Grantchester Season 5 Writers Reunite

- [Jace] This week we are going, inside the writer's room on Grantchester and we are joined by Daisy Coulam, John Jackson and Joshua St.

Johnston.

- Welcome.

- [Daisy] Thank you.

- [John] Thank you, hello.

- [Joshua] Thanks for having us.

- What happens when you start taking the love of your life for granted?

- All hell breaks loose believe me.

- [Jace] This season is the most explosive this far, resulting in a fifth episode reveal that was horrifically shocking.

Not just to Will Davenport but to the viewers as well.

We talked about this a little bit Daisy.

But where did this idea for the Vic Morgan revelation come from?

- [Daisy] Didn't we have a newspaper article John?

I felt sure I brought or maybe I brought one in and it was about how there were these boys rehabilitation.

They were real these kind of places where, and we thought we'll would be into that, that kind of idea of rehabilitating criminals and setting them on the right path, in his kind of boat rocker sort of persona.

So we started from there and then we just, I don't know how to do it John?

- [Joshua] I think it was that, but I think it was like we were kind of thinking like, what is that back to that theme?

What is, what was kind of ultimate Eden and the idea of this place which was kind of supposed to be inspiring and based on kind of work and obviously loves boxing.

But just this place which was like this father figure in Vic.

It was like, I think it was kind of mean, we were being mean to Will I think.

It is going like what is his greatest place and how can we make it.

(Indefinite) How do we kind of have the fall of this place?

'Cause I think that's what the series is really about.

- [Daisy] Idealism.

- [John] Idealism yeah, shattering idealism.

- [Daisy] We were saying something about growing up.

What made you remember what Will used to talk about?

This is the series where WIll grows up, realizes the world Isn't perfect.

- [John] Yeah.

I mean it's sad, really, it's that had happened, but I think it I mean, it's that, I think it's the best episode of the whole series.

Lazes at five it's amazing, and yeah I just, I mean it's so well, it's just so well done like all of it.

Yeah, it's a hacker (indefinite) - [Jace] I'm curious about how his writers the team wove, those little hints and clues about Vic throughout the season.

And how much did you collectively wanna hint at what he was without hanging a lantern on it?

- [Joshua] I'd say Emma gave me a really clear night, which is the hint not at all and do anything that I could to just make the audience, love him and trust him and root for him.

- Come up, next up no slacking.

- All right, straight knees and 20 press ups.

Chest on the floor.

Come on you to leave my stuff.

- I'm busy losing to this bag.

- You all right.

- No you know the world.

- It's a beautiful place and don't let anyone tell you differently - [Joshua] And minor episode was episode just before.

But it's a really good note, because we want to be with will in terms of like, when that shock comes we want to be completely shocked.

- [Daisy] Yeah.

And that was I suppose that was there were hints of it, Weren't there, when Matthew tries to rob the cinema and it's obviously comes from a place of he's desperate to get out.

And he just can't say the words.

- I don't understand, why are you doing this?

You like it here.

Why are you throwing it all away?

- If anyone is to blame is me.

- Really?

- It's the running cost of this place, that fruit of roof.

We've been running from of the boys that we love.

Luckily you did it for us.

Where's the money?

- For the white.

- [Daisy] And it's only if you look back that you realize that's what's going on.

So we knew we wanted to piece, but that was the main thing wasn't it?

Make him and also Ross Snowball the actor is, you just wanna give him a cuddle 'cause he's so nice.

And he's a really nice in person and he's just good at playing that avuncular guy.

So did you not see it Jace?

Did you not see it coming?

- [Jace] No, not at all.

It's only, I've seen it now three times.

So it's only going back that I keep seizing onto these small moments and I'm like, that's a hint, that's a clue.

But going through the first time, I had no idea.

So it completely took me by surprise and was just a horrific episode to watch, because you did feel like Will that you'd had the rug pulled out from beneath you and your whole worldview is sort of shaken by the fact that this guy who seems innately good, like a do gooder is actually the face of evil.

It was very traumatic to watch.

I think especially because Will's reaction to it is so devastating.

We are devastated as well.

- [Daisy] Yeah.

- [Joshua] I think It's really important that you guys told a story in that way because that is, that seems to represent the reality doesn't it?

(indefinite) creating that persona that is like a character from Eden, someone who is helping boys and a force for good in the world.

That's what allows them to get away with doing what they do.

- [Daisy] Yeah.

That's what Judy says, isn't it?

We were all fooled by him kind of, everyone was fooled by him.

So that's how they work.

Those men.

- What does it say about me that I liked FIC?

- It's what they do these men, they pull the wool over everyone's eyes.

Everyone fell for him Will, not just you.

- [Joshua] Emma gave me this great note, which is where we're grooming the viewers in the same way that he's grooming Will, and that is, that's such a great sort of metaphor for it because it makes it, it's the thing that makes it work.