As this episode of Grantchester begins, Will Davenport (Tom Brittney) plays backgammon with Ida Merryman (Anna Calder-Marshall) at a retirement home. She asks if they should up the stakes. Will says he has a few pennies, but Ida wants something else like Will removing his top. They begin laughing before Matron Fletcher (Caroline Faber) comes over and asks Ida to be quiet. Clem Preston (Bruce Alexander) locks himself in the office and uses the intercom to play music throughout the facility. As the Matron tries to get inside, Clem pretends he made up the turkey trot. Fletcher takes the keys from Pat Wyndham (Mark Quartley) so she can get inside and stop Clem.

Once she gets into the office, Clem tells her she has a stout, not but unimpressive posterior. Matron Fletcher tells him he has overexcited and embarrassed himself just like he did at the summer fair. She reminds him how many people it took to clean up his mess. After he is taken back to his room, Will asks Fletcher whether that was really necessary. She asks whether he would have her tolerate insubordination. She reveals that St. Cedd’s was a workhouse not too long ago, but the guests have warm beds, sinks in every room, and a communal television now. They’re very lucky so she expects the courtesy of discipline in return.

When he gets back home, Will tells Geordie Keating (Robson Green) how demeaning it was. Geordie says getting old is demeaning. In his day, you were born at home and died at home. They go outside as Geordie prepares to take his kids on a fishing trip. Will offers to help Bonnie (Charlotte Ritchie), but she makes a side remark about being a kind, grieving widow. He apologizes before saying he likes her a lot, but he isn’t looking for anything with anyone. He calls himself an idiot and says he could use a friend. Bonnie says it is a good thing many of her friends are idiots. When everyone is gone, Will turns around and sees Maya (Ellora Torchia) standing nearby.

She reveals she told Elliott (Michael Xavier) everything so the wedding is off. She wants to live unexpectedly instead of living the life her parents and Elliott want her to live. Maya encourages him to get on his bike and ride to Rome, Paris, or even Sweden where they’re letting women train as priests. Will doesn’t think he can just run away now, but she says he would be running towards a new future. If he says the word, they can be in Florence in a week. After Will sits around and thinks about it, he gets a call from Geordie instructing him to get down to St. Cedd’s care home. Once Will arrives, he learns that someone has killed the Matron.

Larry Peters (Bradley Hall) tells them that the room belongs to Clem Preston. His bed has pillows dressed like a body while Clem did a runner in the night. Will is surprised to learn that Ida has disappeared with him.  Will looks around and insists it doesn’t seem like a robbery gone wrong. He finds a cup with a liquid that smells like corn. Geordie agrees to get it tested for poison before Will theorizes that the Matron fell and hit her head on the sink. Geordie wonders if she was pushed. After all, Will said Clem was a troublemaker. Will argues that Clem wouldn’t have hurt anyone though. Instead, he believes they witnessed a murder and ran or were taken a hostage.

He is more concerned they’ll do themselves a mischief than harm anyone else. They join Larry who says he has put out a county wide alert and police are checking parks and cafes nearby. He says all residents were accounted for and the matron was alive at 8 PM. When the day shift turned up at eight to wake everyone and start breakfast, they found Fletcher dead. Plus, someone heard a bang after 9 PM and thought it was the water pipes. Geordie instructs Larry to see if he can find relatives of Clem or Ida. As they leave, Geordie says these places give him the creeps. Will thinks it is nice having someone taking care of you.

Geordie says he likes it because Mrs. Chapman still makes his bed and he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. They approach Pat who says he has worked here for a couple of years after the Matron gave him a break. He claims he went home at eight and a few residents have wandered off the grounds before. Pat says Clem was a feisty bugger, but not dangerous. He can’t think of anyone who would want to hurt her. Pat says it is like a family here before pleading with them to find Clem and Ida. When they return to the station, Will tells Geordie about Maya. Will says he told her no for the same reason he told Bonnie no, but Geordie says Bonnie isn’t the same.

When Will says he is swearing off women, Geordie suggests it just got too real for him. It was a fantasy when he couldn’t have Maya. Now that he can, he is terrified. Geordie argues it was just lust since Will knows nothing about her. Will fires back by asking what he has done to win Cathy back since the cornflower debacle. They continue arguing until Larry interrupts to say the pathologist’s report is in. Geordie says impact to the head consistent with the sink killed her. There are no other bruises or marks. He reminds Will that people don’t run away when it is an accident as Miss Scott (Melissa Johns) enters the room. She reveals the liquid in the glasses was a real blue flame special type of moonshine.

Also, she has been doing some digging and found that St. Cedd’s didn’t have any records for the next-of-kin for Clem Preston. However, the home deals with the Court of Protection a lot. Clem’s guardianship was being changed due to mental incapacity with the Matron being named instead of his daughter Clara Preston. Will doesn’t think he was incapable although his signature is on the form. Geordie questions whether his daughter found out, confronted them both, and killed Fletcher because he gave the Matron his money. Miss Scott tells Geordie that his wife stopped by and wanted to know if he could get off early. It has something to do with a union thing. Geordie says rattling tins on the street is no concern of his. Scott is asked to track down Clem’s daughter.

Will suggests there might be someone else at the home who knows about the guardianship claims. Elliott interrupts and makes Will leave. He asks Geordie what Will was doing there so Geordie quickly says Will is a character witness in a murder case. Elliott doesn’t want any Father Brown in his station. Geordie insists he doesn’t mean to step on any toes and is a good man. Elliott says it is funny how this life can look exciting from the outside. He suspects life isn’t easy for Geordie’s wife because she has to put up with a lot. Geordie admits it was fun at first, but you end up bringing home a head full of bad thoughts. Elliott wonders if it is just too much to ask of them before Scott interrupts with a sighting of the old couple. At home, Will walks over to Mrs. Chapman (Tessa Peake-Jones) and insists it is all going to be okay.

She reveals that she has decided not to go through with the treatment. Will argues that she can’t just give up like this, but she says it isn’t giving up. She asks if he knows what they’ll do to her and what it involves. Sylvia insists she doesn’t have to do this if she doesn’t want to because she has had her time. Will claims God and everyone else will be there for her although Sylvia says God isn’t there for her anymore. She says he is just a boy trying to tell everyone how to live. Will hits the heavy bag to let off some steam. When Geordie catches up with Larry, he learns Clem and Ida are already gone. They held up Mr. Bloom and took off with his silver Jensen Saloon. Geordie seems skeptical, but Larry says it was an old guy who said something about his wife being sick and needing a ride to the hospital.

When Bloom got his car keys, Clem robbed him with a gun and took all the cash in Bloom’s wallet. Geordie asks him to circulate a description of the car with the fact that they might be armed. As Will and Geordie search for the moonshine, Will apologizes for causing problems with Elliott. Geordie finds moonshine in a turpentine bottle. They decide to check with Pat since he might have bottles like that. When they make Pat open a cupboard, they find a moonshine still inside. Pat admits it is his and the Matron knew nothing about it. Nobody did except for Clem who loved it.

He goes on to say he had a drink with Clem after he knocked off at eight, but was nowhere near his room at nine. When he is asked where he was, he mentions the British screenwriter Nigel Kneale. Then, he explains that his new Quatermass was on and he couldn’t miss seeing it on the big box. Pat takes them to two older residents who admit they watched Martians on the London Underground with him last night. While looking through the Matron’s office, they learn that Fletcher was seeking guardianship for many of the residents. When they return to the office, they learn that Clara Preston (Kirsten Foster) is there to see Geordie. She knows nothing about Clem’s guardianship being changed from her to Matron Fletcher and losing the inheritance.

Geordie asks if she confronted Fletcher about it, but Clara says no since she hasn’t spoken to her father in years. She says they were estranged due to a lifetime of Clem’s scams and schemes. He once claimed he beat Jack the Ripper in an arm wrestle and had an affair with Marie Lloyd. She used to go with him to pick the Christmas tree in the woods every year only to learn they were actually stealing them. Clara believes she was there for sympathy in case they got caught. When she learns what her father has done, she admits it sounds like one of his stories gone too far. He often claimed they would be rich and famous. He’d drive by the Ritz in some flash car because he was an awful tease.

Geordie rushes out to tell Miss Scott to call all posh hotels to see if they have a silver Jensen Saloon parked outside. They catch up with Clem and Ida moments later. Once Geordie searches Clem, he finds out that he didn’t have a gun at all. Clem confesses that he slayed the dragon and cracked her head wide open. Clem is taken to the station where he is questioned. He denies that he killed the Matron this time. Geordie tries to get him to take this seriously. Will asks whether he looked at any of the files on the Matron’s desk. Clem just keeps telling unbelievable stories. After Geordie asks if he found the guardianship papers and killed the Matron, Clem jokes that he liked that story. Then, they question Ida who says she never saw Clem push the Matron.

Ida claims she pushed the Matron. She says the Matron was a monster to Clem. When he asked about the papers, she said horrible things about how pathetic he was with his stories. After she pushed Fletcher, Clem said they should have one more adventure. They took her keys and ran. Ida is asked to tell them what happened when Fletcher was pushed.  She claims Fletcher hit her head on the water pipes. Geordie says she hit the washbasin so he doesn’t think Ida saw the murder happen. Later, Geordie admits he’ll hold them overnight. Clara enters to ask if she can speak to Ida. She apologizes to Ida for her father getting her dragged into this.

Ida tells Clara that he loves her, but she argues he doesn’t love anything except himself and his inane fantasies. Clara explains that he saved them because they were ticking off the days in that place and needed a distraction. Clem made them feel like they were part of some great adventure. Larry tells Geordie that they’re having trouble with communists at a shop in town. His wife is the ringleader. Geordie goes down to Swinnertons where he finds Cathy (Kacey Ainsworth) handcuffed to the door. She chants “Equal Pay, Without Delay” with the others. Geordie suspects Miss Scott gave them handcuffs as Cathy refuses to leave until Mr. Draper agrees to pay them as same as the men.

When Cathy refuses to cooperate, Geordie asks for bolt cutters and a couple of vans. The women are taken down to the station moments later. Larry tells Geordie good luck before he enters the interview room with Cathy. She complains that the new lad is getting paid more than her despite her working there for years. Geordie says Miss Scott solves twice the crimes Larry does for half his wages. He says he gets it although she complains he arrested her in front of Mr. Draper. Geordie wonders what happened to them since everything used to be so simple. She complains that he is always falling back on the past like the cornflowers and train station story.

He always reaches for how they used to be. Cathy doesn’t even know who he is now and he doesn’t know who she is either. Geordie says she is his Cathy, but she questions that. He admits he is scared because she has always been his anchor. After the war, he knew he was doing all right with Cathy and the kids. His family was his happy place. Without his anchor, he isn’t sure he knows who he is. The railway station story about where they first met might be a story he tells himself to right himself. Geordie isn’t sure what happens when he lets go of that, but she isn’t asking him to let go of it. They discuss all the fights, vicars, and Larrys they’ve gone through since that railway station. Cathy admits she just wants him to see them how they are now.

There are new stories they could write. When Geordie asks what, Cathy wants him to imagine there are two strangers in a police station. She asks what he would think of her if this was the first time. He would think she is as beautiful as she was on the platform. Cathy wants him to stay in the here and now. Geordie thinks she is the most formidable woman he has ever met. He goes on to say she is brave, funny, and too smart for the likes of him. Cathy sees a good man who has a habit of losing his way. She believes a touch of honesty would help with that. Geordie says he can do that. Cathy sees the charm and baby blues and they can still set her a-quiver. They end up kissing. In the morning, Will walks into Geordie’s office and finds him singing.

Will is glad to hear that Geordie spent the night with Cathy. They hear Clem making a scene nearby and agree that they likely didn’t do it. They ask Larry to get all the statements from the staff and residents at St. Cedd’s. Will says everyone has an alibi. When he mentions the Quatermass show, Miss Scott complains that she missed it. She meant to watch it on the weekend. Geordie asks for the TV listings. They track down Pat and tell him Quatermass was first broadcasted on Saturday night before being repeated on Monday. They believe he knew the details from a few days earlier and relied on the hazy memories of the residents to convince them he had an alibi for Monday night.

Geordie believes it hurt everyone who believed Clem’s stories when Fletcher called them lies. We sometimes need a vision for ourselves or a happy place to anchor us. It can be terrifying to let go of it. Pat says he wanted to be a pilot, but he ended up here living alone. Clem made it bearable like there was hope. When Clem confronted Fletcher, she was rumbled although she wouldn’t it come out. He tried to calm things. She thought he was undermining her so she turned on him. When she started hitting him, he pushed her causing her to fall and hit her head on the sink. Pat says he didn’t mean to do it since he always liked to drink and the Matron cleaned him up and gave him a chance.

Since they figured the detectives would see his history and pin the murder on him, Clem and Ida distracted them. They tried to save Pat. Geordie arrests him on the suspicion of manslaughter. Clara learns that they all fell for her dad’s stories. Geordie knows it must’ve been hard for her, but some people with hard lives need hope. Ida and Pat needed an escape to the point that they risked everything for Clem. Although Ida and Clem are charged with theft and disorder, they’re bailed. Clara tells Clem there is a field near her house where she hears the council are growing Christmas trees.

They laugh when he calls them fools before they hug. Geordie says the charges might stick, but it depends on the car owner. It’ll be another tale since they really seized the day. Later, Geordie packs his bags and says goodbye to Sylvia. Geordie says he’d walk over hot coals to get any time with Cathy and the kids. Mrs. C says more time is all they can hope for. Later that night, Will invites Maya over to his place. He has suddenly felt an urge to go see those female priests in Sweden and might need a guide. He just needed a bit more time. Maya asks whether he knows what he wants now. He responds by saying carpe diem.

In the morning, Bonnie barges in because there is something she wants to say. She doesn’t want to be friends because she thinks that is wrong for them. Bonnie realized that she hated what Will said and how he said it. That feeling means something more like really, really liking him. She knows Will wants to lock her out, but she thinks he feels something too. She suggests he might think he is crazy so she asks for tea. When she goes into the kitchen, she finds Maya standing there. She can’t believe she said all that or believed anything he said. Bonnie calls him an entitled a-hole before storming out. When Will apologizes to Maya, she says Bonnie wasn’t wrong. It is entitled to lead a lady on and worse to do it twice.

She asks what is happening here. After Will apologizes, Maya says she doesn’t want his sorrow. She was always going away. While it was nice to think he was coming with her, she was kidding herself about the man he is. She believes he has been too.

 

Grantchester Review

With this episode out of the way, we’re getting so close to this season’s finale. The episode had some good moments including Geordie and Cathy’s heartfelt conversation that managed to smooth things over for now. While the investigation regarding Matron Fletcher’s death was somewhat anticlimactic, I still enjoyed many of the characters involved.

Even after seven seasons, the team has managed to create interesting cases and stories so that should be commended. Will’s romantic relationships are slightly dull. Geordie’s boss Elliott has turned out to be a moot point since he is barely around. I guess we’ll have to see how the series ends.

With a powerful ending, this could be another outstanding season of Grantchester. With everything going on with Sylvia and the others, there could be emotional fireworks ahead. This episode scores a 6.5 out of 10. Recaps of Grantchester can be found on Reel Mockery here. Learn how to support Reel Mockery by following this link.