Grace season four: Fans have same reaction to detective drama's return
Sunday night saw the return of Grace. Back for a fourth instalment, episode one picked up with DS Roy Grace (John Simm) investigating a brutal robbery. As the eponymous detective and his colleague, DS Glen Branson (Richie Campbell), got to work on the case, Cleo (Zoë Tapper) grappled with her pregnancy.
The first of four episodes, it's safe to say that Grace has got off to a blinding start, with viewers hailing the show as "peak ITV drama."
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, several fans have commended the series on its return. "Oooh, fab first ep of the new series of #Grace. Finally some TV that's well worth watching!" wrote one.
"Morse in the 80s, Frost in the 90s, Foyle in the 2000s, Vera in the 2010s. #Grace will end up ITV's definitive top new eponymous detective drama for the 2020s," noted a second. "Amazing #Grace tonight. One of @ITV best dramas. Great way to start," raved a third.
Ahead of the season four premiere, Craig Parkinson – aka DS Norman Potting – has teased what's in store.
Speaking to Radio Times, he said: "I can tell you that Grace is the antithesis of [Mrs] Sidhu [Investigates]. It's the seedy, dark underbelly of Brighton and I would probably say this season of Grace takes it to its most disturbing finale. And that's probably all I'm allowed to say on that."
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For Craig, the actor's return to season four is bittersweet, as it marks his final outing as Norman. Taking to Instagram last week, the 48-year-old announced his exit from the detective drama.
"Some #Grace news… After a very happy few years I've made the decision to hand in Norman Potting's detective badge. The new season of #Grace begins on @itv on September 1st but it will also be my last."
He continued: "It's been a real pleasure working with @johnsimmofficial (again!) leading the charge and fabulous colleagues in @richkidcampbell @bradmorrison1988 @zoetapperofficial and, of course, my partner @lauraelph. You're all fantastic!
"It's been a wonderful journey playing Norman Potting, chasing around the streets of Brighton and dangling bad guys off Brighton Pier. I really hope you enjoy this season, it's been a blast."
While Craig is preparing to wave goodbye, the rest of the cast are expected to return for season five.
In May, John Simm was among the first to announce the show's renewal. "Filming is underway on GRACE season 5," he penned on Instagram. "We're suited & booted and back on the beat. 4 new feature-length episodes based on the books by @peterjamesuk."
