TV and Film | Grantchester, Episode 1 | Review

Has there ever been a vicar I was like to jump in a lake with more than James Norton's Sidney Chambers? The answer is definitely no. You see, I have this problem whereby I spiral into terrible obsessions with ruthless, wretched male TV villains. It happened on Homeland with Nicholas Brody and again on Happy Valley with James Norton's portrayal of Tommy Lee Royce. Although I will admit that it was James more that Tommy who caught my eye, so finding out he was starring in new ITV drama Grantchester essentially ensured I'd be tuning in.

Norton doesn't play a villain this time, but  a local vicar in the 1950s, who loves good jazz and women a little more than he should. He is given the cutest little dog (who he names Dickens - even cuter), which more or less assures I'll love the character whatever he does. Yesterday's episode followed a supposed suicide, which Sidney Chambers is led to believe was more suspicious than it first seemed. Chambers teams up with reluctant copper played excellently by Robson Green, who discover that a string of affairs marred the deceased gentleman's life; something Chambers can perhaps relate to. As a vicar who easily succumbs to the affections of beautiful women - or rather one woman in particular who has recently married someone else - Chambers isn't your usual religious figure.

And Grantchester is not exactly your usual crime drama. It was certainly intriguing, that's for sure. The use of flashback often and aptly was quite a bold visual move, and certainly helped to drive the audience directly into the drama. Not to mention a certain infatuation with specifics: whether it's Jameson's whisky, the game of backgammon or the long-standing disappointment with England's footballing performance, Grantchester was a great expose of good British Drama