire occurred there. Geordie’s son is quite ill and so his mind is not fully on the case. A widow returns to Grantchester and Sidney realizes he has feelings for her.

 

Episode 5: Sidney takes Geordie out for a night at a jazz club. Suddenly Amanda is there too and Sidney and her start dancing. Soon a scream from the backstage area leads to the club owner’s sister turning up murdered.

 

Episode 6: Sidney believes the police are on the wrong track on a case they are investigating involving the shooting of a police officer. He begins an investigation of his own. While investigating Geordie is shot and taken to the hospital.

 

Special Features: Making of Grantchester, Interviews, Sidney & His Women, Behind the Scenes, Warpisode