Wow, another shocker. I didn't see that coming regarding Vic, the gym owner, but it makes sense and fits an all-too-familiar pattern. And just when I said the sermons have been eloquent, Will comes up with a doozy, filled with bitterness and disillusionment. He seems to be losing it...

I'm currently operating in a bit of a lag as I have yet to watch either of last night's shows (haven't watched anything other than the news since early Sun. a.m.) - but do hope to watch one or both of last night's PBS Masterpiece series at some point before the end of today.

Looking forward to both, and will definitely check in here once I have.

@genplant29 said:

I'm currently operating in a bit of a lag as I have yet to watch either of last night's shows (haven't watched anything other than the news since early Sun. a.m.) - but do hope to watch one or both of last night's PBS Masterpiece series at some point before the end of today.

Looking forward to both, and will definitely check in here once I have.

Something going on in your neck of the woods?

All's well. Just keep finding myself endlessly immersed in things to do (plus additional things always needing to be gotten around to), and feeling like there aren't enough hours in the day/night. (I'm expecting to begin full-time employment any week [or perhaps day], so have been - in anticipation - cramming as many activities/pursuits/chores/projects/etc. into every day/week as I can, knowing there will be drastically less free time, energy, and inclination once I'm working. Ugh...)

I was gonna watch our two series last night, but was too fizzled out by the time they came on, but definitely did record them to watch on today or whenever.

@genplant29 Always carry some garlic and holy water with you, otherwise you might experience more than just an energy drain.

As far as I know, there aren't any vampires in these here parts; I think they were all eradicated a while back! lol

Do be sure to check out this most recent episode. IMO it's one of the best since Will's been on the scene. And while it's very dark and intense, Mrs. C and especially Leonard (God bless him) provide some much-needed comic relief. I was so happy to hear Mrs. C say that she missed her "lovely jewelry". But Leonard was truly at his best and funniest - Al Weaver is so great in the role.

I'm very much looking forward to it. I'll miss this series when the current season concludes this coming Sunday night.

Next up, beginning a little under a month from now, will be the new season of Endeavour! Incidentally, in case you haven't noticed it, merry, @wonder created a thread for it: Endeavour, Season 7 (2020). Unfortunately, it'll be a short season - only three episodes.

Only 3 episodes??? Oh no!!! That doesn't seem to bode well...

I finally watched, during the last few hours, last Sunday night's Grantchester and Beecham House episodes. (Both were very good!) As tonight's new episodes will be coming on within hours, I'll wait to reply (and catch back up) regarding the episodes of both last weekend and tonight sometime, tonight, after each series' finale airs.

I forgot to leave a comment about episode 4. I was flabbergasted about Will's proposal! You don't ask someone to marry you just so you can have sex! Another example of why I just don't like him.

I get the impression that in past generations license to have sex was actually the main reason a lot of men proposed marriage. In Will's case, I do think he loves Ellie (and probably vice versa).

I still need to comment on the last two episodes of this and BH, both which I enjoyed.

Will is really messed up. Is he devoted to God or did he become a vicar to atone for his sinful life and escape from his family, especially his father? His carnal desires are so overwhelming that marriage alone is insufficient to soothe them. Temptation is everywhere and his loyalty to one woman will be tested to the extreme.

The plot seems to pose the possibility you allude to wonder2wonder, that Will - and also Sidney and Leonard - have become vicars in order to escape and atone.

Will seemed much calmer and at ease with himself in the finale, apparently because of one fantastic **** (there genplant, I self moderated) with the would-be nun!!! And in fairness to him wonder2wonder, he's kind of caught between the proverbial rock and hard place: the church seems to impose somewhat strict protocols on clerical life (thus why Sidney couldn't marry a divorced Amanda and hope to continue his career), so it would likely frown on a vicar having the kind of relationship Ellie evidently would've been okay with - casual sex with someone she really doesn't know all that well.

This series has proven time and again to take a somewhat cynical (one could argue "realistic") view of religion, Mrs. C's doctrinaire attitudes often serving as the usual illustration. For example we learned in the finale of a Roman Catholic priest who allowed a woman's shelter of sorts to exist as a pseudo religious order in exchange for sexual favors. At least I think that's what was going on. AND YET the writing has still allowed the goodness, the very point of religion to shine through via our heroes' pastoral works, sermons, etc. But there's no question that their faith is constantly being tested in the show, not just by the crimes they assist in solving but by inner turmoil as well.

** WARNING, @brat; this post will include various Ep. 6 spoilers! **

In the Season 5 finale, it's illustrated that, indeed, Will (despite Ellie still being in the picture) remains vulnerable to available sexual temptations. (I didn't at all see that one coming - until during the couple or so minutes right before things took quite the turn!)

I thought the two final episodes of the season were strong ones. Particularly Episode 5 of a little over a week ago, with all the unexpected stuff that went down at the gym, regarding Vic, Matt, and Luke (Lucas), and that also involved some others (both seen and unseen), including, in particular, Vic's wife Marie, also the older gentlemanly businessman.

An unexpected development in the season finale is that Vic's gym obviously was put up for sale subsequent to Ep. 5 - and Will purchases it (with money borrowed from his mother) to give to Matt (to run) as like an atonement for Will feeling so intensely guilty about his unknowing role in not only helping to enable Vic, but, more immediately, for having put Matt back in that environment after he had so wanted to be free of it. Near the end of Ep. 5, Vic cockily says (to Will) something to the effect of that if he'd be put on trial for sexual molestation of minors, who will the jury believe - him (a well-liked and highly respected supposedly fully honourable local citizen and businessman) or known juvenile delinquent Matt. Unfortunately, he was probably right...

Btw, while Matt clearly seemed very happy to be handed the gym by Will, that actually was an extremely clueless type well-meant gesture by Will: keeping Matt, indefinitely, in the environment where not only he had been sexually abused, but also where he had attempted suicide - which his pal Luke had succeeded with!

Something that never was quite made clear (but that was questioned at least a time or two in E5) was why did Luke have I think they said twice as much poison (or whatever it was they both had overdosed on) in his system as did Matt, when they'd both mutually equally been wanting to commit suicide together?

Moving on now to the season finale episode, there's the murder case on the grounds of the convent - where not all is as it seems - at all. The Mother Superior there sure, right from the get go, didn't seem to in any way, shape, or form fit her role (at first I attributed it to poor casting [though should have known better]) - which we eventually learn why - while also all the other parts of that story gradually become apparent. "Whodunit" regarding the murder quite surprised me, as, out of the potential prospects, that wasn't someone who I had paid any attention to.

I'll add more (Leonard, his father, Mrs. C, etc.) about Eps. 5 and 6 in a different comment later, but, for now, want to get at least this much commented about those episodes.

By the way, I must say there was quite the "quivery lip" moist-eyed moment experienced during E6, during the scene with Mrs. C going to the church and sitting next to Leonard and them having their tender, beautiful little talk. That definitely "got" me - and, yes, a bit of dabbing of the eyes with a hankie became necessary for a couple minutes there.