@bratface said:

I thought that Mrs. Chapman was going to have a stroke when she saw Leonard kissing his 'fella'. Loved seeing Cathy 'coming into her own', but was surprised by the boss attacking her (I thought he was gay). I'm hoping that she doesn't quit, but handles him herself.

I wonder how soon it'll be that Mrs. Chapman returns, as no doubt she will. She essentially serves as the "mother" figure to Leonard, therefore this is like a parent being shocked by, and needing to process, the discovery that a child is gay. All involved sure are in quite a predicament.

The new Cathy story line is compelling. I'm still new to the series, so getting to know the various characters, and like her a lot (in fact like everyone a lot - exception of the predatory guy at work who's making Cathy's life a living hell). At whatever point Geordie figures out or hears what's been happening, that guy had better look out!

@merryapril said:

So far I like Will/Tom Brittney better and hope he's not as laden with as much psychological baggage as Sidney was. Having said that, it sounds like we're in store for some troubling background revelations about Will....

I'm liking the new vicar. He has a good balance to his personality and state of mind. So far that actor and the character is seeming like a good fit for the series.

....I've always liked...[Leonard's] character and find him interesting and compelling, perhaps because Al Weaver's so fine in the role.

Indeed, the Leonard character is both compelling and endearing. I fully agree that the actor playing the part does a wonderful, delightful job. Leonard's a character who's easy to like and enjoy.

I've finally gotten around to watching Episode 5 (have been playing catch-up all week, after being away for five days). It's the episode that PBS aired last Sunday night, about Will returning home to the family estate.

IMO that's easily the best and most compelling episode of the season so far; it was superb - not to mention superbly cast.

It's a shame that things between Will and Leonard have seriously gone south - though that makes for good dramatic tension.

Well, I guess my hope that Will wouldn't be as baggage-laden as Sidney is dashed! Sheesh, nothing like triggering your father's suicide to ruin a quick visit home. At least he's not indulging in alcoholism and suffering blackouts like Sidney... so far, that is. I agree genplant29, it was a very good episode. The scenes in the woods were especially poignant and sad.

As far as the season finale goes, it's nice that Will, Mrs. C and Leonard are friends again, but I'm a bit surprised Leonard so easily acceded to Mrs. C's terms about Daniel. I would've expected a little more resistance to the condition that Daniel be banished from the vicarage, but then again I suppose they can always get together elsewhere. However, maybe Leonard was more earnest rather than resentful when he opined to Daniel that his life would've been easier had he married Hilary. I hope not. BTW, since they've lived together for quite a while, it's kind of hard to believe Mrs. C couldn't tell Leonard was homosexual, 1950s attitudes notwithstanding. Then again my husband was surprised to read that Barry Manilow is gay 🤦‍♀️. Maybe Mrs. C sensed it but expected a clergyman to abstain.

Regarding her coming to Cathy's rescue at the department store: I don't get it. I mean, I get that Mrs. C approached the owner using the leverage of being a big-spending customer, but I don't understand how that resulted in Mr. Hobbs leaving.

Just watched episode 5. A thoroughly depressing episode all around! I also can't believe that Will punched Leonard. I'm definitely not warming to him at all. As for Cathy telling Geordie about Hobbs, as I said in another thread, I was hoping she would handle it herself.

I liked the season finale as much as the episode that preceded it; those two episodes feel like they "go" together. Jemma Redgrave was (IMO) ideal portraying Will's reliant/dependent (on her husband, now on Will) sweet somewhat fragile mother. I've always very much liked Jemma. I wonder if Will's mother is a character we'll now off and on see on the show. (I hope she'll be.) It would be interesting to see her gradually come into her own as a person newly no longer dependent on a controlling husband. By the way, what an awful, insufferable father Will had!

(FYI: SPOILERS FOLLOW. THEREFORE ANYONE WHO'S NOT YET SEEN S4's TWO FINAL EPISODES, YOU MAY WANT TO SKIP OVER THE FOLLOWING UNTIL AFTER YOU'VE VIEWED THOSE EPISODES.)

Regarding the Leonard-Will situation, I feel sorry for both men, as when Will punched Leonard Leonard had absolutely no idea, at the time, that Will's father had just committed suicide, and that the death had been unintentionally and unexpectedly brought on by Will - who was in a thoroughly devastated and very dark state when Leonard then came at him, decidedly overwhelmingly, first thing Will walked in the vicarage, with direct (and quite spiteful) confrontation. Will just needed Leonard to shut up and leave him alone - though Leonard didn't yet at all realize that.

The little (but very telling) thing we as viewers, and Will, notice after Will speaks with Leonard at the bus stop is a important new character detail we've discovered about Leonard. I really liked how that whole overall scene (including the talk on the bench) was gone about.

Since I'm new to the series, I'm not clear: Was Leonard's romantic partner Daniel actually living in the vicarage until now? If so, what was the reason (that Mrs. C and anyone else local, and the bishop, would have accepted as alright) for him being allowed to live there? What exactly does Daniel do - I mean what's his job or whatever?

It was definitely unexpected - and quite satisfying - the role that Mrs. C plays in the Cathy and Hobbs matter. I personally readily felt like what Mrs. C did totally works, as Cathy's boss now views Mrs. C in a "money talks" way - and no doubt Mrs. C did, to whatever extent (albeit it was not actually shown), in some type way, actually inform the boss that Hobbs either is a sexual predator or, otherwise, a known nasty piece of work and a blight on the integrity of the store.

Of course it helps that in Ep. 5 (or was it in the prior episode?) Cathy already went to her boss about the workplace sexual harassment situation. Mrs. C then doing her thing in the finale served to make evident to the boss that now more than solely a female employee(s) is aware of Hobbs being a problem and a jerk and wants him gone. Mrs. C's involvement served to bump the perceived seriousness of the situation to a much higher (no longer able to remain brushed under the rug) level in the boss' mind.

@bratface said (on a different thread, but during mentions of Grantchester):

All this time I thought you were a female.

Nope. Never, ever have been.

brat, I think you'll like the season finale when you see it next week. It's great knowing the series was recently renewed, therefore that there will be at least one more season. Hopefully there will be a number more seasons to come.

It's been easy for me to accept Will Davenport as the new vicar since I had no prior investment in the series, therefore the Sidney character exiting the show, and a new replacement character being introduced, took no real getting used to. To me Tom Brittney, and his Will, is a perfect fit as the series' new co-lead. I think Will, particularly during the two final episodes of S4, has become smoothly and ideally integrated into the show, and now fully feels like he's a character who very much belongs and is an asset to both the village of Grantchester and to the t.v. series.

Ditto about Jemma Redgrave, genplant29. When I saw her in the previous episode she looked familiar. Then I remembered her from Bramwell which I enjoyed TWENTY years ago. Yikes, time flies!

I kind of presumed Mrs. C did what you've suggested to get rid of Mr. Hobbs but I wondered if I'd missed something more specific. I guess not, and whatever she said to the owner was left to our imaginations.

Daniel wasn't living at the vicarage as far as I know. He's a photographer who was introduced in Season 2 under suspicious circumstances (but proven innocent), which may further explain Mrs. C's disdain for him. She probably considers him a corrupting influence on Leonard.

I forgot all about Bramwell - and now definitely remember I, too, watched and enjoyed that series. A fun casting fact is that Jemma appeared in an The Inspector Lynley Mysteries episode (that I still recall). Of course Nathaniel Parker, who portrayed her husband (Will's father) in Grantchester, was one of the two stars of that series. Jemma also had a prominent part in one of the (amongst various other series) earliest [Inspector] Lewis episodes. Talented actress.

I wonder if Hobbs will turn back up stalking Cathy, since he knows she proved his undoing at the store.

It was quite surprising that Geordie actually heeded Cathy's insistence that he let her deal with her predicament without intervening. Of course it tremendously tore him up to not be able to do anything to help her.

I like that the Leonard character developed complexity and much more dramatic heft during S4. At the beginning of the season, he was seeming mainly like lite relief. Al Weaver definitely has proven himself this season.

As for the vicarage, is it always just whomever is the current vicar, plus Leonard, that live there? Until she left, I more or less presumed Mrs. C was also living there - though I guess she wouldn't have been as she's married and on entirely good terms with her husband.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if the lecherous and smarmy Mr. Hobbs ends up murdered and Cathy's deemed a suspect!!!

I presume Mrs. C is a full-time but non-resident housekeeper at the vicarage. She must get an early start since she prepares breakfast, but probably leaves after tea/dinner is served. She and her husband may live close enough to the vicarage for her to go back and forth easily. It's a small town, after all. She'd better be taking good care of Mr. C now that she's such a spendthrift wife. THREE handbags in one shopping trip?!?!?!

Actually genplant29, Leonard's been pretty much a main character since the beginning. It was either later in Season 2 or at some point during Season 3 that he came close to marrying a woman, and struggled mightily with his conscience.

@merryapril said:

I wouldn't be surprised at all if the lecherous and smarmy Mr. Hobbs ends up murdered and Cathy's deemed a suspect!!!

That definitely would make for an interesting storyline!

It was enjoyable seeing Mrs. C going fashionista in order to help Cathy. Quite the unexpected "arrival" (if I'm not mistaken descending an escalator?) she made all decked out in other than her usual garb!

Incidentally, what's Mr. C well-off from? Is he a business owner of some type?

Thanks for explaining about Leonard. Is the woman he came close to marrying the one that Will ended up dancing with at the dance? I sort of got the general impression, somehow, during that part that possibly that was the case.

I never saw the woman before who Will danced with. I thought she was one of Esme's teachers -- and a future love interest.

I can't remember what Mr. C's occupation was but he's now retired I think and may have been an old suitor who came back into Mrs. C's life.

Leonard's fiancee was I think a spinster daughter of a father or mother who died. Leonard served as pastor to her after the death. I could be wrong though -- I'm not quite certain about the details.

I COULD BE WRONG but I wonder if Mr. C may have had some sort of a career in India. Lots of middle class people gained wealth doing so. Anyway, I recall he was the only attendee at a cricket match who ate and relished a samosa (a spicy fried Indian turnover-like snack often stuffed with potatoes and peas). It stuck in my mind because I'd just bought some before I watched the episode. They're very tasty, but some snobbish folk at the match wouldn't touch them!!!

@genplant29 said:

@merryapril said:

I wouldn't be surprised at all if the lecherous and smarmy Mr. Hobbs ends up murdered and Cathy's deemed a suspect!!!

That definitely would make for an interesting storyline!

It was enjoyable seeing Mrs. C going fashionista in order to help Cathy. Quite the unexpected "arrival" (if I'm not mistaken descending an escalator?) she made all decked out in other than her usual garb!

Incidentally, what's Mr. C well-off from? Is he a business owner of some type?

Thanks for explaining about Leonard. Is the woman he came close to marrying the one that Will ended up dancing with at the dance? I sort of got the general impression, somehow, during that part that possibly that was the case.

I wish there was a Grantchester 'Wikia' page (there is a regular wiki page, see below, but not one where it tells us all about the characters, etc.). I have seen all of the episodes (except for #6 of this season, next Monday) & I wish I could tell you all the nuances of each character (but with my old brain, it's hard to remember everything 👵). That's why I recommended that you watch all the other episodes. There are only 18 episodes plus a Christmas special.

As for Mrs. Maguire becoming Mrs. Chapman, she married him at the end of season/series 3. She had been married before, but he took off a long time ago. There was an episode (#5, series 3) all about him & where he had run to.

Here is the wiki page that has a synopsis of all episodes, but it doesn't really tell you 'everything'. (it might help you catch up?). 🦸‍♀️

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grantchester_(TV_series)#Episode_list

Thanks for the info both of you have provided. I'm glad I decided to not only give this series a serious try at the beginning of S4, but then not to pass premature judgment and move on when the season premiere didn't impress me like I had been hoping it would. The season then took another couple of episodes before I not only got to feeling invested but also realizing I really like, and care about, the main group of six or so regular characters.

Fortunately, the series got steadily better with each new episode, and I think its very best during the final two episodes. Such a shame that now there will be a long wait till next summer, or whenever, to see Season 5! (On the other hand, I'm very happy that, before much longer, The Durrells will have its 2019 season finally air on PBS Masterpiece! [I love The Durrells!])

@merryapril said:

Mr. C....ate and relished a samosa (a spicy fried Indian turnover-like snack often stuffed with potatoes and peas). It stuck in my mind because I'd just bought some before I watched the episode. They're very tasty....

That, indeed, sounds tasty (and is a food I've never personally heard of before)! When you bought some, was it in a regular standard grocery store or in a specialty foods store?