Entertainment NOW

2 • July 10 - 16, 2022 Entertainment Now By Sarah Passingham TV Media D ecades of British crime dramas set in idyllic country towns have taught us that there is usually something dark and mys- terious hiding, even in quiet cor- ners like County Cambridgeshire. The highly anticipated new sea- son of "Grantchester" makes its North American premiere Sunday, July 10, on PBS. Make sure to check your local listings for more detailed viewing information. If you, like PBS, are no stranger to a period drama, then you may already know that "Grantches- ter," set in the town for which it's named, depicts a series of investi- gations led by DI Geordie Keating (Robson Green, "Strike Back") and his unlikely crime-solving partners during the 1950s. The first four seasons of "Grantchester" saw Keating team up with local vicar Sidney Chambers, played by James Nor- ton ("Happy Valley"), until he fell in love with a woman and, having lost faith in the church, chose to immigrate to America to be with her. His absence was filled in Sea- son 4 when the series introduced the new vicar in town, Rev. Wil- liam Davenport, portrayed by Tom Brittney ("UnREAL"). Davenport was quickly swept up in Keating's proceedings and soon became his new right-hand man when local crimes took place. The pair of investigators can't do it all alone, though, as they would be nowhere without the help of the dutiful Mrs. Sylvia Chapman, played by "Unforgot- ten" star Tessa Peake-Jones. Mrs. Chapman keeps the church in good order while remaining deeply engrained in the fabric of her community. The eagerly anticipated sev- enth season of "Grantchester" sees the town celebrate the sum- mer of 1959 with, according to the PBS website, "wedding sea- son in full swing." Certainly, with romance in the summertime air, there is bound to be some drama brewing about the town. After bringing memorable guest characters to life in series like "Outlander" and "The Five," Brittney was more than ready for a leading role when it came time for "Grantchester" to welcome a new vicar. Brittney's Davenport, who makes a strong impression in his new home by driving a motor- bike and insisting his parishioners call him "Will," immediately butts heads with Keating over his inves- tigative process, but they quickly find their rhythm and are able to get to the bottom of the many murders in Grantchester. Every small town ruffles its feathers when someone new rolls in, and "Grantchester" is no exception. With its latest arrival, Davenport, fully settled in, it's time for Grantchester to welcome another new face. Best known for her performances in BBC sitcom "Ghosts" and period drama "Call the Midwife," Charlotte Ritchie joins the "Grantchester" cast as Bonnie, a young woman who be- comes close with Rev. Davenport this season. The "Feel Good" actress spoke with WhatToWatch.com about her character, saying that Bonnie is "a very self-assured and quite steady sort of character who's widowed. She's lost her husband and she has a young son, but she's kind of taking that in her stride. She's quite independent and I think she's fun." Ritchie added that the con- nection between Bonnie and her "Call The Midwife" role of Bar- bara, a nurse in 1959 London, didn't come to her immediately, but she went on to say, "I feel lucky that I get to play very gutsy women! But it was definitely a kind of appeal — I love that era, the whole feeling of it is so interesting." Cover Story Tessa Peake-Jones in "Grantchester" Small-town crime: Murder-solving duo return to PBS in new season of 'Grantchester' Ready Rental 3 x 4 Hayley Siefert 3 x 2 Letters & Numbers Sudoku Fill in the grid so that every row,every column, and every 4x4 box contains the digits 1 through 9 AND the letters A-F. Solution on page 12. Advertise Your Business In Call Advertising at 217-477-5105

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