Father Brown

It is wonderful to see Father Brown move into its seventh series, the show is quite wonderful, it's such easy viewing, it's funny, of course it's intriguing, it's just a great family show. Of course I love the heavy and complex mystery dramas on virtually every week, but there are times when you just want to sit back and watch a cosy, safe murder mystery. Forty five minutes of engaging, entertaining mystery, a genre which had seemed almost dead. Mark Williams has managed to inject something into the character of Father Brown, his performances are superb, he's a joy to watch, as are all of the cast. There have been a few duff episodes, but for every bad one there's a quality one, the likes of The Owl of Minerva and The Bride of Christ, they are great viewing. It comes as no surprise to me that the show is a big international success, I love it.

We much more enjoyed the seasons staring Nancy Carroll as Lady Felicia and Tom Chambers. The character of Bunty is rather uninteresting and one dimensional, and Inspector Mallory is a stereotypical idiot. Also, the character of Syd is much missed in storylines, as well. Although Father Brown is, all in all, good entertainment, I do miss the earlier seasons.

This is, as another reviewer quite rightly said: "utter tosh". Well of course it is. It is delightful, fluffy, nonsensical utter tosh and I say Thankyou for that. TV is missing more of this sort of silliness. It is so very easy to watch. If you blink you miss nothing but if you watch it without blinking, it is easy on the eyes/heart/soul. Sunday afternoon by the fire with a hot chocolate cupped in hand...THAT is what this programme is and I for one think they should be applauded for providing this 'niche service' for those of us who like a small slice of comfy 'utter tosh' in our otherwise frantic chaotic troublesome lives.

... up to to a point and that point is season 9. Season 10 is where it all rapidly goes down hill. Father Brown himself stays the same, along with Goodfellow, but the replacements characters that were needed to fil the gaps left by Sorcha Cusack, Nancy Carroll and Emer Kenny are just dreadful. The only shining moment in this season was John Light as Flambeau, who put in a sterling performance as usual. How he never got his own series I will never know. My honest suggestion is, that if you haven't already watched it, then please do as it's very enjoyable, just stop at the end of season 9, you'll be doing yourself a favour.

I've come to really enjoy this show. The cast has great chemistry and Father Brown couldn't have been casted better.