Yes, the scene between Mrs. C and Leonard was very moving. The dynamic between those two is really a key pleasure and a big reason why I've enjoyed the show. I'm glad she changed course by inviting Daniel to the b-day party.

As the saying goes, we can choose our friends but can't choose our families... Leonard's father proved to be a puzzlement: was he indeed a closeted homosexual or not? If so, that may explain his alcoholism. But he seemed to be truly offended by the suggestion, so perhaps Leonard's theory was incorrect. I couldn't tell if it occurred to him that it's not impossible to feel closer to a friend than a spouse, without being gay, and to mourn their deaths accordingly. The tavern keeper may have just been a good, long-term drinking buddy and/or confidant. But maybe his dad is indeed closeted and simply can't come to terms with it. Plus, I think sodomy of any sort was still criminalized at that time.

As far as the reason for the disparity in suicide dosages, I guess my take is that Luke was more despondent and thus more determined than Matt. Luke, after all, was "importuning" on a regular basis and had evidently progressed to the practice of assaulting and robbing the men he dallied with. So he seemed to be more adversely effected by Vic's behavior than Matt.

My personal feeling is that Leonard's dad is gay, but just not able to admit it due to how not-okay of a thing it was to be back in those times. Plus, with him being Leonard's father added a further layer to him feeling, I think, that "This isn't something I can talk about or admit to my child."

His father seemed to not, at first, seem offended or whatever, when Leonard came at him with the quite accusatory charges of dad being gay and in the closet (not to mention with a recently-deceased longtime secret lover) and having cheated on his wife (Leonard's late mother). I think all of that really messed with his father's head, as Leonard came at his father on multiple levels that his father hadn't seen coming. Had not Leonard ended up with such an angry, bitter tone, going big with the charge of adultery and his late wonderful mother having been so wronged, I wonder if the conversation between the two, and the subsequent time during their visit, may have played out more favourably, or if Leonard (who should have been more generally understanding regarding the "why" of his father's past actions) left his father feeling like, "My son doesn't get me."

I got the feeling (taking the entire episode into consideration, starting from when we first see Leonard's father in the churchyard) that his father has opted to live in some type state of denial even about Leonard, as nearly the first thing he said when introduced as Leonard's father was something along the lines of that he's (dad is) still waiting for him to get married. That seemed - taking the rest of the episode into consideration - like something he wouldn't have "gone there" about in front of others unless that's how he had felt, his entire life, you must do if gay - get married and have a wife. Almost like he was projecting his own "cover" - out of force of habit - on Leonard.

Something to take into consideration is that the series introduces Leonard's father to viewers in a season finale episode - therefore near certainly - now that we kinda have a sense of who he is - he'll be some extent of a recurring character during Season 6.

By the way, I thought the actor who played that part did a good job with the role, as he seemed the perfect combination of seemingly genuinely like a longtime drunk (hopefully not true-to-life type casting), also quite sensitive (in his own way), so illustrated a good amount of vulnerability in his performance. Dad does seem to genuinely love Leonard, but I think may need some processing time to think all this new openess with Leonard through. Back during the 1950s, I think homosexuality was something many people just never willingly admitted to anyone about their own self, except on a "need to know" (meaning with a potential kindred spirit) type basis. For a parent to come out to their own child would have I think, for many, been something they'd just not be able to bring their self to do.

Maybe during next season there will be various developments on that front, as I really do think the father character will return. (Plus he was written and portrayed overall rather semi-sympathetically, rather than as an actual outright jerk, so I think we may eventually learn just is, at the moment, "conflicted" - someone with certain walls kept up around himself [which may, in large part, explain his alcoholism].)

Great points about the father possibly believing it was a duty to marry, in spite of being gay, as well as how difficult it may be for a parent to come out to a child. This conflict between father and son kind of speaks to the contemporary issue of "outing" gay people who prefer not to be open about their sexuality. While closeted gay-but-heterosexually-married men are generally reviled as hypocrites, could it be unfair to always discriminate against their life choice? Is it possible that some men truly desire a typical heterosexual marriage and family experience while at the same time wanting to be able to indulge in homosexuality on the side? If the wife doesn't mind (after all, some wives accept their heterosexual husbands' adultery), why are we pressured to accept all kinds of other behaviors that are out of the ordinary but not that? Granted, this doesn't seem to be the case with Leonard's mother...

I think Leonard in general pretty much blew his father's mind with the combination of expressed assumption and outright angry accusations/charges, that his father hadn't at all seen coming.

Probably had he visited at just about any other time the subject matter wouldn't have come up, nor gone as it did. But the combination of Leonard (who's just lately coming to terms with his own identity) having seen dad become unexpectedly and atypically noticeably choked up when speaking of his deceased bartender friend (as Leonard later said to Daniel, he had never seen his father become emotional before [I think he added not even when Leonard's mother died]), then telling Daniel about it who pretty much immediately concluded the father is gay, plus Leonard already resenting that his mother (and he) had always been neglected by his father who was apparently forever at the pub (hmmm), seemed to converge into "the perfect storm" - particularly as Leonard had shortly prior told his father that they never have talked about his mother - which then a little later dad sits down with him and invites such a conversation to finally happen - which directly backfires on him.

@genplant29 said:

I think Leonard in general pretty much blew his father's mind with the combination of expressed assumption and outright angry accusations/charges, that his father hadn't at all seen coming.

No doubt genplant! It was definitely a broadsided attack! If the father returns in future episodes it may very well turn out he IS gay, but I don't think we should necessarily consider the amount of time he spent at the pub as confirmation that he and the publican were lovers. Recall how he couldn't even wait long enough to hear Leonard's sermon before needing to hit the Grantchester pub. Alcoholics naturally spend a LOT more time drinking than normal people do, and the condition can exist simply because it was inherited, and for no other reason. And alcoholism alone would've been enough to drive Leonard's mother to despair. I may be wrong and will have to re-watch the episode to find out, but for some reason I sensed that even Daniel, who first posited the theory that the father could be gay, wasn't totally certain it was truly the case. I may not be remembering Daniel's reactions correctly though -- he may have just been bristling at Leonard's broadsided approach.

And if all of that wasn't enough to drive home the points (or beat us over our heads) about homosexuality, there was also the instance of the girl/"nun" who was reunited with her parents only to be subsequently beaten by her father (I presume) because she's a lesbian - which is why she ran away from home in the first place.

It's said that period fictions often address issues contemporary to the times in which they're written, and that seems to be the case with this show. Although, IMO, it's sometimes tried too hard to address - and in a politically correct fashion - a predictable check list of topics. This can become tiresome if overdone. SO, while I've very much enjoyed Leonard's character arc up until now, I hope his sexuality doesn't become the main trait that's continually portrayed, since there's more to him and ANY person than the gender of their mates!

BTW, what about Leonard at the boxing match between Matt and Luke?!?! While waiting on line to take his seat he was bemoaning the bloodshed of boxing, but then he yelled something like "PUNCH HIS LIGHTS OUT!!!" during the fight! SO funny!

So very true (the things you stated in your comment before last, merry).

Yes, that was a funny scene with Leonard at the boxing match!

By the way, I completely agree with something you mentioned during last week - that Al Weaver is the perfect pairing of actor with portrayed character, and truly brings Leonard to very believable (not to mention thoroughly likable) life. Leonard is the series' "heart" - and Al Weaver knows how to portray him ideally. (Incidentally, I also saw Weaver in the not very appealing [I didn't care for it at all, and ditched it after the first couple of episodes] UK series Press of a couple years ago - and didn't at all like him or the character he played in that. It's like he was - and to quite an extent even looked - truly a different person, and actor, and type, than the Al Weaver who portrays Leonard.)

I loved Episode 5 when he's mediating Mrs. C's and husband Jack's marital turmoil. Weaver played those scenes to complete perfection, with a combination of heart, conviction, and very delightful humour. I literally laughed out loud when he was stating positive aspects of both Jack (for whom he included having a great jawline!) and Mrs. C - at which time he comments that she's (among her various selling points) "sturdy". To that, she looks and reacts like she's disgusted, and retorts something to the effect of, "You know, I'm NOT a workhorse!" lol!!! (I still laugh about that whenever I recall it!)

He and Mrs. C have such an appealing relationship - even when there's whatever type issues between them at times, and even though they're completely different personality types and coming from very different mindsets. I guess it's like in good comedy having a "straight" (by which I mean serious or very matter-of-fact) foil for the comedian - and Mrs. C certainly is that to the Leonard character.

Definitely a touching scene when they have their E6 little conversation in the church, and he ultimately tells her that she's his family and that he loves her - to which she clearly is profoundly touched and moved, and I think reaches for and holds his hand, and says something like (I think), "You dear boy, don't you know I love you too?" That scene is one that viewers will always remember.

Sadly, to this day - despite all the 'openness' in the (social) media - 'being gay' is still considered as 'silentium vel mortis'.

The series "Grantchester (2014-)" is set in the 1950s - around 1955 - and a year earlier the mathematician Alan Turing - the father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence - committed suicide at the age of 41. He, as so many others, was sentenced for homosexual acts and was given the choice of prison or chemical castration. He chose the latter. You can read about him here at Wikipedia.

So, it's certainly not surprising that one prefers to stay in the closet and avoid any suspicion, even going as far as pretending to be heterosexual by marrying and having children.

So true, wonder.

What you mentioned reminds me of also what I've read about great British actor Dirk Bogarde. Here's his Wikipedia article. In its "Personal life" section, the article states:

For many years Bogarde shared his homes, first in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, and then in France, with Anthony Forwood. Forwood, who had been married to actress Glynis Johns during the 1940s, was the father of the actor Gareth Forwood, their only child. Bogarde repeatedly denied that his relationship to Forwood was anything other than platonic. This was perhaps a lie because male homosexual acts were criminal during most of his career, and could lead to prosecution and imprisonment. Rank Studio contracts included morality clauses, which provided for termination in the event of "immoral conduct" on the part of the actor. These included same-sex relationships, thus potentially putting the actor's career in jeopardy. // It is possible that Bogarde's refusal to enter into a marriage of convenience was a major reason for his failure to become a star in Hollywood....His friend Helena Bonham Carter believed he would not have been able to come out during later life because this might have demonstrated that he had been forced to camouflage his sexual orientation during his film career.

Of course Bogarde was a famous person. For everyday "regular" people (such as Leonard's father - in the event he's gay), needing to maintain employment, standing and acceptance in their community, not to mention not wanting any of their family, friends, co-workers, or neighbours to potentially turn on and reject (perhaps even attack) them, there was so much incentive to go through life remaining mum. Too, as mentioned, a person could potentially wind up in real trouble - maybe even be jailed on some charge or another, and ultimately be destroyed, locally, forevermore.

Incidentally - for whatever it may be worth - note that Leonard (who was born probably circa 1915, as he's roughly portrayer Al Weaver's current age of 39) doesn't have any siblings; he was his parents' only child (and born during the pre- birth control era when generally married couples had 3-4 or more - frequently 6 or so - kids).

@genplant29 said: For everyday "regular" people (such as Leonard's father - in the event he's gay), needing to maintain employment, standing and acceptance in their community, not to mention not wanting any of their family, friends, co-workers, or neighbours to potentially turn on and reject (perhaps even attack) them, there was so much incentive to go through life remaining mum. Too, as mentioned, a person could potentially wind up in real trouble - maybe even be jailed on some charge or another, and ultimately be destroyed, locally, forevermore.

Absolutely so, genplant, which is why I can't totally agree with you wonder2wonder about homosexuality still being so stigmatized -- I think we've come a very long way since those days. But maybe I think so due to the fact that I live in the downtown of a city - I have no way of knowing what it's like in suburban, exurban or rural areas where it may be safer to be less open. Still, since gay people are no longer imprisoned (or worse) merely because of their sexuality, since they can be open and honest about it without losing livelihood (unless they're actors, ironically), since they can marry and adopt children, surely this represents tremendous progress.

I always liked Dirk Bogarde and didn't realize he was denied a Hollywood career because he refused to marry. It didn't seem to hurt Richard Chamberlain's career -- he was kind of the King of Miniseries in his prime. But admittedly, most gay actors of bygone days and no doubt even some today entered marriages of convenience for the sake of their careers. Gosh, there are countless actors nowadays who aren't married likely because they're gay. Of course only a few are open about it, and usually not until they're old! I think it's probably much easier in some ways for business people to be totally "out" (besides, anti-discrimination policies and laws help to protect them, plus, diversity hiring works in their favor) compared to a handsome actor like a Dirk Bogarde who hopes to land leading man-type roles.

Until you mentioned it earlier genplant, I hadn't considered that what occurred at the gym could come back to haunt Matt somehow in the future. I hope it doesn't turn out that the abused becomes an abuser himself.

@merryapril said:

...I live in the downtown of a city - I have no way of knowing what it's like in suburban, exurban or rural areas....

I don't think I've ever read or heard the words exurban or exurb before. Have those words been around for some time, or are they quite recent? I just now looked up the definition of exurb online and see it means "a region or settlement that lies outside a city and usually beyond its suburbs and that often is inhabited chiefly by well-to-do families".

Learned something new here today!

There are, presumably, no exurbs anywhere within a-couple-hours driving distance of where I live, as that's how far away the nearest city is to here.

@genplant29 said:

@merryapril said:

...I live in the downtown of a city - I have no way of knowing what it's like in suburban, exurban or rural areas....

I don't think I've ever read or heard the words exurban or exurb before. Have those words been around for some time, or are they quite recent? I just now looked up the definition of exurb online and see it means "a region or settlement that lies outside a city and usually beyond its suburbs and that often is inhabited chiefly by well-to-do families".

Learned something new here today!

There are, presumably, no exurbs anywhere within a-couple-hours driving distance of where I live, as that's how far away the nearest city is to here.

It was first used in 1955. Also, think 'McMansions'.

Actually, I think "exurbia" is very similar to "bedroom communities" - residential neighborhoods that mainly serve the workforce of a city, and not necessarily extremely affluent. There have been a lot of tract housing developments built in exurbia, as farms have been sold and beltways constructed. And I can imagine that any outwardly gay person living in a cul de sac could get neighbors' tongues wagging, so there may be more pressure to be discreet there than in downtown. I've seen big burly men in the audience at the opera (which is downtown) wearing dresses, although not a lot of them... there's also an obviously transgender waitperson in a nearby restaurant. So I think wonder2wonder made a valid point, but it's conditional.

Might an exurb by like a gated community and the such? I wonder if they're called exurbs because of some extent of exclusivity. An exurb might perhaps be where ex wives with good alimonies live. lol

Exurbia is simply beyond suburbia yet not quite rural. It was created/enabled mainly by the expansion of highway systems. The prefix "ex" just means "out", and I doubt if gates are needed that far out! That's one reason why people move there!