Grantchester S11 final season starts mid-June (quotes promo blurb)

[brightknightie]

I learned yesterday that Grantchester will be back on PBS Masterpiece for its eleventh and final season on June 14 (probably available for PBS Passport streaming a week or two earlier for those who support PBS).

I've enjoyed Grantchester throughout, but it's another show where I read the books on which it is based back when its first season so grabbed me, and I feel it has fallen off significantly since it left the books behind. This isn't because the formula cannot continue beyond its original bounds -- it can! -- but because successive waves of writers seem to handle key elements worse and worse (most notably the vicar's faith, but also the chore of either finding motivations for or handwaving "why is the vicar involved in every murder case"). I'm still astonished that they handled Will so poorly; someone put so much effort into the great set-up of his family struggles, anger issues, and identity choices, and then someone else just ... chucked all of that with [redacted spoiler of repugnant stupidity]. Aargh.

That said, I enjoyed and was cautiously optimistic about Alphy! But here's the official description of this finale season: "Grantchester Season 11 opens in summer 1963 with everyone at a crossroads. Alphy reconnects with his estranged mum and struggles with his faith [emphasis mine]. Geordie weighs a promotion that could end his partnership with his friend. Cathy’s career soars at a cost, Leonard discovers paternal instincts, and Miss Scott faces a life-changing event."

The seven volumes of Grantchester mysteries on my shelf witness that there are plenty of things for the protagonist to do in his life besides have repeated crises of faith. Mostly solve murders, granted. But also lots of other things.

Comments

[switchbladeeyes]

Hopefully no more giving characters substance abuse crises on the show. That dead horse has been beaten, resurrected, and beaten to death all over again.

[brightknightie]

Yes, the writers there seem to be treating it as almost a once-per-season utility plot.

I imagine it should be instead either something that permanently affects a recurring character, following that character consistently in various ways of suffering and recovery throughout every season, or something done periodically with guest characters who come and go. What they've done is "periodically, moving through the recurring cast" without making that have a larger meaning between the recurring characters.

[switchbladeeyes]

I hope they bring Meg back. Not that the vicar *needs* a romantic storyline, but since they've already gone there, why drop it?

Good conflict from the fact that Meg's father is not only the bishop, but also kinda racist and initially set Alphy up to fail. Not sure if that tiger can change his stripes and if he turns against Alphy again, it could certainly precipitate the crisis of faith as he continues to treat Alphy as less than. (I mean, Alphy being a racial minority means he could NEVER get away with the kind of flaws/crap Sidney and Will got away with in the community. And yet, Alphy being the most emotionally well-regulated vicar we've seen, if treated by the bishop as still not being good enough... well, that's got to wear on a person.)

Just thinking out loud.

[brightknightie]

I would also like to see Meg again. But, for myself, if I may, I would once again feel massively disappointed in the writers if they make one jerk's racism enough to shake Alphy's faith in Jesus Christ.

[switchbladeeyes]

But it's not just one jerk. It's the top of a pile of jerks he's been dealing with probably since he chose his vocation (and maybe even before that). We certainly see it on the show with both both big and little acts of aggression against him. That's why I'm saying it's a wearing down to get to that point.

[brightknightie]

I would personally be very disappointed in the writers if any quantity of racist jerks made Alphy lose or even question his faith in God.

The Alphy character as I have understood him knows theology and feels faith much more deeply than to be compelled to turn his back on God because humans are fallen sinners. He is very aware of the ways of the world and the mercy and grace of God. This is what I mean by my feeling that the writers apparently no longer having a solid grasp of the motivations of the characters with religious vocations. The writers apparently find faith trivial and treat it trivially. An actual crisis of faith, a dark night of the soul, would be very interesting! I don't expect them to be able to write one.

I do expect that they will use the circumstances of Alphy's childhood to make him angry at the Anglican Church as an institution! That's not the same thing as making him doubt or reject God.