Father Brown (TV Series) The Alchemist's Secret (2017) User Reviews

Who killed the pretty boy?

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 16 March 2018]

The Alchemist's Secret is a very good episode, a strong story, good plot, and a great set of characters. The start is excellent, and helps build up the intrigue, I've always been fascinated by alchemy, it's a great subject and makes for a strong story.

The show has given us some excellent characters over the years, and it's a shame they hardly ever return, wonderful to see Professor Ambrose return, brilliantly played again by the excellent James Laurenson.

Slightly more serious in tone then some recent episodes, and all the better for it. Enjoyed this one.

Tiresome Mallory Strikes Again

[woodway77 · 7/10 · 17 January 2019]

The series is going fine with the stories but I've reached the limit with the clumsy, oafish, lout expressed in the extremely disappointing character of Inspector Mallory. Investigatory technique which would raise gales of derisive laughter at a Girl Guides meeting combined with an unenlightened, bullying persona. Not one of the prior inspectors could be said to have any great empathy or connection with the Father's powers of deduction, but Mallory, as written, lowers the tone to an astonishing degree, featuring a smoking, drinking lecher (The Smallest of Things) who might just prefer to arrest the entire village each time a crime is committed, just to prove that he's on the job. A ridiculous caricature who gets progressively more disappointing and who I'm sure is causing viewers to give up on the series.

A touch of Raiders of the Lost Ark

[safenoe · 7/10 · 7 October 2023]

Danny Webb guest stars as Malcolm Pendle, the Principal of Gloucester University. Anyway, there is certainly elements of Raiders of the Lost Ark in The Alchemist's Secret, with the snakes ("I hate snakes!!"), the sunlight direction, the deadly secret at the end, which also had elements of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Still and nevertheless, this is an interesting episode to watch. I'm enjoying catching up on Father Brown, along with the early seasons of Magnum, P. I. and Law and Order, along with a dose of Superstore and Barry.

Lady Felicia and Sid are sorely missed but the Scooby Gang must go on.

The Alchemist's Secret

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 30 September 2018]

Professor Ambrose returns as the celebrated university scholar. However his mind is not what it once was as he gets increasingly forgetful.

This is a more sombre episode. It starts off with a flashback as someone is killed by a mysterious beaked person.

Professor Ambrose has come across an old diary. A secret chamber when the university was constructed over 300 years ago that might contain the mysteries of making gold or some other treasures.

What Father Brown finds is a dead body of a student who may had come in possession of a medal that could lead to further clues. The forgetful Professor Ambrose is accused of his murder and Father Brown must come to his rescue.

Father Brown gets to be Indiana Jones in this episode. Sunlight pointing the way to hidden rooms. Maps about a village that suddenly disappeared. A box that should remain unopened.

An intriguing episode but one I felt where the villain was signposted. Sometimes the casting can be a big pointer and the episode needed a few more red herrings.

The Alchemist's secret

[coltras35 · 5/10 · 10 July 2022]

Father Brown must investigate a 300-year-old secret hidden in a university in order to save an old friend. A sombre entry that touches upon memory loss. It's sort of a Indiana Jones in regards to hunting for something valuable. Valuable enough to kill for. Can meander at times, the plot is a bit convoluted, but otherwise it's fairly watchable.