Father Brown (TV Series) The Sands of Time (2023) User Reviews

The Sands of Time

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 12 March 2023]

The clock is ticking for young spoilt brattish Lord Quentin Hartigan. He wants his inheritance from his father Oswald before he spends it all on vintage clocks.

There is a grand unveiling of Oswald's latest acquisition. Father Brown is invited. Brenda is working their part time as a maid and she has fallen for the young butler Jake.

Only for the clock to be stolen and Lord Quentin lying dead. Inspector Sullivan arrests a clock repairer called Stan who had an earlier altercation with Lord Quentin.

Father Brown noticed that Lord Quentin got a round a bit. He made lascivious glances at his younger stepmother. It looks like they were involved.

Also Jake the young butler has a lot to hide, he had an interest in the stolen clock.

This was a good mystery with Inspector Sullivan allowing Father Brown to go through his deductions because he was present at the time the crime happened.

I did wonder why Oswald married his bride when he never touched her.

Well meaning, but a little off.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 6/10 · 26 February 2023]

Brenda has fallen in love with a butler, a man in the employ of a local clock collector.

I think this was perhaps my least favourite episode from this series, but it was still a pretty good watch. Everything felt a little bit signposted, the solution, even the route, nothing really came as a big surprise.

Poor Brenda, it seemed almost impossible that she was going to find love, I don't think anyone expected her to ride off into the sunset, a surprise in store here.

Jesse Fox did a great job as Lord Quentin Hartigan I thought, he really was an awful chap, I wasn't surprised by the character's fate, very well acted though.

The message at the end, though well meaning, was just impossible to accept, no way on Earth would it even have been an option, especially not one that would have been accepted by The Catholic church.

6/10.

Nice Cozy Murder Mystery

[kall6695 · 8/10 · 22 April 2024]

I'm surprised there is anyone in Kembleford left to murder. It seems they have pretty much annihilated the population there.

This one, was, as ever, a nice cozy comfortable mystery. There were a few shockers in being politically correct, which strain credibility: A. There would never have been a black woman who was in a position to investigate crimes in the way that Brenda Palmer does. I also doubt that such a person would talk back to a Catholic priest as she does. B. New church secretary, Isobel Devine, does a lot of investigating as well. Amazing that she doesn't get hurt when she gets caught in the closet. C. Although homosexuality has existed from the dawn of time, I doubt anyone in 1950's would reveal their sexual proclivities and that their priest would approve. But then, Father Brown is a very accepting person.

Put all that aside and just have fun with the Father. He is always able to solve a crime with a few observations.

In this mystery, the victim did really deserve what he got. The son of Lord Hartigan, Quentin was an obnoxious, entitled brat. His father should have cut off his money a long time ago. Too bad they can't hold parents accountable for raising horrible children. But they would overwhelm the jails.

Sadly, there was no happy ending for Brenda and her love interest. But that had to be squelched. They can't haver her leave town with him after she just started this season. Maybe she will find someone else in Kembleford.

The obligatory LGBT episode of the season - but better than some

[SunnyDaise · 5/10 · 28 February 2023]

I'd say Father Brown's attitude to the homosexual characters in this situation / episode was apt for a priest - no encouragement but no judgement either and a reminder that God is there for everyone no matter what we do. However the instalment was nothing special / unique, with too many unoriginal plots definitely making it the weakest of the season - not even any humour to get us through the mundane storylines. On the upside, it is cross-generational and also depicts how we all struggle with different things / changes, especially getting our head around unexpected situations. Overall though, I wouldn't bother watching this one again.

Father Brown's Time Machine

[Narce · 3/10 · 26 July 2023]

Evidently the good Father Brown has found access to a time machine, so that he can change attitudes and morals in retrospect.

Not for the first time, he not only accepts but gives his (tacit if not overt) blessing to a homosexual relationship. This would probably have been grounds for excommunication in the 1950s. It certainly was not part of church dogma.

And was it so acceptable for Brenda to have a White boyfriend in those days? Again, the good Father just dusts his hands of any social opposition to this relationship. He has taken similar positions in other episodes as well. But when you have the comfort of a time machine, it all becomes easy.