The Kemleston Olimpicks – As the 11^th series of Father Brown begins, Eddie Devine (Barney Wilkinson) returns home to his mother Mrs. Devine (Claude Blakley). Eddie says he wasn’t going to miss the Olimpicks. Devine is eager to get Eddie out of the room since Inspector Sullivan (Tom Chambers) is hiding nearby. After the intro, Brenda Palmer (Ruby-May Martinwood) and Father Brown (Mark Williams) talk about the Olimpicks. She learns that some of the included events are shin kicking, dwile flonking, stone lifting, and wife carrying. Devine and Eddie join them. Devine has the trophy that she was allowed to hold onto since Ronald’s last Olimpicks.

Chief Inspector Sullivan (Tom Chambers) and Sergeant Goodfellow (John Burton) arrive moments later. When they’re alone, Brenda asks Father Brown when Devine is going to tell them about her relationship with Chief Inspector Sullivan. Brown is more concerned when she’ll tell Eddie considering what drove him to leave Kembleford two years ago. Devine told Brenda he got angry at her for clearing out her late husband’s shed. Eddie felt she was trying to erase his father’s memory. Brown believes they were grieving in their own way. A message is broadcasted over a megaphone letting Stanley Mossop know hide-and-seek is over. Shirley Warner (Amy Trigg) speaks to Eddie who learns she is in a wheelchair after falling on a slippery floor.

Brian Fleming (Kelvin Fletcher) comes over to say hello as well. They look at pictures of the ’52 Olimpicks. Brian thinks he and Isabel should do the wife-carrying competition in Ronald’s memory. Devine quickly agrees. During the opening ceremony, the locals congratulate Dr. Geoffrey Fleming (Toby Williams) on his MBE for services to medicine. Geoffrey talks about the risk of heat strokes since they lost Thomas Taverner in 1952. Geoffrey tells Father Brown that winning means more to his brother than it does to him. Mr. Redshaw will be competing in the stone lifting again this year. He tells Brown that Patty Denmore (Erin Shanagher) pulled out. Brenda learns about Ursula Fanshaw (Barbara D’Alterio) who is a prodigious shin-kicker.

Brown says they have Brian and he is a champion in dwile flonking. Then, he speaks to Miss Denmore who admits she pulled out of the games. Brian is accused of putting something on his shin-kicking shoes. Although steel tips are on his shoes, Brian insists he didn’t do it. William wants Brian disqualified from the games. Geoffrey agrees so Brian gets mad and attempts to attack him. After it gets broken up, Geoffrey goes inside to speak to Shirley. He tells her to come and see him if she has any discomfort. Brian complains that the chemist planted the tips. Sullivan asks Devine about Eddie. She says he doesn’t expect a thing and she isn’t going to tell him today.

While Brown drinks, Goodfellow is repeatedly kicked by Ursula. Next, Ursula wins the spinach-eating content after switching plates with Geoffrey. She becomes ill and passes away. Father Brown realizes she ate deadly nightshade. He knows she wasn’t the intended victim. The bowls were unattended for 15 minutes. They find where the nightshade was picked. Brown and the others think they should talk to Dr. Fleming and Shirley to see what they saw. Devine is adamant that Brian is not a murderer. When he is confronted by Sullivan, Brian admits he went into the spinach eating tent to calm down. Once Sullivan sees red marks on his hands, he arrests him on suspicion of murder.

Father Brown speaks to Brian at the jail. Brian admits it hurt when Geoffrey won in ’52, but he insists he didn’t try to kill him or cheat. Brian says he saw Geoffrey arguing with someone in the first-aid tent earlier. Moments later, Geoffrey tells Father Brown his brother has always had a jealous side. Brown asks Patty and Geoffrey about their argument. Patty says she was given pills that caused side effects and forced her out of the Olimpicks. Geoffrey can’t think of anyone who might have a grudge against him. Brenda tells Father Brown that Shirley didn’t see anyone come out of the spinach eating tent. Eddie joins Devine and the others to talk about the investigation.

He doesn’t seem thrilled that so much has changed for Isabel since he has been away. Brown and Brenda wonder what Eddie will say when he learns about his mom’s relationship. Brenda still can’t believe that man died in the heat. Father Brown says no one realized he had a problem until it was too late. By the time Geoffrey found out, it was too late. Thomas’s wife was heartbroken and moved back to Scotland after his death. They learn from Eddie that someone removed the photo of Brian falling over. He agrees to get the negatives so they can make a copy. Goodfellow tells Brown that Brian is the sole beneficiary of Geoffrey’s life insurance policy.

William tells everyone that police have arrested Ursula’s murderer. Sullivan and Devine sneak away for a kiss only to be caught by Eddie. He gets upset so Devine goes after him. Brown gets the negatives for the photographs and learns the cat is out of the bag. Brenda checks on Eddie who is busy drinking. She insists that Isabel would have never wanted to hurt him. Eddie complains that she is carrying on like a 16-year-old when this is supposed to be his dad’s day. He reveals that his mom sometimes felt relieved after his dad died. Brenda just knows that Isabel talks about his dad all the time. She lost her mom and time doesn’t heal everything.

Father Brown tells Brenda that Devine is surely relieved that Ronald will no longer suffer. It takes William celebrates his win in the Stone Lifting Competition. Later, Father Brown learns William is taking amphetamines to enhance his endurance and strength. Claiming to be bad at sports, Williams says he was chosen to be the captain because no one else was up for it. Father Brown expresses disappointment before asking if his pharmacy closely monitors amphetamines. William tells him that he was prescribed them by Dr. Fleming. Father Brown suggests Dr. Fleming put his reputation on the line to prescribe William amphetamines, frame Brian for cheating, and Sabotage Patty’s chance of winning because it was risker to not do it. William agrees to tell him everything if he agrees to let him lift the trophy if Hambleston wins. Father Brown accepts the offer. He claims Shirley is in a wheelchair because of Dr. Fleming.

Father Brown asks Brenda about Shirley and Dr. Fleming’s relationship. Brenda believes Shirley is afraid of Dr. Fleming. He asks if Shirley researches medicine in the library. She says yes. Devine informs William that her partner for the Wife-Carrying Competition was Brian. William says if she does not find a partner, the points will be awarded to Hambleston. Sullivan reluctantly agrees to step in for Brian. The competition begins.

Father Brown asks Shirley if William questioned why Fleming failed to send her for x-rays when she fell but prescribed her painkillers. She assures him that no one questions their doctor. He says William believes she would be able to walk if her fractured was diagnosed sooner. She claims to have found evidence that proves Fleming is responsible for her disability. She denies poisoning Dr. Fleming but vows to report him to the General Medical Council.

Devine and Sullivan win the Wife-Carrying Competition. Eddie announces Devine and Sullivan’s relationship to the people of Kembleford. Devine apologizes for not telling Father Brown and Brenda who already knew. He assures her that Eddie will come around. He tells them about Dr. Fleming’s negligence in Shirley’s diagnosis when he notices something odd about the Geranium planter. William announces that Eddie is stepping in for Brian in the Toe-Wrestling Event. Later, Sullivan defeats Eddie.

Studying a photo, Father Brown learns something significant about the case. He confronts Patty Denmore about her feelings for Thomas who was a married man. He points out that her initials were engraved into the Geranium planter. She says there was no need for Thomas to die. In a flashback, an irate Patty accuses Dr. Fleming of refusing to help Thomas when he asked. He tells her that the photo proves nothing but she disagrees. He rips up the photo. Back to the future, Patty admits to putting Nightshade in food for the eating competition. After switching bowls, Ursula Fanshaw is poisoned. Father Brown suggests she and Fleming kept each other’s deadly secrets. In a flashback, frantic, Patty tells Dr. Fleming that he should have been poisoned, not Ursula. She threatens to expose him if he tells on her. Back to the present, Patty agrees to turn herself in after saying goodbye to Thomas.

Father Brown tells Brenda about Patty’s confession when he sees her running. He follows her to a tent where she is threatening to kill Dr. Fleming. He assures her that Thomas would want her to enjoy the rest of her life. In a flashback, Dr. Fleming is determined to beat Brian in a Barrel-Rolling Competition. Thomas gets sick during the competition. When Dr. Fleming approaches with his barrel, he asks for his help. Dr. Fleming promises to come back shortly. Back to the present, he boasts of winning the competition before apologizing to Patty. He admits to failing Shirley. Patty wishes he loses everything.

The Barrel-Rolling Competition kicks off. Brian is left holding the trophy in the end. Goodfellow asks William what the competition rules say about drug cheats. Staring at Dr. Fleming, William walks away. Dr. Fleming urges Shirley to report him to the General Medical Council.

Later, Eddie announces that he is returning to London. Devine claims his father made her promise to not live her life alone. She assures him that no one will replace his father but Sullivan makes her happy. He leaves. Father Brown assures her that Eddie will come back Kembleford at the right time. The episode ends.

 

Father Brown Review

The opening episode of Father Brown’s 11^th series was okay and it really seems to be trying very hard, but it just isn’t hitting the mark. The show remains a good time killer because it is simple, effortless viewing. While there are a few nuisances here and there, the episode wasn’t annoying to the point one would want to turn it off.

While the Olimpicks were written to be charming, they really weren’t and didn’t click. The death of Ursula fell flat because the character was only barely introduced. That’s a common trend for Father Brown and other similar shows considering the victims are really just props. The investigation and ultimate revelation were not great either because it feels like the show is just repeating the same conclusions now.

It has become a trend for Sullivan to make a rash arrest and Father Brown prove him wrong. Same formula, a similar murder with a silly plot twist

If viewers are willing to look past these issues, they may enjoy this episode. If they’re looking for peak Father Brown, they’ll need to rewatch the earlier episodes. This one scores a 5.5 out of 10. Recaps of Father Brown are available on Reel Mockery here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising with us here.

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