Father Brown (TV Series) The Celestial Choir (2020) User Reviews

Wearing a Dead Woman's boots.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 18 January 2020]

Father Brown has to solve a very different kind of mystery, Kembleford's Choir has reached a competition finale, but their efforts to reach Worcester Cathedral are sabotaged at every stage. At times it felt like Father Brown does Clockwise, pure exhaustion and obstacles aplenty.

It's not a mystery as such, but it is a very amusing, light-hearted watch, it was a nice way to open the series, but hopefully they'll be back to murder best time round.

All the bull scene needed was Charles Hawtrey and Terry Scott.

You can imagine a lot of skulduggery goes on, and has gone on at such competitions.

It was delightful to have Lady Felicia back, dead woman's shoes or no, she arguably stole the show.

I thought it was a really fun start to the new series. 7/10

An intriguing twist

[marklborley · 8/10 · 9 February 2020]

An intriguing twist on Father Brown's usual cases as someone tries to sabotage the village choir in the Three Counties competition. His knack for understanding people leads him to get to the bottom of things and rescue the day. We also see an unusually human side to Inspector Mallory.

Father Brown is Back!!!

[kalibeans · 9/10 · 6 August 2020]

Being in the US I just saw this first episode of Season 8. Father Brown has always been one of my top 5 "go to" shows. It's beautiful, entertaining, soothing, just all around excellent. I was so happy to see that there was going to be a Season 8 (and according to this site Season 9), but I was a bit worried the storyline may have begun to be played out. Wow was I in for a wonderful surprise with this dynamic first episode of Season 8. I'm sorry I did not catch the writer's name to give him/her a mention here, but Job Well Done! Very excited to watch the remainder of the season. Good to have you back Father Brown cast and crew!

Wonderful episode to begin a new season

[stan-14937 · 10/10 · 3 April 2020]

Splendid to see some of the familiar characters rounded out with new emotions and hidden talents. I allowed myself to be drawn into the sentiment and genuine good feelings of this episode. Unlike other reviews, this one is being written at a time and in a location "locked down" in the Corvid-19 epidemic. I have been waiting all week for Father Brown to take me to a different time to escape for at least an hour. Others might consider this episode lacking in drama but I am more than grateful for the lightness and wit I needed.

Excellent, fun episode

[karen511-630-723826 · 10/10 · 4 May 2020]

Very good episode all around; the best stories are the ones that involve the whole cast with a good amount of character interplay and humor, especially in this when they're all stuck together on this road trip to get to the choir finals on time while someone unknown tries to sabotage their efforts; just goes to show that you don't always need a dark murder to have an involving and suspenseful story. Plus there's a nice, sweet scene involving Inspector Mallory at the end of the episode that helps to humanize him more, as did the very excellent and heartwarming season six episode "Tree of Truth".

Goodfellow once again lives up to his name

[bjarskiweber · 10/10 · 30 November 2021]

Mrs. McCarthy is hoping to make a better showing with the Kembleford Choir than they had the year before. After making it to the final competition, it seems that fate is conspiring against the singers to even make it to the event. After many misadventures, ("I'm wearing a dead woman's boots" Lady Felicia), they get where they need to be, though Inspector Mallory misses his daughter singing in the children's choir. The Kembleford Choir performs to wild applause and Sergeant Goodfellow saves the day for Inspector Mallory. A light-hearted episode with an uplifting ending.

Glee

[safenoe · 8/10 · 5 June 2023]

The Celestial Choir is like a Glee episode with the joy and charm and this time, no murder. Anyway Eloise Little plays Janet Mallory, the daughter of Inspector Mallory.

The ending was quite moving, with Inspector Mallory shedding a tear when hearing his daughter sing.

Also this episode was broadcast at the beginning of 2020, so this episode was filmed before the pandemic broke out in 2020.

I really like Father Brown and am catching up on them as part of my daytime television. I also like The Sister Boniface Mysteries as the spin-off. Perhaps there can be a spin-off featuring Inspector Mallory.

The Celestial Choir

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 6 January 2020]

It is the start of series eight and unusually there is no murder for Father Brown to investigate.

Instead it is a race against time as the Kembleford Choir need to get to to a choir competition at the cathedral in time.

It really is a case of tractor, trains and automobiles as they face sabotage at every turn.

Lady Felicia is back for this episode, Inspector Mallory is a passenger as he hopes to watch his daughter perform.

Someone with a shady past is hoping that the choir never gets to perform. Father Brown though is there to look for the clues. Not the strongest opening episode but still a wonderful way to welcome in the new year.

Absolutely dellightful!

[betanslivka · 10/10 · 24 May 2024]

If you are looking for a murder mystery, you'll need to skip this episode. If you are happy with a break from murder and want to watch a charming, more light-hearted mystery, this is the one for you. For those who complain about the episodes that are about something other than murder, a reminder: there is nothing about murder in the title of the series. Not every mystery has to be about death.

This episode was humorous, heartwarming and uplifting. The actors were at their best; nothing was overplayed. Even Inspector Mallory was lower-keyed than usual - a refreshing change. There was a repeat of Lady Felicia (always good to have her back in the cast) not being the one who gets to scream and Sargeant Goodfellow gets to shine. Top that off with being entertained by some excellent singing voices.

I'm not sure where one reviewer saw anti-religion sentiments, but, oh well, to each his own. Mallory's sentimentality at the end was priceless. I had a tear in my eye.

Pleasant Murder less episode

[coltras35 · 7/10 · 17 July 2022]

A mysterious saboteur tries to stop Kembleford winning the Three Counties choir competition.

Pleasant entry that hasn't got any Murder, though someone with a murky past is blackmailed into stopping the choir reaching the competition. This is humorous episode, with most of the laughs brought on by Inspector Mallory, who fears missing his daughter's performance at the choir, mainly because his wife will give him a right telling off.

I thought I would give this another chance after abandoning it in season 1

[mshavzin · 2/10 · 24 March 2021]

It is a lot worse then I remembered. The story is even more silly then before, and Father Brown's manners are more irritating. But what strikes me is how oddly anti Christianity this is. I didn't remember that from season 1. Other then that its the same politically correct nonsense I abandoned. No improvement. However, I see that its popularity has suffered, and that makes sense.