The New Vicar Finally Arrives in 'Grantchester' Season 9

Grantchester has a thing about vicars and their vehicles. Sidney had the bicycle, Will had the motorbike, and now here comes our newest Rev Alphy Kotteram (Rishi Nair) rolling up to the front door in a little red roadster. It doesn't make any of what transpires next any less uncomfortable, nor should it, though out of the three meet-cutes Geordie's been through with his vicars, the well-placed right hook Alphy's got on him may be the most efficient so far.

Microaggressions play for uncomfortable comedy (hell, there ain't nothing micro about half these aggressions anyhow) are how British TV has been dealing with race for decades; if anything, it's simply putting our characters through the cliched paces. (Though "Leonard of the House of Finch" was pretty perfect. First of his name!)

Naturally, everyone in Grantchester assumes Geordie will be right as rain now he's got a new vicar to befriend, even if Mrs. C will only speak of him in overly loud stage whispers, even Esme (bless Skye Lucia Degruttola, all grown up) is needling her dad for being all sulky at the pub, forced to hang out with Larry or listen to Leonard recite poetry. Geordie's not too sure, but it looks like Alphy will be calling on the cops sooner rather than later, as biblical hate mail is starting to mix in among the stuff that's addressed to the previous resident. But until then, we can at least watch Alphy strip to his knickers for a swim.