The Grantchester Season Finale Put Some Respect on Mrs. C’s Name — and a Bullet in [Spoiler]! (2024)

We already knew Rev. Alphy Kottaram would be sticking around for Season 10 of PBS’ Grantchester, but now it’s official.

At the end of Sunday’s Season 9 finale, we learned Mrs. C’s letter-writing campaign to save the church — and Alphy’s job — was successful. Thank God, because the pastor who was due to inherit the congregation made us despise him even more when he popped by to strip the Grantchester vicarage for parts. He tried to kick Dickens the dog away from him (!). He suggested that Alphy might receive a nice mission post “somewhere that feels a bit more like home.” And he made it clear that he didn’t appreciate women who spoke. He was about to toss Mrs. C’s apron in a trash can when Alphy snapped: “You throw that away, I will punch your lights out.” We’ve never been prouder.

When the bishop showed up at the church, Alphy told him the people of Grantchester deserve to pray in their own house of worship with a vicar who gives a damn about them. “If it’s not gonna be me, then by God, I’ll fight like hell to make sure it’s the kinda man they deserve,” he said, seething. That’s when the bishop told Alphy about the town’s efforts: Mrs. C had written him a letter a week, then a letter a day. Dozens of others ultimately joined her, with the correspondence “increasing in number and venom.” Mrs C. even wrote to the archbishop. The letters said Alphy belonged in Grantchester and the people want him to stay; the archbishop agreed. The bishop still couldn’t remember Mrs. C’s name: “Her name is Mrs. Chapman. Mrs. Sylvia Chapman. Try and remember that at least,” Alphy said. He’s never been sexier.

LET’S HEAR IT FOR LADIES | Alphy walked straight back to the vicarage and hugged Mrs. C with a warm grin on his face. The development of that mother-son relationship has been a highlight of the season — as has the early 1960s-set series’ focus on its four generations of women being seen. We’ve watched teen Esme enter a chauvinistic workforce. Miss Scott take her professional gumption to another level and prove her worth in a way that it (hopefully) won’t be diminished by her new office romance with Larry (more on that later!). Cathy and Geordie worked through her menopause mood swings in a way that made him appreciate the real her even more. And Mrs. C helped Cathy realize she was going through “the change” and could take her anger out on smashable old china, and proved that it’s women like her who keep a community together.

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN | The cult storyline also came to a satisfying conclusion. The case of the week was the apparent suicide of a lonely accountant named Fred. His landlady, however, suspected someone had helped him out of his third-floor window because of the state of his toy battalion — the paint was still wet and the flagbearer was in the wrong position. Turns out, she’d overheard Fred arguing with Sam White about money he was owed the night before. Larry actually did some quality sleuthing, which led to the retrieval of Sam’s account book. Miss Scott discovered the Sam White who studied at Corpus Christi had died in a house fire in 1948; then this guy took his name. Geordie realized many of their recent cases were linked to fake Sam. Rose, the teacher who’d abandoned her baby at the church, knew Sam. Caroline, Alphy’s one-night stand, had killed the college journalist because he was working on an exposé of Sam. Fred had figured out that Sam was getting his followers to sell their homes and belongings to donate the proceeds to his “church.”

Alphy had finally seen Rose drop an envelope through the vicarage door earlier in the episode — “Why have you given up?” the latest message read — and went home to get her letters while Geordie paid her a visit. Rose told Geordie about how controlling Sam was, and that he’d told her if he caught her delivering another warning to Alphy he would burn her and her baby and no one would ever know. Alphy meanwhile, realized the Bible pages Rose had left were code for fake Sam’s real name, John Amos, and his birthdate. They looked him up. He was a housemate of the real Sam White and survived the fire; he’d killed him.

THE STANDOFF | To add to the drama, Leonard had gone with John to The Way Finders’ new home to speak to Daniel. Leonard could’ve left after they argued, but he went back inside to snoop. In John’s room, he unearthed a folder with a copy of the exposé titled “Fraud or Prophet?” and put it in his pocket. (Why didn’t John do the smart thing and burn it?! Just too narcissistic?)

Leonard paused on his way out of the house when he spotted a rifle. Of course, John happened upon him, locked the door, and escorted Leonard back up to his room. Luckily, a racing Alphy reached the house. John told Leonard to stay put and be quiet if he wanted to see Daniel again. Downstairs, Alphy confronted John, who claimed the real Sam White had redeemed him and he only took his name so Sam’s story would go on after his death. Alphy pieced together what we’d long guessed: John had asked devoted Caroline to occupy Alphy that night so he could break into the vicarage and search for Rose’s letters. John said he knew Alphy: He’s never felt wanted — no home, no family, no love. But he was wrong.

Geordie and Larry arrived. John grabbed his rifle and went outside firing, hitting Larry in the right shoulder, Geordie’s car, and, presumably, Leonard, who’d tried to yell a warning from the upstairs window. John barricaded everyone inside, including Alphy, and told them the cops were shooting at them. Geordie’s only option was to have Larry hold pressure on his own wound and go in alone.

Inside, John had his rifle pointed at Alphy and insisted he’d built this “church” for the love of God — of himself, Alphy corrected. Geordie snuck up behind John and clocked him, with an extra punch for Larry. Daniel had found Leonard upstairs. Their teary reunion had a happier ending than expected; it wasn’t a bullet that hit Leonard but a piece of broken wood from the window. (Later, Mrs. C would say “I’ve had worse splinters from a wooden spoon,” but the man was bleeding.)

Larry had managed to walk to a phone booth located conveniently nearby and called the office. He told Miss Scott to send help and then had to sit. She begged him to keep talking to her. “Really? You never want me to talk,” he quipped. Not now, Larry!

WILL THEY OR WON’T THEY? | We’re happy to report that Larry made a triumphant return to the applauding office with his arm in a sling. Miss Scott couldn’t bear to look at him and fled to an interrogation room. “You might not get the girl, but there’s still hope for the medal,” Geordie told him. “Seize the day, boss. Seize the day,” Larry answered and followed Miss Scott. She kept her back to him. She was afraid if she looked at Larry she’d want to kiss him. Miss Scott claimed she’d never wanted to kiss him and didn’t want to start now, but, as they had spent that night together after the circus, she was lying to herself. Larry walked up behind her and held her hand. She turned. “Damn you, Larry. Damn you.” They kissed. And… it was good! (Shall we make their couple name #Scarry?)

ALL IN THE FAMILY | After Alphy learned he was staying in Grantchester, the hour ended with a Sunday roast. It was excellent to see the men helping in the kitchen and Cathy, wearing that darling dress Geordie had bought her, being back to her quick-witted and canoodling self. Esme came and hugged her mother, so they’ve made up! Although she informed her parents that she thinks she’s in love. That could be a fun arc next season, at least until her beau is accused of a murder that he didn’t commit!

Leonard and Daniel came, too, with the former concerned he’d put too much sherry in the trifle and the latter worried he wouldn’t be welcome after exposing them all to a cult. But the gang couldn’t wait to get Daniel inside, if only because he makes the best gravy. We’ll assume he no longer owes anyone an apology after taking his own bullet dancing with a tipsy Mrs. C after the meal.

Alphy and Geordie did the dishes together, smiling at the laughter they were overhearing.

“You can’t beat that sound,” Geordie said.

“What? Drunk pensioners?” Alphy answered.

“You know what a mean.”

They abandoned their clean-up duties to take the dogs for a walk. Geordie asked what Alphy had seen when his life flashed before his eyes as he stared down John’s rifle. Dickens. Who was gonna feed him if he wasn’t there? Geordie said he believes they need to find him a wife. Even Larry has a girl now. But Alphy insisted he’s happy being single, and, he added, he’s not alone: He has Dickens, Mrs. C., and Geordie. (The look on Geordie’s face! Ah.)

Reminded that he’s a glass half-full kinda guy, Alphy felt guilty about leaving the dishes undone.

“Let the rest of the family do it,” Geordie said, wrapping his arm around Alphy’s shoulder. That’s the sound you can’t beat — family.

We’d add that final exchange to Geordie’s greatest vicar-chat hits. Join the congregation below to share your thoughts on that, how you feel about Scarry, and which you’re looking forward to more in Season 10: Learning about Alphy’s outsider past, or watching his newfound friends try to set him up on dates?

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