Grantchester season 8 is set to raise the stakes for Reverend Will Davenport and DI Geordie Keating and some might be fearful of what that might mean for the crime-solving pair.
Returning soon after US fans saw Endeavour end for good, Grantchester has transported viewers back in time once again as another of our favorite detecting duos are leaping back into action. Whilst Reverend Will Davenport might not be a detective by profession he’s proved to be a huge asset to DI Geordie Keating over the years, just as his predecessor Reverend Sidney Chambers was. It’s already been teased that season 8 will see them pushed to their “limit” and some might be wondering about the show’s future.
But is Grantchester season 8 the final installment of the ITV drama or will there be a season 9? We reveal what we know so far and how to watch the show from the beginning…
*Warning: Spoilers ahead*
Is Grantchester season 8 the final season and will there be a season 9?
After the emotional impact of Endeavour ending for good earlier this year, detective drama fans might well have been a little worried about Grantchester’s future too. Currently, there’s been no news of a renewal for the long-running James Runcie adaptation but that doesn’t necessarily mean that Grantchester season 8 will be the final season. Last year season 8 was only confirmed just before season 7 of Grantchester had drawn to its heart-warming end for US viewers and a few months after it ended in the UK.
With this in mind it’s possible that there could be a Grantchester season 9 but that viewers won’t be treated to this exciting confirmation until Grantchester season 8’s finale has aired in either the US or UK.
Since premiering in 2014 the crime drama has amassed fans across the world and with the demand there for more, that’s another factor that could possibly influence its renewal for a possible Grantchester season 9 at some point. There’s also certainly freedom to take Grantchester's DI Geordie Keating and Reverend Will Davenport’s story in different directions in another season.
The show is based upon James Runcie’s The Grantchester Mysteries but it’s departed from the source material at points. On the author’s website, some of these changes are referenced, including how each season of Grantchester advances one year and introducing Will in season 4 when Happy Valley’s James Norton departed the series as Reverend Sidney Chambers.
This is similar to how ITV's Vera is inspired by Ann Cleeves’ Vera novels but has explored different avenues, including introducing DS Aidan Healy as a show-only character after David Leon left Vera as DS Joe Ashworth.
Grantchester could continue to deliver intriguing mysteries for Geordie and Will to solve with more creative license to deviate and explore different plotlines if it was renewed for season 9. Geordie’s actor Robson Green and Will’s actor Tom Brittney previously revealed to ITV how much they enjoy playing the crime-solving duo as season 8 was announced.
Robson described the show as getting “better with age” and declared “everyone involved is at the top of their game” and that it was an “absolute privilege to be part of it”. Whilst Tom shared, "I’m absolutely chuffed that we’re going ahead with another series of Grantchester and that I get to continue playing a character I adore so much.”
Their love of the show suggests that they might well be up for Grantchester season 9 if it’s given the go-ahead and as for Grantchester season 8, it seems Geordie and Will are set to face some seriously challenging times. ITV has teased that a “terrible accident” would see the reverend lead on a “dangerous downward spiral”.
Not only that, but Grantchester season 8 would test Will and Geordie “to the limit” as it explores “faith, forgiveness and redemption”. With the stakes raised, we’re in for an emotional and turbulent ride in season 8 as we await further news about the show’s future and the possibility of a season 9…
How to watch Grantchester season 8 and from the beginning
For US viewers there's no need for any more agonizing waiting as Grantchester season 8 started on July 9 on Masterpiece PBS. Episodes are being released weekly on Sundays building up to the last two episodes which will be released in one go on Sunday, August 6. UK viewers will have to be patient for a little while longer as whilst it is set to land on ITV1 and ITVX, an exact UK release date for Grantchester season 8 hasn't been confirmed yet.
Anyone in the US can also catch up on Grantchester seasons 1-7 via PBS Passport, whilst those in the UK can enjoy all the previous seasons via ITVX, alongside the Grantchester Christmas Special.
Sadly, if you’re going to be on vacation abroad when you want to watch Grantchester seasons 1-7 then you won’t be able to watch as you normally would at home. Luckily there’s an easy solution and you can use a VPN to continue watching. This is a handy bit of software that changes your IP address so that you can access on-demand content or live TV just as if you were at home.
Our sister site, TechRadar, has tested all of the major VPN services and they rate ExpressVPN as the absolute best. They say, “It’s compatible with all of your devices, supports most streaming services, and ranks among the fastest. You can even install it on devices like an Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox, and PlayStation. So for a one-stop-shop, you can’t go wrong with Express.”
