The Forensic Nun –  The episode opens with Kembleford art teacher, Cyril Frogmore (Kenneth Collard) and Gaynor Garfield (Ingrid Oliver) discussing a blueprint. Father Brown (Mark Williams) and Mrs. Devine (Claudie Berkley) enter the store. Cyril says Meryl Plunkett’s (Lydia Larson) lovely trinkets are not enough to earn her an artist status. Gaynor suggests arts and crafts are one in the same. Divine registers for the “Life Drawing Competition”. Gaynor informs her of the model having measles. Divine offers to find a replacement. Holding up the trophy, Gaynor says the winner’s photo may be featured in the Gazette. Cyril warns against Divine getting her hopes up. Father Brown commends the woman for her work in the community. Gaymor becomes upset when she learns one of her art pieces is featured in a journal. She calls Meryl responsible an “imbecile”.

Gaynor asks Father Brown to join the judge’s panel as a replacement for a judge with measles. Marmaduke Snell (Edward Bennett) arrives to see Gaynor’s work that he insists on buying. When he attempts to register for the Life Drawing, Cyril says it is only for the locals. Gaynor approves his registration against the rules. Snell sarcastically says his work will be made available at the art event but questions if anyone will be able to afford it. Outside, Snell is gathering his art pieces when Sister Boniface (Lorna Watson) losses control of Agatha (bike) and nearly hits him. Calling her a “crazy penguin,” he threatens to file a complaint against her. Father Brown assures him that it was an accident. Snell says he doesn’t forgive like him before helping himself to one of Sister Boniface’s bottle of wine.

Cyril asks Father Brown if he will support him in the Life Drawing Competition. Father Brown assures him that he will judge fairly. Snell purchases a piece of Meryl’s art. She excitedly says it is the first piece she has sold. He tells her that it will also be the last because her work lacks “artistic merit.” He plans to utilize the piece to clean the mud off his shoes. Distraught, she hurries away. Father Brown scolds him.

Father Brown informs Divine and Brenda that he is a judge for the Life Drawing Competition. Brenda Palmer (Ruby-May Martinwood) questions if it is a good idea. He assures her that Cyril will not be happy if he loses. Later, the patrons draw the male model, Chief Inspector Sullivan (Tom Chambers). Gaynor announces that Meryl missed the competition when the bell rings. Sullivan compliments Snell’s piece. Snell thanks Father Brown for selecting him as the winner. Gaynor berates him for his attitude. He tells her to calm down before gulping down some wine. He begins foaming at the mouth and collapses on the floor. Checking for a pulse, Sergeant Goodfellow (John Burton) pronounces Snell deceased. Detecting an almond scent, Father Brown suggests the win contained cyanide.

Sullivan questions Sister Boniface about St. Agnes’ wine that Snell drunk. Assuring him that the wine was not tainted because she sealed the bottle, she suggests cyanide was on the bottle opener. He tells her that the cork was not fully sealed. She asks to assess the evidence but he declines. He reminds her of Snell threatening to file a complaint against her. She says that does not warrant murder. Later, Sullivan informs Sister Boniface and Father Brown that St. Agnes’ wine operation has been temporarily halted.

Father Brown tells Sister Boniface, Divine, and Brenda about Snell insulting Meryl’s art work. He says there was a red substance on banknotes in Snell’s pocket.

Father Brown and Sister Boniface arrive at the venue to find the door locked. He picks the lock. Inside, she finds seeds in dirt from Snell’s shoes. She admits to being unhappy at St. Agnes. He suggests putting requesting a transfer. She reminds him of her being there for years. He says metal polish. She tells him that some metal cleaners contain potassium cyanide. Outside, Gaynor suggests the art fair go on. She describes Snell as a “boil on the bottom of humanity”. Father Brown tells Meryl that her metal cleaner may be connected to Snell’s death. She claims to have heard Snell and Gaynor arguing when she was collecting her handbag.

Gaynor convinces Sullivan to attend the life drawing by offering him Snell’s painting of him. Sister Boniface and Father Brown watch as Gaynor places two tablets in her drink. She calls them a “pick-me-up”. They ask about her disagreement with Snell. Gaynor claims Snell forced her to sell her artwork to him. Sister Boniface says now there is no need to sell. Gaynor assures her that she will regret it for the rest of her life. Outside, Sister Boniface collects a seed for her investigation. Upon arrival at Snell’s flat, they find the door ajar. Inside the flat, they find a notepad with writing indention. Utilizing a pencil, she shades in the letter which reads, “Dearest agent, unavailable until the 26^th. Cancel RCA Angela. Renting in dreary Kembleford to collect something of mine.” Father Brown questions what Snell intended to collect when Sullivan and Goodfellow arrive. They slip out the back. Sullivan informs them that cyanide was detected in the wine.

Kembleford Police Department – Sister Boniface is booked on suspicion of murder. Brenda, Father Brown, and Devine protect her arrest. Goodfellow points out that Snell’s bottle of wine was the only one tainted with cyanide. Later, Father Brown visits Sister Boniface. He tells her that RCA stands for Royal College of Art. He vows to find the real killer before leaving.

Father Brown asks Cyril if he attended the Royal College of Art with Snell. Cyril says he doesn’t believe so. Inspecting Cyril’s wallet, Father Brown sees red paint on the bank notes like Snell’s bank notes. Cyril admits to bribing Snell to keep his not graduating from RCA a secret. He claims Snell and Molly were scheduled to go on their honeymoon. Father Brown suggests Sullivan will return his money if he explains what transpired between him and Snell.

Father Brown asks Goodfellow to lend him the evidence from Snell’s murder Case, so Sister Boniface can assess it. Devine takes her place behind bars.

Sullivan models for the art fair. Meryl questions if she can do it. Cyril urges her to not be controlled by fear. She takes a seat with the other patrons. Gaynor sets the timer. Sullivan asks where is Divine. Brenda claims Devine is auditioning for a role at the Players. Sensing something fishy, Sullivan leaves the art fair without a model.

Inspecting a wedding band, Father Brown reads an encryption – M&M May 29, 1954. Sister Boniface sees microscopic damage on the cork that suggests the killer utilized a needle to inject it. He tells her that Cyril claims Snell and his bride were planning a honeymoon. She questions why the honeymoon was delayed.

Inspector Sullivan asks Goodfellow whether he has seen Mrs. Devine. Goodfellow hasn’t although he heard she had an audition. Sullivan checks in on Sister Boniface. He believes she is in her cell, but Devine is pretending to be her. Gaynor says hello to Father Brown when he arrives for his judging duties. Brown picks Meryl as the winner. Meryl thinks she should set up her stall after all so Mr. Frogmore offers to help. Father Brown asks to speak to Gaynor. In private, he calls her Molly and says he understands her reaction to seeing the photographs of her work in the journal.

He believes she realized it could help Mr. Snell find her. Father Brown shows her something she missed when she searched Snell’s cottage before saying he came to collect a person. Her marriage was a few days before she arrived in Kembleford. She admits she met him two years ago and had a whirlwind romance. After the wedding, Molly knew she had made a terrible mistake. Mr. Snell wanted her to remain home and start a family instead of focusing on her art. Molly tells Father Brown that she left him on their wedding day with some of his savings. He found her and toyed with her until they were finally alone. Mr. Snell threatened to tell the police about the money she stole unless she went back with him. He reminds her of the vows she made.

Snell asked Molly to meet him at Chipping Way after the fair. Father Brown suspects Molly poisoned his wine because she couldn’t go back to him. He believes she is diabetic and uses needles to inject insulin. Brown thinks she used one of the needles to draw up Miss Plunkett’s metal polish which she injected through the cork into Snell’s bottle. Molly admits she is not sorry he’s dead. When Frogmore and Meryl enter, Molly tells them she had to be free of him. Father Brown tells Molly she must repent and confess her sin. If she does not, Mr. Snell’s death will exact a very high price including Sister Boniface’s life. Molly doesn’t want to go now that she has finally found her family.

Frogmore agrees to look after her shop while she is away. Devine escapes the cell just in time for Sullivan to return. Sullivan soon realizes they’re up to something. Father Brown arrives and tells Sullivan it is time to release Sister Boniface. Molly enters and says it is time she has something to confess. Boniface goes to a confessional where she tells Father Brown her confessions. She has felt more exhilarated in the last few days because of Father Brown. He says it is because she has been using her God-given talents. Sister Boniface has taken his advice and requested a transfer from St Agnes’. Father Brown urges her to find a way to use her exceptional gifts for good.

Outside, Sister Boniface tells the others that a new chapter begins at St Vincent’s. She gets a picture taken with Father Brown who says they make a good team. Sister Boniface believes she has found a new calling because of him. She leaves as the episode ends.

 

Father Brown Review

The episode started out weak and ended weak. It is similar to the season 10 episode in which Sullivan is arrested and Father Brown proves his innocence. Sullivan is portrayed as a Chief Inspector who makes unfounded, impetuous arrests. Father Brown proves him wrong every time.

After 10 seasons, it seems the writers have ran out of ideas. Sister Boniface was probably meant to revive Father Brown or to draw viewers to her show. Either way, it most likely will have little impact on the ratings.

The show lacks intrigue, originality, and good detective work.

The episode deserves a 4.5 out of 10. Get more Father Brown recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by donating. Our onsite advertising can help build online brand awareness, click the link to reach our staff. Join our newly established forum to discuss new movie and TV shows and celebrity news.