Father Brown (2013 TV series)
British television period mystery series From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
British television period mystery series From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Father Brown is a British period detective television series loosely based on the Father Brown short stories by G. K. Chesterton, starring Mark Williams as the crime-solving Roman Catholic priest. Broadcast began on BBC One on 14 January 2013. In April 2023 the BBC confirmed that filming had begun on an 11th series, for broadcast in January 2024, and also confirmed the return of Lorna Watson as Sister Boniface.[1] The commissioning of series 12 and 13 was confirmed in April 2024.[2]
Father Brown | |
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Genre | |
Based on | Father Brown by G. K. Chesterton |
Developed by |
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Starring |
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Theme music composer | Debbie Wiseman |
Opening theme | Father Brown theme |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 11 |
No. of episodes | 120 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers |
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Producers |
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Cinematography | Stuart Biddlecombe |
Running time | 45–50 minutes |
Production company | BBC Studios Drama Productions |
Original release | |
Network | BBC One |
Release | 14 January 2013 – present |
Related | |
Sister Boniface Mysteries |
The series is set in England during the early 1950s. Father Brown is the priest at St Mary's Catholic Church in the fictional village of Kembleford, located in the Cotswolds. (Kembleford seems unique in not being part of a Church of England parish). Britain is struggling with the aftermath of the Second World War, rationing is still in effect, the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place, the death penalty has not yet been abolished, and homosexuality and abortion are still illegal. An empathetic man of keen intelligence, Father Brown solves murder cases when members of his parish are involved, when circumstances are strange enough to gain his interest, or when he is directly asked for help. During his investigations, he occasionally neglects his more mundane parish duties.
He is often helped by the parish secretary, Bridgette McCarthy (Series 1–9), and his housekeeper, Susie Jasinski (Series 1 only). He is also sometimes aided by socialite Lady Felicia Montague; her driver, Sid Carter (a former criminal); and her niece, Bunty Windermere. In series 10, he is aided by Isabel Devine, his new parish secretary, and Brenda Palmer, his housekeeper.
Father Brown's interest in local cases and his habit of offering advice and pointing out clues often annoy the local police inspector. Father Brown holds no animosity towards the police, but he often embarrasses them with his investigations.
During World War I, Father Brown served in the British Army's Gloucestershire Regiment; he served with the same regiment in World War II as a chaplain. His experiences as a veteran, along with his vocation as a priest, give him great insight into human nature as well as a desire to offer forgiveness and redemption, wishing to serve his concept of justice rather than strictly following the letter of the law and condemning the guilty. Father Brown is obedient to the Seal of confession in the Catholic Church. When confronting criminals, he sometimes offers to hear their explanations and confessions without judgment. While he then urges them to admit their crimes to the authorities and accept responsibility, he also promises he will not reveal their actions or prevent their escape if they choose otherwise but he will only interfere if they will do something to harm others.
BBC Daytime wanted a home-grown detective series for the weekday afternoons on BBC One. Original ideas from writers were pitched, but the BBC wanted something that was less risky and already well-known. Father Brown had not been filmed for British television since the 1970s production that starred Kenneth More. Executive Producer John Yorke came up with the idea after hearing a radio documentary about G. K. Chesterton presented by Ann Widdecombe.
Writers were given the choice of adapting an existing story or coming up with an original idea. The Chesterton stories were set all over the world and at different times. Although half of the episodes in the first series were loosely based on the Chesterton stories, a decision was made to restrict the programme's location and date.
The Cotswolds was chosen because it had few modern buildings and was close to the production base in Birmingham. The 1950s were chosen because the detective could solve puzzles using his mind and knowledge of human nature instead of relying on modern technology. Despite this, the script sometimes includes anachronistic language (e.g., "secure the crime scene", "mojo"). The lead writers, Rachel Flowerday and Tahsin Guner, created the supporting characters. Other writers contributed stand-alone scripts that were not part of a story arc.[4]
The series is a BBC Studios Birmingham Drama Village production and filming for the first series of ten episodes of Father Brown began in the Cotswolds in summer 2012.[5] The BBC renewed Father Brown for a second series of ten episodes in 2013.[6] A third series of 15 episodes was commissioned in 2014.[7] A fourth series of ten episodes was commissioned in 2015.[8]
Filming takes place in the Gloucestershire village of Blockley using the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Blockley[9] (Church of England) as the St Mary Roman Catholic church of the series and the vicarage transformed into the presbytery for Father Brown's residence.[10] Other villages used are Winchcombe, Upper Slaughter, Kemerton and Guiting Power. Filming also took place at Winchcombe railway station and Toddington railway station on the heritage Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway. Sudeley Castle was the main location for "The Eye of Apollo".[11] Princethorpe College, once a Catholic convent, now a secondary school, was used as St Agnes Convent in "The Bride of Christ" (2013).[12]
Filming for the second series included the Warwickshire village of Ilmington. Chastleton House and Berkeley Castle were used to portray Pryde Castle in the episode broadcast on 8 January 2014.[13][14] Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire provided the location for the final resting place of the famed rosary in the episode "Mysteries of the Rosary" (2014).[15] The gardens at Snowshill Manor featured in the same episode. The episode "The Time Machine", in series 3, was based around the Warwickshire estate of Alscot Park.
Filming has also taken place at Ashdown WW2 Camp, Evesham, Worcestershire, where the TV series Land Girls also was filmed. Laid out as a WW2 camp, Ashdown Camp is made up of 11 Nissen huts, air raid shelters, and outbuildings.[16] Also used were the 1930s portion of Shire Hall, Warwick, headquarters of Warwickshire County Council; Bloxham School in Oxfordshire;[17] and Worcester Guildhall.[18] The former hospital at Moreton-in-Marsh was used for the new police station and for Father Brown's kitchen, study and presbytery.[19][20]
Series | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
First aired | Last aired | |||
1 | 10 | 14 January 2013 | 25 January 2013 | |
2 | 10 | 6 January 2014 | 17 January 2014 | |
3 | 15 | 5 January 2015 | 23 January 2015 | |
4 | 10 | 4 January 2016 | 15 January 2016 | |
5 | 15 | 23 December 2016 | 19 January 2017 | |
6 | 10 | 18 December 2017 | 12 January 2018 | |
7 | 10 | 7 January 2019 | 18 January 2019 | |
8 | 10 | 6 January 2020 | 17 January 2020 | |
9 | 10 | 3 January 2022 | 14 January 2022 | |
10 | 10 | 6 January 2023 | 10 March 2023 | |
11 | 10 | 5 January 2024 | 8 March 2024 |
BBC Worldwide has sold Father Brown to 232 territories,[27] including, Australia (ABC and 7TWO), Belgium (VRT), the Netherlands (KRO-NCRV), BBC First (Dutch TV channel), Spain (Paramount Network), Portugal (FOX Crime), Finland (YLE), Sweden (TV8), Denmark (DR), Norway (NRK), Estonia (ETV), Iceland (RÚV), Italy (LA7), Croatia (HRT), and Brazil (TV Cultura). In the United States, Father Brown has been sold to 40 public television stations with a reach of 30% of all U.S. television households. The first four series were added to the Netflix streaming service on 31 March 2017.[28] Series five and six were added later in 2019.[29]
In January 2020, it was announced that production had begun of a ten-episode series titled Sister Boniface Mysteries for BritBox, the streaming service. Lorna Watson returns as Sister Boniface. She played the character in 2013 in the Father Brown episode "The Bride of Christ".[30] It was confirmed this series would air in early 2022, alongside the ninth series of the parent production.[31] After debuting on BritBox, Sister Boniface Mysteries aired on Drama, with the DVD available from 16 May 2022. The spin-off has been renewed for a second series.[32]
Mark Williams guest-stars, resuming his role as Father Brown, in Series 1 episode 4.
Father Brown is available on DVD in Region 1 in the United States and Canada via BBC Video. In the UK (Region 2), the series was released through Dazzler Media, and is available on both DVD and Blu-ray for all individual series sets. Several sets featuring multiple series were also made available in the UK. In Australia (Region 4), the series was originally released via Roadshow Entertainment for its first six series, before the distribution rights were acquired by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment for subsequent series. However, Universal also acquired rights to the first six series for re-release on DVD.
The series is also available on DVD in the Netherlands and Germany.
Series | Release date | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Region 1 | Region 2/B | Region 4 |
Region 4 (Re-issue) | |
Series 1 | 16 September 2014[33] | 7 April 2014 (DVD)[34] 19 May 2014 (Blu-ray)[35] |
4 September 2013[36] | 11 December 2019[37] |
Series 2 | 5 May 2015[38] | 9 June 2014[39][40] | 27 August 2014[41] | 8 January 2020[42] |
Series 3 | 5 April 2016 (Part 1)[43] 13 September 2016 (Part 2)[44] |
30 March 2015[45][46] | 19 August 2015[47] | 8 January 2020[48] |
Series 4 | 13 December 2016[49] | 21 March 2016[50][51] | 15 June 2016[52] | 8 January 2020[53] |
Series 5 | 12 December 2017[54] | 13 February 2017[55][56] | 20 September 2017[57] | 11 December 2019[58] |
Series 6 | 11 December 2018[59] | 12 February 2018[60][61] | 6 June 2018[62] | 20 November 2019[63] |
Series 7 | 10 December 2019[64] | 11 February 2019[65][66] | 13 November 2019[67] | — |
Series 8 | 8 December 2020[68] | 10 February 2020[69][70] | 28 October 2020[71] | — |
Series 9 | 13 September 2022[72] | 14 February 2022[73][74] | 31 August 2022[75] | — |
Series 10 | 8 August 2023[76] | 13 March 2023[77][78] | TBA | — |
Series 11 | 21 May 2024[79] | 11 March 2024[80][81] | TBA | — |
Additional sets | ||||
Series 1–4 | — | 21 March 2016[82] | — | — |
Special (2016) | — | 27 November 2017[83] | — | — |
Series 1–6 | — | 12 February 2018[84] | — | — |
Series 5–8 | — | 10 February 2020[85] | — | — |
Series 1–8 | — | 10 February 2020[86][87] | — | — |
Series 1–10 | — | 2 October 2023[88][89] | — | — |
Since 2019, the series has been prominently featured on the Britbox streaming service in North America.
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