MY YEAR WITH BRITBOX: The Clergyman in the Cathedral with the Candlestick . . .

/ Brad

Thanks to the recommendations you have sent my way, I have compiled the following watch list for my new Britbox subscription:

  • Death in Paradise – beloved of the Puzzle Doctor, recommended by many – I watched several Season One eps when the show was on Netflix, but I’m willing to take a deeper dive . . . and maybe it’ll goose me into reading that Thorogood novel that’s been sitting on my shelf for three years
  • Vera (the early seasons) – it’s my friend Viv’s favorite public TV comfort food
  • Brokenwood Mysteries – according to Bill, it’s New Zealand’s answer to Midsomer Murders mixed with Death in Paradise – only better
  • Sherlock Holmes w/ Jeremy Brett (at least the pre-Reichenbach Falls episodes and The Sign of the Four) – a promise made to Nick and Sergio during our Sherlock Holmes draft
  • Silent Witness – Melmialeo calls it complex and satisfying (but I’ll have to keep my eyes closed during the autopsies)
  • That final season of Jonathan Creek (unless it’s truly terrible as some have said)
  • That final season of Line of Duty (which I also hear is awful)

With so many choices of where to begin, I ended up going in a more ecclesiastical direction. Many friends have spoken rather disparagingly about Father Brown and a bit more kindly about its spin-off series, Sister Boniface Mysteries. I decided to watch the first three episodes of both. I’m sure my opinion will have a huge effect on the success of Father Brown, which celebrates its 11th anniversary this month. Still, everyone is entitled . . . 

FATHER BROWN

Rumor has it that this is based on the classic detective created by G.K. Chesterton, of whom I have admittedly read next to nothing, this TV incarnation seems to bear little to no resemblance to the cleric on the page. (I am aware that Kenneth More played the character in a 1970’s series and would be interested in hearing from people as to whether that show stuck closer to its literary inspiration.) The fifty-three Father Brown stories were published between 1910 and 1936, but the modern inclination of the BBC and ITV when adapting “classic” mysteries seems to be to set them in the 1950’s, a much easier decade for when you have to find British locations that can pass for “period.” Father Brown is filmed in the Cotswolds, and unlike the book character who travels all over the place, this priest stays put – I assume, for budgetary reasons. 

Actor Mark Williams (Mr. Weasley from the Harry Potter films!!) plays the good Father, and he’s perfectly lovely. Any weakness I detect in his speech or behavior I blame on the writing, which is blandly generic and transforms what could have been a very special detective show into Murder, He Preached. I have read that this series was created to be shown on afternoon TV, which I’m sure had some effect on its conception. It’s not that the program shies away from adult topics; it’s just that, with a few exceptions, these topics are presented with all the dramatic flair of tapioca. 

While I like Williams, I’m less enamored of the supporting cast I have met so far. But then, I have shied away from early episodes of Poirot because of the way it stuck Hastings, Japp and Miss Lemon into every episode in a broadly comical way. At least, it’s Hastings, Japp and Miss Lemon! So far, I’m not crazy about any of the regulars on Father Brown. All of them are original characters not to be found in the stories, and they amount to little more than a series of broad character tropes stuffed into human form. Lady Felicia Montague (Nancy Carroll) flirts, Inspector Valentine (Hugo Speer) grouses like a poor man’s Inspector Slack, and the worst offender is Mrs. Bridgette McCarthy (Sorscha Cusack), Father Brown’s housekeeper, who quickly wears out her welcome with standard lines about her great cooking, her “hatred” of gossip, and her antipathy for Lady Felicia or just about any other person in Father Brown’s life. 

“Yes, I am quite incredulous….”

The first three episodes are all based on actual stories. Well, they share the names of the stories, something that will evidently fade out after the first season. But it doesn’t matter: these screenplays include only the rudimentary elements of the tales on which they were based. Each story has been adjusted to more closely resemble a “traditional” mystery, with more suspects of a generic variety, the tendency of Father Brown to be on the scene for the murder, where he finds clues under the nose of the clueless Inspector Valentine, who invariably arrests the wrong suspect. Sometimes, the dialogue pays lip service to Father Brown’s superior goodness as well as his intellect: he is neither racist nor classist nor homophobic nor mean, just practically perfect in every way.

Episode One is based on the story, “The Hammer of God,” which concerns the murder of an aristocratic cad, the brother of the local vicar, who is cuckolding the local blacksmith and is found struck to death in the graveyard with the blacksmith’s hammer. These three men, plus the blacksmith’s wife, constitute the cast of the written tale, but here there are several more suspects, including Lady Felicia and Father Brown’s Polish housekeeper. For no reason whatsoever, the victim is made bisexual, with another added character serving as his pathetic gay sex toy. (Funnily enough, there is no sign of this in Chesterton’s story!) At least the solution is the same, and in both cases Father Brown confronts the murderer on the church roof. The speech he gives in the story is a quietly thrilling one about ecclesiastical humility; unfortunately, this gets lost in the translation to the screen.

“The Flying Stars” is the weakest episode I have watched so far, mostly because when a certain character appears, they should be wearing a t-shirt that says “ARREST ME, PLEASE! I AM THE KILLER!” Lady Felicia becomes a suspect for the second time in a row. The killer is revealed with fifteen minutes left to go and very little to explain, but Father Brown does his best on a train while the killer sits scowling . . . in drag. Sadder still, the printed tale stars Father Brown’s arch-nemesis – the thief Flambeau; evidently, we are going to have to wait until a later episode to meet him. 

“The Wrong Shape” is easily the best episode so far, largely thanks to some great acting by Ruth Gemmell (Bridgerton) as the estranged wife of a doctor turned poet. The poor woman is forced to live on the estate with her husband’s much younger (and very loud) mistress and the Hindu mystic that the doctor befriended on a solo trip to the Far East. The very grumpy family attorney rounds out this list of suspects. As usual, Father Brown is on the scene, invited along with Lady Felicia to a poetry recital (the housekeeper unfortunately tags along). The material in the recital is shocking enough to offend the guests, but it’s also so poorly written by the show’s screenwriters that we wince for all the wrong reasons. 

Still, things improve after the murder, and for the first time, the character to whom I pointed at the screen and cried, “J’accuse!” was not the killer!  In fact, the ending, propelled by Gemmell’s performance, is quite moving, and Father Brown’s handling of the people and the situation is very endearing. If the show moves in this direction, my whole viewing experience might improve. Unfortunately, I think the Murder, She Wrote vibe is too deeply settled in, and I have a feeling that my progression through eleven seasons of Father Brown will be slow and sketchy. 

*     *     *     *     *

Sister Boniface made her first appearance in the first season of Father Brown as a recurring character. A middle-aged nun, she is also a brilliant scientist, and she provides forensic support, as well as some good common sense, to whatever investigation comes her way. A spin-off series for the character was ordered for Britbox and has been playing on the service for two 10-episode seasons, with a third series now being filmed. 

Sister Boniface clearly capitalizes on the success of Father Brown by being as similar as possible. We’re still in the Cotswolds, although now we are in the 1960s, a much more interesting decade than the 50’s. Lorna Watson is a charming Boniface, although as soon as she began speaking I had to flip on the subtitles; she rattles off scientific information a mile a minute! Like Father Brown, our heroine is surrounded by an extensive supporting cast. But while none of them stand out as particularly original characters, they are a far more compelling and humorous lot. 

As a longtime fan of films like The Trouble with Angels and Sister Act, I admit to being a sucker for a good comedy centered around nuns. I’ll even confess to having watched The Flying Nun as a kid!! Carolyn Pickles, a niece to the great Christina Pickles, makes an enjoyable foil to Sister B. as the Mother Superior, and Virginia Fiol and Tina Chiang are excellent as Sisters Reginald and Peter. For once, the local policeman, Sam Gillespie (Max Brown) is not a boob! In fact, he’s quite good-looking, smart, and more than happy to work with Sister Boniface. Jerry Iwu plays Felix Livingstone, a cop from Bermuda who was supposed to work with Scotland Yard and ended up in the village of Great Slaughter instead. (The jury is still out as to how much charm and interest this “fish out of water” subplot will bring to the whole.) There’s also a love interest for Max in the form of a headline-seeking local journalist (Miranda Raison) and a very funny landlady for Felix named Mrs. Clam (Belinda Lang). 

Since G.K. Chesterton had nothing to do with the creation of Sister Boniface, all the mysteries are original tales. So far, they’re funnier and somewhat more involving than the ones I’ve seen on Father Brown. The first episode, “Unnatural Causes,” does a nice job introducing the series characters and involving them in a fairly intriguing mystery of a rather pathetic woman being murdered at the local festival. The killer’s identity isn’t a total surprise, but their transformation into a particularly cruel villain at the end is well rendered. 

Episode Two, “Lights, Camera, Murder,” is a charming comedy about the convent renting the church to a TV studio in order to film an episode of the hit espionage series, Operation QT. When a prop gun ends up shooting real bullets, Sister Boniface steps in to try and prevent a real murder. As much as the saving of human life concerns her, the really pressing issue is dealing with Mother Superior’s antipathy for the show business. The show does a much better job than Father Brown of interweaving the preoccupations of its series characters into the mystery of the hour.

Operation QT is a delightfully ridiculous show-within-a show. The whole production seems totally cheesy – until you remember the early production values of Dr. Who. I thought everyone was very funny, and if the solution comes out of nowhere, it’s still an enjoyable romp. 

Episode Three, “Love and Other Puzzles,” concerns a serial killer who is targeting women of late middle-age who are looking for love in all the wrong places. Again, this one is very entertaining, but you have to accept the fact that Sister Boniface plays even serious situations like this for laughs. Plus, the killer in this one is waaaay too obvious! 

So far, Sister Boniface seems light and enjoyable, while Father Brown feels light and far too diluted from its source. Neither of these series seem particularly binge-worthy, but for an occasional hour of not-too-taxing mystery fare, they both promise mild fun. 

Now, let’s get cracking in search of the really good stuff!

19 thoughts on “MY YEAR WITH BRITBOX: The Clergyman in the Cathedral with the Candlestick . . .”

  1. I am not at all keen on the current BBC version of the Chesterton character but many very sensible people do love it. The Kenneth More version of Father Brown much, much more faithful. It was shot in the traditional manner of the day (elaborate studio work on tape, location filming on 16mm), which means the pace is a tad sedate but I like it none the less. Not crazy about the theme music choice though 😁

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  2. I’ve always watched Brokenwood on AcornTV and didn’t know it was also on BritBox (which…of course…I also have). But it is an absolutely cracking show, one of the best blends of mystery and doses of humor-in a totally non-smarmy way- I’ve ever seen. And the way it uses its recurring characters as the series develops…well, no spoilers!

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      • Well, for Brokenwood alone it is worth it. There’s some other lighter stuff that’s not too bad, too, like Madame Blanc and endless seasons of Midsomer Murders. And if in the mood for something darker, the first season of Mystery Road was killer…um…well, you know what I mean. I watch almost nothing but those two channels so carrying both subscriptions doesn’t seem too onerous.
        And (sorry to run on) if you like straight up comedy, BritBox has numerous seasons of Would I Lie to You on it as well.

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  3. “That final season of Jonathan Creek (unless it’s truly terrible as some have said).”

    Yes. It is. But there are things to enjoy in the final two episodes – the final special especially.

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  4. I’m surprised that Chesterton isn’t more consistently regarded as the primary basis of the Golden Age. Sure, Doyle gave us the Holmes/Watson model and a few widely used concepts (“The Red~Headed League,” “Thor Bridge”), but Chesterton was far more encyclopedic in offering the “molecules” of the Golden Age— sort of an “Everything I Ever Needed to Know About Puzzle Plotting I Learned from Detective Fiction I Learned from the Father Brown Stories.” Jim Noy doesn’t believe Chesterton was highly influential, but for once I think he’s entirely wrong: G. K.’s stories may be incredibly unrealistic in detail (e.g. a paper plate atop a cello, silhouetted by the sun, may be mistaken for a character, providing an alibi), but the basic concepts (silhouette makes both 2D and 3D objects appear the same) hold true and are useful for later authors (I just made up that example, but I think it’s illustrative of the Chesterton/GAD connection). I can’t tell you how many Golden Age novels I’ve read and thought “Oh, that’s just a more logistically credible elaboration of an idea Chesterton used in…”

    I gavent been anll that impressed with the (admittedly few) episodes I’ve seen of the recent Father Brown series. This “four basic recurring characters” model (found in everything from Poirot to Monk to Death in Paradise to House) is evidently quite appealing and rather comforting, but it strikes me as evidence of the conviction (probably accurate) that viewers of detective TV are primarily concerned with the interactions of familiar characters, and that puzzle plot mysteries are simply pegs upon which to place these interactions, much as community charity events are ultimately merely excuses to socialize.

    The Kenneth More series was far more faithful, but the visual stylistics of 1970’s British TV can take more getting used to than I expected (interiors and exteriors look like entirely different worlds, the former appearing like very dated and echo-y daily soap operas).

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    • I can think of instances where GAD authors seem inspired by Holmes. One of my favorite stories is “The Sussex Vampire:” I love the explanation for the “attack” on the child. And then we come to He Who Whispers, which has a similar illusion with a far more disturbing solution. But none of this involves actual ratiocination, and I grant you Doyle gave us very few “tricks of the trade.” Father Brown gave us a lot, including the one about the invisible man which drives me crazy. And Poe deserves some credit, too.

      Speaking of dated British shows . . . since a lot of old Dr. Who is on Britbox, I’m going to give some of it a try. I’m told that behind all the cheesy sets and costumes, there are some good stories! I have to go back to Nick Fuller’s recent post that was chockfull of recommendations.

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      • If you’re going to watch Dr. Who, include at least one episode with the Doctor’s arch-enemy, the Daleks. I remember seeing the Daleks for the first time as a child and half watching / half hiding behind the sofa with one eye closed. Now they seem a bit cheesy, but I still love them anyway.

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        • I thought the Daleks were put to great use in the new phase of Dr. Who episodes. As silly as those voices might sound, there’s a lot of great horror surrounding those buckets of bolts and their master plan!

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          • I am much more well-versed in the world of NuWho (which you shouldn’t discount – it is cheesey and a little soap-opera-y in places, but really compelling TV elsewhere), but I can give you a few recommendations right away and I will try and give you at least one recommendation per classic Doctor:

            “An Unearthly Child” – It’s where the show all began and introduces all of the basic concepts that make the show so beloved. The actual time travel element – involving cavemen and the creation of fire – is somewhat meandering but that first episode lays the groundwork for the 60+ years that were to follow.

            “The Tomb of the Cybermen” – Though the villainous Cybermen were introduced at the end of the First Doctor’s era, this Second Doctor serial is one of the most highly regarded and would make them an antagonist on par with the Daleks for the duration of the show.

            “The Ambassadors of Death” – This Third Doctor serial gets a bad rap but its Nigel Kneale-inspired extraterrestrial horror feels unique in the show’s history.

            “The Green Death” – A story with a unique environmental bent and features the Third Doctor at his James Bond-esque best.

            There is so much to recommend in the Fourth Doctor’s era. I am, of course, partial to the Gothic horror stylings of producer Philip Hinchcliffe who styled the show like Hammer horror films. “Pyramids of Mars,” “The Brain of Morbius” and “The Talons of Weng-Chiang” are favorites in this regard (the latter does feature some uncomfortable racism, however.) For the GAD lover, “The Robots of Death” is not to be missed – it’s an whodunit set on a massive mining vessel.

            “The Visitation” – One of the last historical episodes of the classic era (my favorites), this is what I want Doctor Who to be always even if execution of this Fifth Doctor adventure is somewhat lacking.

            “The Caves of Androzani” has a reputation as the best DW story and it earns it. It is a powerful, nihilistic war story (with a hint of Phantom of the Opera for good measure) and is liable to linger long in the mind after being seen.

            “Vengeance on Varos” is a similarly bleak and ruthless Sixth Doctor adventure that manages some interesting commentary on the nature of violence on TV. “Terror of the Vervoids”, another Sixth Doctor adventure as part of the Trail of a Time Lord arc, sees a return of the classical whodunit.

            “Remembrance of the Daleks” – The single best Dalek story and perhaps the Seventh Doctor’s finest hour. Superb blockbuster entertainment on the BBC budget.

            “The Curse of Fenric” – You see the DNA of NuWho all over this story and its hints at a darker, more mysterious background for the Doctor is just one of the best things about this morally grey, down-to-earth adventure of ancient Viking evil, WWII spies, and vampires.

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            • What a great sell job! There are great recommendations here; I naturally want to check out the whodunnits. I was a rabid NuWho fan until Peter Capaldi. I found a lot of his episodes boring, and I completely gave up with Jody Comer. I love the actor who’s playing the new doctor, but I’m afraid I’m too far removed from the series to return!

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  5. I never seem to proof read. 😦 I forgot to edit out a bunch of words.. it should be “Everything I Ever Needed to Know About Puzzle Plotting I Learned from the Father Brown Stories.”

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  6. Brad – thx for the shoutout re: Vera. Indeed I will “watch” (might be simultaneously doing a couple of loads of laundry but, still…) episode reruns for the 20th time. It’s simply that Brenda Blethyn woman. A charismatic actress. She’s going places, mark my words. I’ve read all of Cleeves’ Vera novels as well. Apparently she sees and hears Blethyn as she’s writing the character (in the ones she’s written after Blethyn was cast in the series of course.) Hence the perfect blend of character and actor portrayal. Kind of like Suchet and Poirot. Speaking of which, when watching Poirot I substitute Liz Lemon (as portrayed by Tina Fey in 30 Rock) for Miss Lemon in my head. It works, trust me!

    And now for Father Brown. I love this series because when it’s on, I am afforded some uninterrupted time to read several chapters of whatever novel is my livre-de-semaine. (That’s book of the week to you since you took Spanish classes in high school while I took French. Harrumph!) In other words, Father Brown makes for a gentle and soothing background noise while I delve more deeply into the latest Higashino (finished A Death in Tokyo during Father Brown last night, as a matter of fact.)

    And thanks to your gifting me this book a while back, I started The Mill House Murders this morning. To my surprise and delight (not! angry face emoji, angry face emoji, angry face emoji) before one even gets to the list of characters/dramatis personae THERE’S A FLOOR PLAN. I remember my great aunt Griselda once warning me to “beware of mystery novels bearing floor plans.” Decagon House Murders also had a floor plan… Wonderful. Looking forward to maybe someday reading an Ayatsuji novel where the murder takes place in a studio apartment. Or a broom closet.

    Anyway, enjoy BritBox. I am revisiting Brokenwood Mysteries since PBS just started airing the series again after several years. I was borderline nonplussed when I watched it before but just saw the first two episodes again and liked it. At the very least it’ll make good background noise as I try to finish up The Floor Plan Killer. Sorry! I meant The Mill House Murders.

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    • Considering The Mill House Murders is second in Ayatsuji’s nine-book BIZARRE HOUSE/MANSION series, I wouldn’t hold my breath for a cessation of floor plans. Which I love, by the way, Great-Aunt Griselda notwithstanding.

      It looks like there’s a chance for me to sample Brokenwood Mysteries through Comcast. Hooray!

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  7. Erm, I don’t know how to say this Brad but…I revisited early Silent Witness (S1) just to make sure I wasn’t selling you a dud. I watched two stories (four episodes).

    Oh dear, this isn’t how I remembered it!

    Maybe most important, neither was a whodunnit as such. And so grim and depressing – there’s no let-up from the misery. Dare I say, a bit dull. And neither complex or surprising.

    Maybe just a new programme finding its feet? Silent Witness certainly gets much better, but I can’t point you to where. A new season ( 27) has just started over here, and the first story bodes well for the future.

    I copied you a review of S19E01 and I’m going to watch that now to see if I can stand by my recommendation.

    Fingers crossed.

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  8. I didn’t want to waste your precious Britbox time Brad, so I did my duty and watched the S19E1&2 story.

    It’s a good one. It’s typical Silent Witness. I think you’d enjoy it in a way.

    But it’s a procedural, not a solvable whodunnit, so perhaps it may not appeal?

    There is information fed to us throughout but no clues to help narrow down a small group of suspects. Shut your eyes, point at the screen, and you’ll have a good chance of solving it.

    That said, it’s a fair representation of the show. Maybe try this one and see how it goes?

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  10. I also recommend Brokenwood. I’ve watched it repeatedly while waiting for new seasons.

    Father Brown (new version) is pretty awful. The ’70’s version is actually based on the stories and sticks fairly close to it’s origins. This is just a mess – dolled up for “modern” audiences. Because of course we can’t stick to the source material.

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