'Grantchester' Season 6 Kicks Off October On Masterpiece

Fans of Grantchester finally can mark their calendars for the return of the town's favorite crime-solving vicar. Despite not having a premiere date in the U.K. as yet, Masterpiece has confirmed the series will kick off the traditional October slate, premiering on Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021.

Like many of Masterpiece's usual suspects in the mystery show department, Grantchester's filming schedule was upended by the pandemic last year. The series had already experienced a full-year hiatus between Seasons 3 and 4 after significant casting turnover replaced original leading man James Norton with Tom Brittney. A second delay wasn't ideal, but the show has managed to keep it shorter than most, with a U.S. premiere for Season 6 that lags only a few months behind its usual summer spot on the schedule.

Despite the behind-the-scenes drama that replaced the crime-solving Rev. Sidney Chambers (who stars in the James Runcie short stories upon which the show is based) with the younger (but not really hipper) Will Davenport, the show's popularity hadn't waned. In fact, Season 5 saw U.K. ratings rise after dipping down in the wake of Norton's exit, proving the new lineup was just as popular as ever. That Masterpiece has already announced a premiere on this side of the pond ahead of ITV suggests that U.S. audiences are just as eager to see more of Davenport and DI Geordie Keating (Robson Green) back on the case.

Check out new footage from the upcoming season in Masterpiece's latest promo: