[Favourite of the Month] Set in the Cotswolds during the 1960s, Sister Boniface Mysteries is a 10 x 45-minute lighthearted British detective series available since last month in the U.S. on streaming service Britbox.
It will air in the U.K. on UKTV's free-to-air channel Drama from March 11th.
Sister Boniface Mysteries stars comedian and actress Lorna Watson as the myopic, Vespa riding and crime-solving Sister Boniface. This Catholic nun of the St Vincent convent, a winemaking community, has an IQ of 156, a PhD in chemistry and a laboratory. She's a vintner but her knowledge in science and a passion for crime fiction led her to become a scientific advisor for the police of a little town called Great Slaughter. MI5 even tried to hire her before she decided to take veil. The charming Lorna Watson is a true joy to watch as the wonderfully intelligent and energetic sleuthing nun. She first played the character in The Bride of Christ, the sixth episode of the first series of Father Brown. This popular BBC afternoon mystery drama based on the short stories by G.K. Chesterton was launched in 2013.
Starring Mark Williams (Doctor Who) in the title role (1), Father Brown celebrated its 100th episode in January. French pubcaster France 3, an important buyer of the genre, overlooked it and preferred the younger priest of Grantchester. Sister Boniface Mysteries was created by Jude Tindall (Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private investigators), who wrote the Father Brown episode and penned the flamboyant return of Sister Boniface in Unnatural Causes. The body of a young woman is discovered within the Aunt Sally dummy at the Mangold Wurzel Festival. Detective Sergeant Felix Livingstone, from the Bermuda Islands and seconded to Scotland Yard, arrives in Great Slaughter because of an administrative error. Sister Boniface and him join Detective Inspector Sam Gillespie at the crime scene.
The victim was a housemaid for the wealthy Bellamy family. Felix — far from the Yard's modern policing methods — has a bit of a culture shock in the countryside. Sam doesn't read the ancient Greek and the trio is confronted with a strange hostage situation. Sister Boniface Mysteries is an affectionate take on the classic whodunnit with a healthy dose of humour. Lorna Watson is surrounded by an excellent cast: Max Brown (Downton Abbey, The Royals) as DI Gillespie, Jerry Iwu (DS Livingstone), Miranda Raison (Spooks) as journalist Ruth Penny, Ami Metcalf (WPC Penny Button), Sarah Crowden (Miss Thimble), David Sterne (Tom Thomas), Virginia Fiol (Sister Reginald), Belinda Lang (Mrs Clam), Carolyn Pickles (Mother Superior Adrian), Robert Daws (Chief Constable Lowsley), etc.
Silvia Presente, Michael Marcus and Fred Fergus are amongst the guest stars of this episode directed by Paul Gilbson (Father Brown). In Light, Camera, Murder!, a TV crew uses the St Vincent convent as a location for a spy-fi series called Operation QT (think The Avengers). Sister Boniface and Sister Peter, who's a huge fan, observe the filming when a real bullet is fired. A tremendously fun episode written by Dominique Moloney and enriched by the presence of Tina Chiang as Sister Peter. Felicity Montagu plays Canoness Basil. With Stephanie Booth, Andrew Scarborough, Ingrid Lakou, etc. Directed by Merlyn Rice. Produced by BBC Studios Drama Productions for Britbox. Exec produced by Will Trotter. Exec produced for Britbox by Emily Powers and Stephen Nye. Peter Bullock is the producer.
Jude Tindall is the associate producer. Music by Michael Price. Cinematography by Jaz Castleton (Episode 1) and Chris Preston (Episode 2). Editing by Tristan Leon (Episode 1) and Simon Prentice (Episode 2). There will be a second series of Sister Boniface Mysteries. Distributed by BBC Studios.
(1) Mark Williams appears as Father Brown in the fourth episode of the first series of Sister Boniface Mysteries.
