Stream Seasons 1 - 10 now with KPBS Passport on KPBS+ / Watch Sunday, May 3 - Sunday, June 7 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV
“As a priest, isn’t everything our business?” asks Reverend Sidney Chambers as he gets to the bottom of another baffling murder around the placid village of Grantchester. James Norton stars as the handsome, jazz-loving vicar, with Robson Green as his law-enforcement ally, Inspector Geordie Keating, in Season 1 of GRANTCHESTER on MASTERPIECE.
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Based on the acclaimed novel "Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death" by James Runcie—called “the coziest of cozy murder mysteries” by the New York Times Book Review—GRANTCHESTER hearkens back to a simpler England, when World War II had just ended, Elizabeth II was the new queen, the death penalty was still in force, homosexuality was illegal, and the local vicar was the pillar of the community.
Runcie styled Sidney after his late father, Lord Runcie, who was Archbishop of Canterbury in the 1980s. Like Sidney, the elder Runcie was a war hero before he entered the ministry, and he was a compassionate and amiable parish priest. Unfortunately, he never took up crime-solving. GRANTCHESTER corrects that oversight.
Also starring are Morven Christie (CASE HISTORIES) as Amanda Kendall, Sidney’s first love and soul mate; Tessa Peake-Jones (POIROT) as Mrs. Maguire, the vicar’s morally judgmental landlady; Al Weaver (SHERLOCK) as Leonard Finch, the church’s new assistant curate; and German actress Pheline Roggan as Hildegard Staunton, the strikingly beautiful widow of the series’ first victim.
It all begins with a sad but predictable suicide. Lawyer Stephen Staunton in nearby Cambridge has been drinking heavily and is deeply in debt. Late one night, he turns his old service revolver on himself, leaving behind a blood-spattered suicide note and a grieving widow. It’s an open-and-shut case, according to Geordie, who is the overworked police inspector in charge of the investigation.
But people confide things in a parish priest that they never tell police—which is how Sidney comes to suspect murder. His first hurdle is to convince Geordie that there’s more to Staunton’s death than meets the eye. Fortunately, the cleric and the cop bond over their war service, their love of a good pub, and their competitive instincts—in this case, for backgammon.
It’s the start of a beautiful friendship that takes Sidney and Geordie through a series of challenging cases, revealing the dark side of early 1950s England—jealousy, prejudice, class conflict, and plain old passion. The last emotion is not exactly unknown to Sidney, who is an unusually worldly clergyman. His pursuit of love is as much a part of the story as his tireless search for justice, spiritual fulfillment, and a really hip jazz club.
EPISODE GUIDE:
Episode 1 Encore Sunday, May 3 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV - It looks like suicide, but Reverend Sidney Chambers suspects murder. His biggest challenge is to enlist police in the hunt for the killer.
Episode 2 Encore Sunday, May 10 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV - Sidney’s former flame throws an engagement party that leads to murder. To crack the case, Sidney and Geordie must break a code of silence.
Episode 3 Encore Sunday, May 17 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV - An old woman tells Sidney that someone wants her dead. Then she dies. Coincidence? The new curate delivers a surprising sermon.
Episode 4 Encore Sunday, May 31 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV - A shocking murder reveals the depths of homophobia in Cambridge. Geordie crosses swords with Sidney over conduct of the investigation.
Episode 5 Encore Sunday, June 7 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV - On holiday in London, Sidney and Geordie happen upon a murder, allowing them to show Scotland Yard a thing or two.
Episode 6 Encore Sunday, June 7 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV - As Geordie's life hangs in the balance, Sidney has to defy police to stop a killing spree. Sidney's romantic life falls apart.
Watch On Your Schedule: Seasons 1 - 10 are available to stream with KPBS Passport on KPBS+, a new free streaming video app designed for ease and enjoyment everywhere you watch including Roku, smart TVs and mobile devices. It’s locally curated for San Diego by the KPBS programming team. With a clean and intuitive design, discovering and enjoying KPBS and PBS content on-demand has never been easier.
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Credits: A co-production of Lovely Day and MASTERPIECE. The Executive Producer for Lovely Day is Diederick Santer. The Executive Producer for MASTERPIECE is Rebecca Eaton. The Producer is Emma Kingsman-Lloyd. The Directors are Harry Bradbeer, Jill Robertson and Tim Fywell. Adapted from the novel "Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death" by James Runcie, the series is written by Daisy Coulam.
