Father Brown Television Series

[mexolic]

There is a television series titled Father Brown. It’s a British murder mystery set in the 1950’s. Father Brown is a Catholic priest who solves crimes in his own way. The series airs Sunday nights in Los Angeles on KCET. I’ve seen a few episodes so far. Has anyone seen it?

 

[Phemie]

There is a television series titled Father Brown. It’s a British murder mystery set in the 1950’s. Father Brown is a Catholic priest who solves crimes in his own way. The series airs Sunday nights in Los Angeles on KCET. I’ve seen a few episodes so far. Has anyone seen it?

I’ve seen the first two seasons. What they get wrong drives me nuts.

 

[Melodeonist]

I’ve seen it a few times. I could be wrong, but I believe the show is based on a series of books by G.K. Chesterton.

 

[Catholic_Nation]

I’ve watched all of the series on the BBC and its a pretty good show for anyone who likes the who done it genre. It also has that Catholic feel to it, ya know.

 

[FollowChrist34]

There is a television series titled Father Brown. It’s a British murder mystery set in the 1950’s. Father Brown is a Catholic priest who solves crimes in his own way. The series airs Sunday nights in Los Angeles on KCET. I’ve seen a few episodes so far. Has anyone seen it?

Yes, it’s come up on CAF quite a bit. It is based on stories by G.K. Chesterton; I have never read them. I believe there are other earlier British TV series based on the stories too. I think most people really like the show; I do. The early ones seem a little better to me - that happens so often with shows doesn’t it - they go past their prime.

At some point, they change the main police sergeant actor to a bit of a ruffian - I prefer the first actor and the shows with him. (nothing against the new actor; I just feel the show is kind of unraveling) Sometimes the plots get kind of out there. But I watch it regularly. Interesting take on Catholicism - I guess that is the show’s producers more than Chesterton and any actually Catholic influence on the show. Very politically correct cool hip liberal-slanting Catholicism. IMHO.

 

[QuestLove]

I’ve seen the first two seasons. What they get wrong drives me nuts.

I love watching it.
Are some of these things they get wrong related to catholicism, or do you mean stuff related to the mystery?

 

[Phemie]

I love watching it.
Are some of these things they get wrong related to catholicism, or do you mean stuff related to the mystery?

All the stuff related to Catholicism. The vestments in season 1 were all wrong. A little better in season 2 but not by much. Funerals are all wrong. Rituals are wrong. I understand it’s a low budget show but, really, since they’re spending money on a priest adviser you’d think they’d use his advice – unless of course he only knows the rituals since 1980.

 

[John_Lazarus]

All the stuff related to Catholicism. The vestments in season 1 were all wrong. A little better in season 2 but not by much. Funerals are all wrong. Rituals are wrong. I understand it’s a low budget show but, really, since they’re spending money on a priest adviser you’d think they’d use his advice – unless of course he only knows the rituals since 1980.

I find a similar thing with Murdoch Mysteries, about a Catholic detective in Toronto at the turn of the century.

Re the subject series, it was nice in the episode where Fr Brown refused to break the seal of the confessional – including to the bishop, or to even verify any information that would allow the bishop to even suss out who made a confession. I think the policeman even stuck the good father in the lockup for a bit, but Fr Brown kept mouth clamped tightly shut.

Also, Father Brown is a true believer, but also an intellectual, who not only sees no conflict between faith and reason, but knows that the two are complimentary.

OTOH: I am not familiar with the pre-Vatican II church, but I am fairly sure a parish priest would not be caught dead with two women (Mrs McCarthy and especially Lady Felicia) in his bedroom, and him only in his jammies and no bathrobe. And did priests always wear a cassock out and about, or did they wear black suits with black clerical shirt and Roman collar? I though cassocks were restricted to the church grounds, for some reason.

 

[commenter]

Ok, so it’s not as faithful to Chesterton as it should be, and a few other minor quibbles. But it is much better than most of what is on, in terms of fidelity to some kind of larger absolute standard of goodness and truth. The hero in the episodes I saw does refer back to Catholic “rightness” of action.

Again, you have to compare it to what else is on mainstream TV.

 

[boldlygo]

One of my favorite shows…I agree that the earlier shows are superior, and there are some errors , but Father Brown’s heart is always in the right place…

 

[Phemie]

I find a similar thing with Murdoch Mysteries, about a Catholic detective in Toronto at the turn of the century.

Re the subject series, it was nice in the episode where Fr Brown refused to break the seal of the confessional – including to the bishop, or to even verify any information that would allow the bishop to even suss out who made a confession. I think the policeman even stuck the good father in the lockup for a bit, but Fr Brown kept mouth clamped tightly shut.

Also, Father Brown is a true believer, but also an intellectual, who not only sees no conflict between faith and reason, but knows that the two are complimentary.

OTOH: I am not familiar with the pre-Vatican II church, but I am fairly sure a parish priest would not be caught dead with two women (Mrs McCarthy and especially Lady Felicia) in his bedroom, and him only in his jammies and no bathrobe. And did priests always wear a cassock out and about, or did they wear black suits with black clerical shirt and Roman collar? I though cassocks were restricted to the church grounds, for some reason.

I have to say that I haven’t found Murdoch quite as jarring.

The priest, Fr. Sivret, who was a family friend and our Pastor from 1923 to 1958 (mine only from 1953 on ) wore a black suit with collar away from the rectory if he wasn’t acting in an official priest capacity – family dinners and such.

I don’t recall ever seeing the priest who replaced him, Fr. Marquis, wearing anything but a cassock and certainly the one after that, Fr. Gagnon, wore his cassock all the time including when he was driving the tractor. Maybe he replaced it with something else when he drove his skidoo.

 

[QuestLove]

All the stuff related to Catholicism. The vestments in season 1 were all wrong. A little better in season 2 but not by much. Funerals are all wrong. Rituals are wrong. I understand it’s a low budget show but, really, since they’re spending money on a priest adviser you’d think they’d use his advice – unless of course he only knows the rituals since 1980.

oh ok. I wouldn’t have caught that as a non-catholic. That’s interesting though. You think they would try and do some basic research to make it authentic.

 

[katy]

Ok, so it’s not as faithful to Chesterton as it should be, and a few other minor quibbles. But it is much better than most of what is on, in terms of fidelity to some kind of larger absolute standard of goodness and truth. The hero in the episodes I saw does refer back to Catholic “rightness” of action.

Again, you have to compare it to what else is on mainstream TV.

That’s about my opinion. I cringe sometimes and wonder why they don’t take the bit of trouble to get the Catholic things right, but it’s still considerably better than most of what is on. And I enjoy detective stories.

 

[liturgyluver]

One of my favorite shows…I agree that the earlier shows are superior, and there are some errors , but Father Brown’s heart is always in the right place…

I agree. It is well acted, fun and its heart is in the right place.

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

I’ve seen the first two seasons. What they get wrong drives me nuts.

Like when parishioners were supposed to be watching a film about flowers, and ended up having it switched with a porn movie? Which was shown onscreen?

And you, the viewers, were evidently supposed to think it hilarious?