3 Things to Know About Sidney’s Exit & Replacement in ‘Grantchester’ Season 4

After three seasons of saving souls and fighting crime in the 1950s English village of Grantchester, Anglican vicar and amateur sleuth Sidney Chambers (James Norton) is leaving town to spread the Lord’s word — and his own charm — elsewhere.

But don’t worry, he’s not in that much of a hurry to go.

(Courtesy of Kudos and MASTERPIECE)

It’s a long goodbye for Sidney

The jazz-loving vicar will be around for two episodes to welcome his replacement, former inner-city chaplain Will Davenport (Outlander‘s Tom Brittney) — something Brittney was thrilled about. “If they had just made James Norton leave and were like, ‘Boom, this is the new guy,'” he says, “people would have been angry.”

(Colin Hutton and Kudos/ITV for MASTERPIECE)

He leaves no crime unsolved

Before departing, Sidney helps his best friend, Detective Inspector Geordie Keating (Robson Green), investigate two more murders, starting with the stabbing of a visiting African-American church leader’s son. Hint: The victim’s sister may have something to do with Sidney’s exit — as does the fact that he’s growing increasingly bored with his trivial day-to-day (there’s mold in the vestry!).

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Will fills the collar nicely

One of the first things we learn about Will is that his reputation as a young troublemaker with shocking ideas has been overshadowed only by Sidney’s. “I represent this sort of youth coming in at the end of the ’50s, the rock ‘n’ roll, leather-jacket-wearing, motorbike-riding, Elvis-listening people,” Brittney says.

But Will is also a man of his word (he’d rather go to jail than betray a parishioner). He’s gorgeous. And, like his predecessor, he enjoys a ciggie and a pint when needed.

(Courtesy of Colin Hutton/Kudos, an Endemol Shine Company, MASTERPIECE and ITV)

The cast change has gotten a thumbs-up from the drama’s audience in the U.K., where Season 4 has already aired. “I was so desperate for people to like Will,” a relieved Brittney says, “like he wants people to like him.”

Grantchester, Sunday, July 14, 9/8c, PBS (check local listings at pbs.org)