Asphyxiation with saw dust from a big Dipper is a cause of death at a Wurzel festival. Someone was shutting up the maid. What did she know? There's a good cast of suspects, who were controlled by a wicked uncle, who apparently poisoned. It's a good mystery, lighthearted with some good deductions from the sister.
11 Reviews
Light but entertaining
prcmd10 February 2022
For a pilot episode there was enough mystery with multiple suspects and interesting details plus likable and eccentric characters. Very promising. I the Where the main character, the sister, is introduced. A clever conceit to simply have her involved in solving a murder immediately and then explaining a bit about her background. We're looking forward to the next episodes to see if they keep their consistency and avoid getting too broad, preposterous, or easy mysteries to solve.
Delightful
safenoe19 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Spinoffs can be great successes (for example Frasier from Cheers) or flops or forced (for example Joey from Friends). I'm a bit late to Sister Boniface, which is a spinoff of Father Brown, but the fact it's run for two seasons means it has a devoted fanbase.
This episode was delightful but I guess it still is finding its feet by introducing the characters and themes. Jerry Iwu plays Felix Livingstone who thought he was off to Scotland Yard. I would have liked to know where Felix would have lived in London. The East End perhaps or Manor Park maybe.
I love the greenery in this episode and the charming village atmosphere.
This episode was delightful but I guess it still is finding its feet by introducing the characters and themes. Jerry Iwu plays Felix Livingstone who thought he was off to Scotland Yard. I would have liked to know where Felix would have lived in London. The East End perhaps or Manor Park maybe.
I love the greenery in this episode and the charming village atmosphere.
It's no Father Brown
boxyfella15 March 2022
I found the first episode OK, hoping it will become more enjoyable as we get to know the characters. One thing that bugged me though. With Father Brown, his vocation is up front and centre, and it is often integral to the stories. With Sister Boniface, there was no indication that it was necessary for her to be a nun. She was played just like any old forensic expert. She just happened to be a nun but nothing was made of that.
Who doesn't love a crime solving nun!
Sleepin_Dragon30 April 2022
Sister Boniface assists The Police when the body of a housemaid is found during a local carnival.
What a start, I went in with moderate expectations, hoping to enjoy it, however I absolutely loved it, my lower expectations were hugely exceeded.
What can you say, this was fun, intriguing and looked beautiful. The opening scenes could indeed have been the introduction to an episode of Father Brown, and the quality was very much there.
Sister Boniface impressed in the one episode of Father Brown that she appeared in, and she just picks up exactly where she left off, she was absolutely flawless here, cheeky, sparkly, but somewhat reserved.
Her whole character was intriguing, I loved her involvement with The Police, it wasn't forced, it felt very natural.
Max Brown and Jerry Iwu were both great as the regulars, really liked both characters, the latter's story was a good one.
It's very light, and I'm sure some of it is wonderfully inaccurate, but this was a wonderful start, bags of fun, 9/10.
What a start, I went in with moderate expectations, hoping to enjoy it, however I absolutely loved it, my lower expectations were hugely exceeded.
What can you say, this was fun, intriguing and looked beautiful. The opening scenes could indeed have been the introduction to an episode of Father Brown, and the quality was very much there.
Sister Boniface impressed in the one episode of Father Brown that she appeared in, and she just picks up exactly where she left off, she was absolutely flawless here, cheeky, sparkly, but somewhat reserved.
Her whole character was intriguing, I loved her involvement with The Police, it wasn't forced, it felt very natural.
Max Brown and Jerry Iwu were both great as the regulars, really liked both characters, the latter's story was a good one.
It's very light, and I'm sure some of it is wonderfully inaccurate, but this was a wonderful start, bags of fun, 9/10.
Fantastic series.
valstone528 March 2022
I love this series, maybe even a little bit more than father brown. He's always trying to save souls and the preaching. Sister Boniface is a more light hearted. She's fun and the other main characters are fun also. For those who don't like it or you do have a remote.
Too Bad
emmetlang-4262226 June 2022
I thought this Sister would make a good character to join the cast of Father Brown as soon as I saw the episode where she appeared, 'The Bride of Christ'. She was really good and stole the episode. So it was good news that they decided to give her a show of her own. It's really too bad they botched it.
Part of the intrigue of Father Brown is that he has a quality foil to work against him (Chief Inspector). Apparently the writers/producers of this show decided that they couldn't do the same with a female lead character, for whatever reason, so Sister B is given free reign and never opposed or questioned. It takes the heft out of the plot immediately. And then the BBC's own affirmative action quotas apparently caused them to cast an actor who has no experience or talent to be the 3rd lead character, with no personality or interesting quality of his own. He's so bad you can actually watch him "acting", which amounts to him reciting his lines, no more. Compare that to the quality lineup that they give Father Brown--true pros like Sorcha Cusack, Nancy Carroll, and Alex Price (he's brilliant, in my opinion), and of course all 3 Inspectors. But now it's clear that the BBC has decided it's more important to be progressive than good so now this is just a disposable throwaway piece of nothing. Truly a shame that the BBC, in its quest to be inclusive, ruined the chance for a strong female lead character to be great. That's called irony.
Part of the intrigue of Father Brown is that he has a quality foil to work against him (Chief Inspector). Apparently the writers/producers of this show decided that they couldn't do the same with a female lead character, for whatever reason, so Sister B is given free reign and never opposed or questioned. It takes the heft out of the plot immediately. And then the BBC's own affirmative action quotas apparently caused them to cast an actor who has no experience or talent to be the 3rd lead character, with no personality or interesting quality of his own. He's so bad you can actually watch him "acting", which amounts to him reciting his lines, no more. Compare that to the quality lineup that they give Father Brown--true pros like Sorcha Cusack, Nancy Carroll, and Alex Price (he's brilliant, in my opinion), and of course all 3 Inspectors. But now it's clear that the BBC has decided it's more important to be progressive than good so now this is just a disposable throwaway piece of nothing. Truly a shame that the BBC, in its quest to be inclusive, ruined the chance for a strong female lead character to be great. That's called irony.
Unnatural Causes
Prismark1016 February 2022
Here is a spinoff that you did not think that was even needed.
Right from the opening scene. You might think this is another episode of Father Brown.
Only this time it is the Sister Boniface Mysteries. A character played by Lorna Watson who appeared in an episode of the very first series of Father Brown.
Sister Boniface is a lighthearted procedural. She is a forensic adviser to the local police led by Inspector Sam Gillespie and joined in the first episode by Sergeant Felix Livingstone who is on secondment from Bermuda.
It starts off with a murder in the Great Slaughter Mangold Wurzel Festival. A young woman's corpse is found within the Aunt Sally dummy.
Sister Boniface is soon on the case with her keen interest in science and high IQ.
I found the first episode light and frothy. The DNA of the parent show is very much there. I just did not find Sister Boniface as engaging as Father Brown, who apart from solving crimes, wants to save souls.
I would certainly give other episodes a go.
Right from the opening scene. You might think this is another episode of Father Brown.
Only this time it is the Sister Boniface Mysteries. A character played by Lorna Watson who appeared in an episode of the very first series of Father Brown.
Sister Boniface is a lighthearted procedural. She is a forensic adviser to the local police led by Inspector Sam Gillespie and joined in the first episode by Sergeant Felix Livingstone who is on secondment from Bermuda.
It starts off with a murder in the Great Slaughter Mangold Wurzel Festival. A young woman's corpse is found within the Aunt Sally dummy.
Sister Boniface is soon on the case with her keen interest in science and high IQ.
I found the first episode light and frothy. The DNA of the parent show is very much there. I just did not find Sister Boniface as engaging as Father Brown, who apart from solving crimes, wants to save souls.
I would certainly give other episodes a go.
a laugh
nshode6 March 2022
I think this is meant to be a spoof or parody. It doesn't have the seriousness of Father Brown. I think it stands a chance albeit a small one. I guess since its a parody you don't expect accuracy. At one point the inspector asks Mr. Bellamy's nurse if she diagnosed a heart attack. She said she did and that the doctor concurred. Imagine a doctor "concurring" with a nurse's diagnosis? In that era he'd have her license. Even today nurses don't make medical diagnoses unless they're nurse practitioners, but again, this is intended to be a spoof, so I guess these goofs are to be expected.
Cliche
yoonejune13 February 2022
I don't like writing negative reviews but this was so bad. They are trying to cram too much in the series. Instead on concentrating on quality they are too busy trying to be inclusive. That wouldn't be a problem if it wasn't so forced. Sometimes trying too hard spoils the outcome. And so many inaccuracies. Of course they are making the Mother Superior look and sound like a horrible person. It will never be a Father Brown.
Sure not Father Brown
mpetercale18 February 2022
I was looking forward to this show mainly because I thought it may be as good as Father Brown. Unfortunately there is little chemistry and the characters seem to be in their own silos. Maybe I'm being too harsh but I can't find any character to like. I find them all a bit irritating. Hopefully the series will improve.
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