As the start of the episode, Leonard Finch (Al Weaver) is forced to discipline Jessica for stealing money from the church. Jessica pleads with Leonard and Will (Tom Brittney) not to tell her father. Will agrees and gives her the coin too. Leonard and Will argue about that decision back at home. Will believes Leonard is still upset about Mrs. Chapman (Tessa Peake-Jones). He encourages Leonard to speak with her. Will goes to Chapman. She explains that she prays for Leonard’s soul. Will reveals that Mrs. Bennett is coming over. He tells Chapman about her bad choices. Geordie (Robson Green) takes Cathy (Kacey Ainsworth) to work. Anthony Hobbs (Christian McKay) spots them kissing. Hobbs speaks well of Cathy before they leave together. Geordie notices Hobbs’s flirty behavior when they walk away. Will gets a call.

The caller explains that someone has done it again. She threatens to report it this time. At the office, Geordie gets an update from Larry (Bradley Hall) and Sean (Felix Scott). Then, Will comes through the door. Will tells Geordie has got himself into trouble. Geordie follows Will. Leonard deals with Mrs. Bennett, who believes Will might be a communist. Leonard is surprised to see Mrs. Chapman at the door. Chapman tells them everything that Will said. Leonard refutes it all and invites Chapman to leave. She does. Will and Geordie arrive. Will reunites with his mother. She wants to report it this time. Will speaks with Eli about what his father did. Eli has bruises covering his body. They visit another house. It is huge. Geordie is taken aback by it.

Thomas Davenport (Nathaniel Parker) is surprised to see them. Will tells his father that Eli is old and frail. Thomas invites them to dinner. He doesn’t want to talk about the assault. Thomas explains that he caught Eli (Christopher Fairbank) stealing and punished him. Will doesn’t believe it. Thomas laughs about Will’s wages. He says that he is a constant disappointment. Thomas’s friend Eddie (Robert Portal) is his eye witness. Eli is brought in against Will’s advice. Eli says that he didn’t do anything. Thomas threatens to fire him. That convinces Eli to confess to being a thief. Geordie doesn’t like Thomas’s attitude either. Thomas speaks about his horse Dirty Deed being shipped over. Meanwhile, Leonard paces back and forth. He takes Dickens for a walk. Will speaks with his mother briefly. Meredith (Rachel Pickup) tells him that has such promise.

Slides of the horse are shown. Geordie tries to comfort Will. Will tells him that they’re not rich. He shows Geordie the rest of the house. It is decaying. Will admits that Thomas has always been abusive. Geordie continues bringing up Celeste. He admits he might ever let Will forget that. They watch Eddie stumble up the stairs. Will thanks Geordie for coming. They agree to share a drink before Geordie leaves. Geordie tells Will he believes Cathy is having an affair. He admits he hasn’t asked. Geordie tells him about Margaret. Meredith emerges and exclaims that Eddie won’t wake up. They find him in a pool of blood. Geordie believes he was killed while he slept. Will reveals that Meredith slept around. Will interviews her. She admits they didn’t split because they were afraid of a scandal.

Leonard handles church duties while Will is away. Meanwhile, Thomas wants to blame the murder on Eli Roper. Will and Eli chat about old times while Eli’s property is searched. An item belonging to the victim is found. Geordie checks Eli’s bible. It contains papers from a pawn broker. Sally Roper (Maggie Daniels) says to tell the truth because it has gone too far now. When Will asks what she is talking about, Sally tells him to ask his mother Amelia (Jemma Redgrave). Will tells Geordie that he got Meredith pregnant and it was done with. Eddie never forgave her. He believes that could be a motive. Geordie checks the crime scene once again. He finds something suspicious on the ground. Will checks the pawn broker receipts and discovers that everything Eli took belonged to his mother.

Amelia admits she gave the items to Eli to pawn. After all, she had to pay the staff. Amelia talks about Thomas crying when Will was born. Will encourages her to tell the police the truth. Geordie wonders if the nail is what stabbed Eddie. He thinks Eddie might have been injured and not drunk. Will tells his father the truth. Thomas insists that he gained nothing from Eddie’s death. Will reminds his father that they’re poor. Thomas tells him to be a man for once. Thomas spots Amelia leaving with Geordie. Thomas manages to convince her to stay. Geordie is convinced that Thomas hits Amelia and hit Will too. Geordie tries to convince Will to stop protecting his father. He says that sometimes the truth stares you right in the face. Will watches his father mess with the slides.

Will and Geordie search through Thomas’s belongings. They find a horse saddle. Will explains that there was no horse. It was just an old photograph. His dad was conning Eddie. Geordie finds a similar nail sticking from the wall. He shows Will. Will is convinced his father is the murderer. He confronts him a short time later. Will knows that Eddie still thought they were wealthy. Eddie wanted to see where the horse would be kept. Eddie found out that Thomas was broke. Thomas pushed Eddie and his head went into the nail. Thomas tells Will what his father said about protecting the house. He believes that Will despises him. Will says that he does not. Thomas prepares to be arrested. Outside, Will and Geordie share a smoke. Thomas grabs his gun and heads out into the field. Will and the others hunt for him. A gunshot rings out.

They find him dead a short time later. Will encourages Amelia to come back with him. She wants to tell everyone that it was an accident. Will returns to Grantchester. He tells Geordie that he is fine. Leonard sarcastically invites Will back. The Archdeacon (Gary Beadle) surprised him. Geordie tries to talk to Cathy. He asks her about Anthony Hobbs. He asks her if she has been having a fling. Geordie promises not to get angry. Cathy tells him what happened. She tells him that this is not his fight. Geordie leaves with bad intentions anyway. The Archdeacon gives Will pointers. Leonard has reported his repeated failings. Leonard asks him for a little more rigor. When the Archdeacon leaves, Leonard lets Will have it. In return, he gets socked in the jaw.

 

Grantchester Reviews

We might as well face it. This season of Grantchester started out horribly. Sidney’s departure and the events leading up to it were terrible. They couldn’t have been much worse. Once Sidney left the picture, things improved significantly. The show has proven that the writing often matters more than anything else. This episode was likely the best of the bunch. It took us into the past of Will and made him a lot more personable. The character started out shaky, but I am starting to like him.

The relationship between Will and Geordie may develop into something deeper. I cannot wait to see the finale. What could possibly happen? Can Will possibly make things right? What will Geordie do about Anthony Hobbs? This episode was excellent. It scores a 9 out of 10. Catch up with previous recaps of Grantchester now!