The Resurrectionists is the eighth episode of the fourth season of Father Brown.
A well liked young man, who works at his family's bakery and looks after his mother and younger brother, dies in a motorcycle accident. The day after his funeral, his grave is dug up and his body disappears. Signs point to a family rival as a likely culprit, but the younger brother suggests something else is going on.
Tropes:
- Accidental Pun: While discussing the issue of the graverobbery, Father Brown insists he will "get to the bottom of it."
- Comically Missing the Point: Father Brown asks Sid to find a discreet place to hide Alexander's empty casket. They return to the presbytery to find it propped up in the kitchen.
- Deadpan Snarker: Between the usual suspects:Lady Felicia: I've never written a ghost story before.Mrs. McCarthy: On behalf of the world, I'd like to thank you for that....Felicia: People enjoy a spooky story! It gives them hope!Mrs. M.: That you'll stop writing books?
- Disappearing Box: Alexander's casket has a hinged side, allowing the interred to escape the coffin without the lid opening. This is how Alexander fakes his death, while still being in the casket for the funeral. He secretly escapes after the coffin has been taken outside — all his pallbearers were secretly in on it.
- Exactly What It Says on the Tin: Father Brown promises Sid a week of hot meals if he skips his work night to help them in the graveyard watch, alluding to Mrs. McCarthy. At the end of the episode, Sid is eagerly looking forward to his first free meal, but Mrs. M and Lady Felicia both leave. Father Brown then proceeds to pull a burnt, smoking casserole from the oven and serves it to Sid, who is fuming .Father Brown: Don't worry, I'm sure I'll get the hang of it by the end of the week.
- Faking the Dead: Alexander. At least, at first.
- Feuding Families: The Moores and the Blackstones.
- Grin of Audacity: Catherine is seen at the scene of the accident curiously grinning.
- Good News, Bad News: Invoked by Father Brown:Father Brown: The good news is, there was no graverobbing.Lady Felicia: What's the bad news?Father Brown: There's a killer on the loose.
- Jump Scare: In-universe; while patrolling the graveyard at night, Lady Felicia jumps from behind a fence with a sinister voice to scare Mrs. M, in order to assess what fear is like, but she insists she is not scared.
- Kissing Cousins: Alexander and Catherine as it turns out.
- Last-Name Basis: While keeping watch over the graveyard at night, Father Brown asks Mrs. M "Anything to report, McCarthy?" like a pretend secret agent or something.
- Of course, given the time period, most of the main characters tend to address each other by their last names anyway. It's even in the name of the show.
- Move Along, Nothing to See Here: Dr. Harris refuses to let Father Brown see the body of the accident victim, after he offers to give it the Prayer for the Dead (and probably a ploy to see what's happened). Ostensibly, it's because the head was detached from the body, and is thus too gruesome to see. It's actually because he doesn't want him to see that the body isn't real.
- Secret Relationship: Alexander and Catherine.
- Surprise Incest: Alexander and Catherine again. Downplayed since they're cousins rather than siblings but it's treated much the same way.
- We Gotta Stop Meeting Like This: Catherine to Ian.
- You Do Not Want To Know: Mrs. Moore insists on seeing her son's body before the funeral. Father Brown suggests it's not a good idea, but she doesn't budge. He lifts the lid, and she is aghast at what she sees.
