Grace’s season 5 fails with disappointing mishandling of key character exit

ITV’s crime series “Grace” is back for its fifth round, with the primary team diving headfirst into fresh, high-stakes investigations. However, a significant character conspicuously remained absent from these actions.

Of course, we’re not referring to Detective Sergeant Roy Grace, played by John Simm, whose private life has taken a dramatic turn following the heartbreaking miscarriage of his and Cleo’s (Zoë Tapper) baby and the unexpected appearance of his long-lost son.

Apart from the captivating narrative, what really stood out to me was the absence of Craig Parkinson’s character, Norman Potting, in season five. I had been aware that Parkinson wouldn’t be reprising his role for this season – he announced his departure even before the premiere of season four back in August 2024, through a heartfelt message on Instagram.

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As a gamer, I’ve spent the last few exhilarating years playing the role of Detective Norman Potting, and now, with a mix of joy and reluctance, I’m hanging up my detective badge. The upcoming season of #Grace on @itv, starting September 1st, will be an exciting finale for me. It’s time to say goodbye, but the memories we’ve made together will live on.

In the early stages of season five, I noticed that the creators weren’t planning another swap-out like they had with Cassian Pewe, a character who was initially played by James D’Arcy but wasn’t recast this time around.

The mystery about the missing character grew increasingly ominous as Grace failed to acknowledge Norman’s disappearance in the first episode, given his intense storyline from the last season.

Fans won’t forget the devastating diagnosis Norman received, that he had advanced prostate cancer localized in his body. His story didn’t receive a tidy conclusion, which left his tale feeling incomplete and uncertain.

During the chat between Roy and Bella Moy (Laura Elphinstone), who used to be Norman’s partner, Grace focused on Norman’s lack of appearance in the ongoing season. When asked directly, she admitted that she hadn’t received any communication from Norman.

At first, given the novelty of their relationship, one might anticipate some significant interaction between them regarding Norman leaving. Perhaps as a means of clarification. But when Roy suggested, “I guess you could say his silence is him trying to shield you from everything,” Bella’s blunt retort was, “Well, we both understand that’s nonsense.” This effectively dashed any hopes for further communication on the matter.

Moving forward, it’s up to the fans to imagine what happens next for Grace. It seems clear that Norman has departed from Brighton and Bella, leaving them to cope with his cancer revelation. However, this sudden ending feels unsatisfying and anticlimactic, appearing to cut short Grace’s storyline.

Given that each season of the show consists of just four episodes, it makes sense that every second counts due to the limited time available to develop storylines. Nevertheless, we believe spending time on completing Norman’s character arc was well worth the investment.

It seems more fitting for Parkinson’s character arc to continue beyond the series, as ending it following Norman’s unfortunate events might feel awkward and unsatisfying. Both the audience and the character deserve a proper resolution rather than being left hanging.

It might be more fitting to explore this matter in season six, as it’s already been greenlit, though for the time being, Norman’s farewell seems weightier than expected.

All episodes of Grace are available to stream now on ITVX.

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2025-04-07 20:19