A priest on a bicycle (and later, a roaring motorcycle), a housekeeper with a caring heart beneath a gruff exterior, a vicarage, crimes that reveal contemporary social issues, and a close friendship with a local inspector set in a picturesque village. This is not a description of the Italian series Don Matteo, set in Gubbio or Spoleto, but of its British equivalent, *Grantchester*, set in the Cambridgeshire village of the same name.
The incredible similarities are numerous between the Rai flagship show, *Don Matteo*, and ITV’s English series, *Grantchester*, including their remarkable longevity. The British period drama, now filming its 11th and final season, is considered a masterpiece of costume intrigue. A global phenomenon distributed worldwide and a staple of American PBS programming, it now arrives on free-to-air Italian television on La7, starting Monday, September 7th, after being one of the most-viewed shows on Amazon Prime.
This character-driven period drama will sound very familiar to an Italian audience accustomed to the cassocks of Terence Hill and later Raoul Bova, alongside Nino Frassica as Marshal Cecchini. Yet, there are substantial differences: the ‘don’ of *Grantchester* (three have held the role over the seasons, the first two of notable charm) is an Anglican vicar who, within certain limits, can fall in love—which he routinely does—and even get married, a clear departure from the Italian series. Furthermore, the element of comedy and the light-hearted banter between Don Matteo and the carabinieri is largely absent.
So which came first? In the interconnected world of television series, the question is valid. The first episode of *Don Matteo*, produced by Lux Vide and Rai Fiction and directed by Enrico Oldoini, aired on January 7, 2000. *Grantchester* debuted on ITV in England on October 6, 2014.
Based on a collection of short stories by James Runcie—whose father was the Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Runcie—the show’s plots and setting are deeply rooted in post-WWII English society. The first vicar, Sidney Chambers (James Norton), is a veteran of the Scots Guards, haunted by his wartime actions, which likely leads him to drink whiskey to excess. Norton brings great physical presence to the role, creating a curious figure for Italian viewers: a handsome priest who listens to jazz, delivers sensitive and passionate sermons, and is in love with an old school friend, the art expert and heiress Amanda (Morven Christie).
He solves crimes stumbled upon during his bicycle rides with the austere, middle-aged, and close-minded Detective Geordie Keating (Robson Green). Over the seasons, as the inflexible housekeeper, Mrs. C (Tessa Peake-Jones), confronts her past and the curate, Leonard Finch (Al Weaver), comes to terms with his homosexuality, the show’s protagonist changes, much like in *Don Matteo*. James Norton was succeeded by Tom Brittney, who possesses the same charm but a different backstory as the son of a nobleman who never accepted his vocation.
At the heart of the stories remains a profound humanity and sensitivity in tackling dramas. The series reflects the evolution of modern Britain and its often-unsuccessful attempts to balance good and progress with the evils of racism, crime, neglected childhood, homophobia, pedophilia, sexism, and a decline in humanity. And religion? It is the underlying reflection of every episode, as the vicar uses ideals and faith to make sense of the terrible crimes in Cambridgeshire.
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