Broadchurch (2013–2017) User Reviews

Mesmerizing. A show somewhere between your most beautiful imagination and your darkest fears.

[reviewcentralny · 9/10 · 2 May 2013]

An enthusiastic reviewer started writing about this show when it started filming, speaking with great anticipation about the creator of the show's previous work and then the premise of his new show - a crime story, inherently tragic, focusing on grief, dark puzzles and a small community in which everyone knows everyone. I immediately thought of 'The Killing' and whether I would feel the same sense of of despondency when I watch shows like that.

Turns out I was both right and completely wrong. And I'll get to the emphatic 'yes!' for this show in a moment. The storyline, like in most crime shows these days, is hardly original. And you could say that like many British TV shows with veteran actors, intriguing plots with a dark narrative devoid of hope or a happy ending (contrary to most American TV shows with a similar premise), this show too, relies on intriguing characters to keep your interest in the puzzle and the secrets each character holds. But Broadchurch does all that without ever indulging in tragedy or hopelessness. No easy feat.

The acting and casting are flawless. The story feels real and unfolds with a steady, organic pace. David Tennant's nuanced take on the character, which could have easily been another self-important anti-hero with a troubled past, instead offsets Olivia Colman's character wonderfully. Her genuine, sincere approach to life, creating inevitable friction is a surprisingly fresh take on the traditional mismatched police partner or 'buddy cop' dynamics.

And then comes the beauty. Each shot framed like a painting featuring the stunning cliffs and beaches around the Dorset coast in all its rugged glory. Even interviews with suspects are photographed with elegance and an unexpected ethereal quality, using blurred light and colors. The stunning landscape setting is used not just as a backdrop, but a powerful narrative, contrasting its vastness with the small stories of each one of the locals. The calm, reflective moments in each episode feature scenes without dialog, allowing you to absorb it all.

This is where the music comes in. Too often an afterthought, a necessary element to invoke emotion or underline the words, here the music becomes one of the main characters of the show. An understated yet stunning soundtrack by Ólafur Arnalds, featured prominently throughout the series. And what a revelation it is. Allowing you to watch Broadchurch both as a sophisticated detective story and as an evocative, elegant music video. And while concert halls featured the most talented composers in the past, sadly or thankfully, TV shows (possibly more than feature length films even), seem to be the perfect outlet for the most creative contemporary artists. Utopia, Breaking Bad and Battlestar Galactica come to mind.

You could say then, that it is Ólafur Arnalds' score who helps Broadchurch transcend the sadness and grief of the story told, but it wouldn't be fair to understate the the stunning cinematography and art direction, subtle and powerful storytelling and production by Chris Chibnall. And with a cast that is able to portray the characters with depth and authenticity, it helps Broadchurch stand out from similar shows, deserving a review beyond simple comparison.

Excellent drama, penetrating insights into the human condition.

[barmstrong-782-631970 · 9/10 · 5 September 2013]

The only reason why I'm not giving it a 10/10 is because I have to leave a little room for humbleness. However, without a doubt, one of the best TV dramas that I have ever seen. It blends human frailty, melodramatic egos among professionals, frigid and temperamental relationships among small town residents, child anxieties, and mistrust, in a very artful way. It also shows the very real side of how people are often confused and blameworthy against everyone especially with the most flimsy of evidence.

I probably could come up with more adjectives, and penetrating analysis, but perhaps it is better for those who haven't seen, to see. It left me in tears at the end. I think about my own children, my own family, and it left me with a strange feeling of uncertainty and doubt. It will take me a long time to shake that.

Very good story-telling!

One of the most exceptionally riveting series to grace my television set

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 23 August 2017]

It took me a while to review 'Broadchurch', wanting to wait until watching all three seasons before reviewing. From the very start, 'Broadchurch' had me gripped and despite a couple of things that didn't quite work didn't let go.

At its best, 'Broadchurch' was some of the best television to grace my television set, not just in recent years but in general. Simply adore mystery dramas and the positive word of mouth was near-universal, reasons enough to watch it. Was riveted and couldn't look away throughout all three seasons and was thirsty for more, that's the mark of a great or more series. Like 'The Missing' and the Danish version of 'The Killing', as far as series from the past decade go, 'Broadchurch' came incredibly close to perfection. It isn't quite but even the little that didn't quite work weren't enough to stop it from being exceptional.

The ending of Season 1, while very shocking, was a bit of a let-down after the rest of the season being so flawless. It just felt rushed and contrived and the perpetrator and motive did seem on the unlikely side. While Season 2 was still incredibly interesting and enjoyable, with lots of tension, suspense and poignancy to spare with greatly written characters and engaging court room scenes, the old case mystery was atmospheric and tense but felt shoehorned in initially and forced in placement with Hardy out of character, though did get better and more interesting later on.

With all that aside, 'Broadchurch' is fully deserving of the acclaim. It started off absolutely brilliantly with Season 1 let done only by an ending that didn't do it justice, wasn't quite as good but good enough to not lose interest in Season 2 and, contrary to what a few have said, Season 3 does something different with a new case but referring to previous events and still has the ability to shock, absorb and move.

'Broadchurch' is one of the finest visually series seen by me. The locations are gorgeous and so atmospheric, and the series is beautifully photographed, fluid and brooding. The music is both haunting and tragic.

Standing out also is the writing. It's rare to find on television recently to have a series so intelligently written and be so layered and meaty. While the pacing is deliberate in places, a lot happens to keep one gripped and ensure that the tension and mystery never slips. Aside from the multi-layered and utterly absorbing cases, all three series have many characters and subplots and do justice to all of them, rare these days in television and film.

Characters, lead and supporting, are interesting and never black and white, having redeeming qualities as well as flaws. 'Broadchurch' does a particularly good job with Ellie in Season 2. The subplots are a perfect balance of dark, sensitive and emotional, especially in Season 1. The direction is accomplished throughout.

You couldn't have asked for better performances either. Particularly outstanding is Olivia Coleman, now this is an actress who brings many emotions and nuances to a role that few actresses of the television medium do so well, and sometimes in an understated way. David Tennant's acting here is some of his career's best, bringing conflict and likability to a deliberately flawed character.

David Bradley, Pauline Quirke, Jodie Whittaker, Charlotte Rampling, Eva Myles, James D'Arcy, Julie Hesmondhalgh and Sarah Parish are standouts in support.

In summation, exceptionally riveting. 9/10 Bethany Cox

New standard

[keith-777-269807 · 10/10 · 28 August 2013]

I enjoy British crime dramas. I find the pacing and depth of characterization is more engaging than the better American shows and there is often more emphasis on "mystery". Meanwhile I find the Americans are more innovative and the plots seldom have the holes that sometimes mar British crime stories. Broadchurch is a marvel. I have never seen a TV drama that explores the emotions of so many characters so convincingly. Crimes are traumatizing. Broadchurch gets this perfectly. Nor have I have ever seen a crime drama that packs a visual punch in so many scenes. The Dorset coast is a character in Broadchurch. It plays its role as effectively as any of the brilliant actors in this piece. And that brings up the acting. You won't find a weak performance and some are unforgettable. There were times when I was reminded of how exciting it was watch Sopranos for the first time. Broadchurch may even have the same kind of influence on future television filmmakers. It transcends comparisons between the US and the UK. It's a new standard and an instant classic.

Beautiful Broadchurch

[Pipkin_Sweetgrass · 10/10 · 26 September 2013]

I can't say too much how much I enjoyed this series. Unlike most murder dramas, this story isn't about autopsies and gunfights. It's about human nature. It's about the tragedy of the murder of a child. It's about the court of public opinion, the sinister nature of irresponsible journalism, the failures, frailties and flaws of our fellow human beings. This is 'Shakespeare writes a detective story'.

Chris Chibnall has now gone to the top of my list as a writer. It was beautifully done. In no way has he broken the cardinal rule of show, don't tell. Nor has he made the horrible mistake of creating any perfect character. All of them, from youngest to oldest, are wonderfully imperfect human beings, and with no character is this more obvious than our protagonist, DI Alec Hardy, masterfully played by David Tennant as the world-weary detective with secrets of his own and a shadowy past. He is so wonderfully written by Chibnall and executed by Tennant that we find ourselves won over by a character that on the surface is quite unlikable. Tennant's performance has, IMO, overshadowed his role in Doctor Who with this work. He has proved before that he's far more than the Tenth Doctor. With his Hardy, he made me forget about all other roles.

Olivia Colman, too, is wonderful. Her character enjoys a growth that's wonderful to behold. Colman is as good as any actress out there. I've seen her before, but with her Ellie Miller, she has captured me completely.

In fact not a single actor or actress was badly chosen. From eldest to youngest and male and female, all of them turned in sterling performances. Even the dog! I was especially pleased with Arthur Darvill. Young Adam Wilson, who played Tom Miller, was quite impressive as well.

This series is what TV should look like. This is what The Killing should have looked like. This is TV at it's finest. The story arc was magnificent, centered, not on procedurals and junk science-based CSI (actual CSI is nothing like what's shown on TV) but on the tragedy of it, and how that tragedy bled into the lives of the people of Broadchurch, itself, even the ones investigating it. The dialog was wonderful, especially the banter between Hardy and Miller, whose polar-opposite natures should have been cliché, yet were pulled off masterfully by Colman and Tennant. Hardy's subplot was simply divine. We find out why he is so world-weary, yet, in the end are still left with the mystery of him, and know he is Broadchurch's greatest mystery still. Little touches, like the 'love thy neighbor' signs add further richness and poignancy and lend the tale yet more humanity. Rich in character development, beautifully photographed, the series ended in a perfect denouement. And the best part is we are left wanting more, which is the mark of a truly great story.

Best mini series I have ever seen!

[beth-clarke-783-108722 · 10/10 · 4 September 2013]

I have seen a lot of mini series, I love British TV - but I will have to say this is probably the best I have seen. Riveting. unpredictable and intense without over dramatization. At first it took me to a little slow but as i got to know the characters and the story that was progressing, I was hooked. The ending - I didn't see coming. But is was done so well. Relatable to so many people without being over the top. I found every character had such an important role that the ending almost came as a surprise. If you want a show that is realistic without being over the top - but at the same time relateable - this is it!!! I only hope season two is as good. The characters were amazing. The story line was believable. i could not stop watching it. If the other seasons are written with thew same demeanor and the same quality _ i will be sure to watch them all.

An excellent British crime-drama

[jamesbelotti · 10/10 · 2 October 2013]

Broadchurch is a fantastic and refreshing British crime-drama. The 8 part series can be complemented on its beautiful cinematography, compelling acting (particularly the performance of Olivia Colman) and a story that grips you. While the story can be somewhat depressing the depth of the characters and the well constructed plot makes it hard not to watch the series in one sitting. Furthermore, unlike other television shows centered on crime, Broadchurch leaves some subtle clues through out the later episodes, which allows viewers to indulge in guessing the killer. The only criticism is that some of the younger actors/actresses give flawed performances, but this is to be expected. I would highly recommend watching this show.

8 Nearly Perfect Hours...

[A_Different_Drummer · 10/10 · 3 September 2013]

As if more proof were needed --- it is not -- here we see what happens when you allow a very talented production team to dig deep and come up with, essentially, a 7 hour, sequential, melodrama, or crime novel. (Eight hours less commercials). Even Hollywood on its best day can only do 2 and a half hours and is therefore handicapped (and when Hollywood tries to go the distance, the suits involved usually end up eating their own young -- check out ONCE UPON A TIME IN America, an extended melodrama that the late Roger Ebert once referred as the most disastrous editing job he had encountered in his career). Absolutely superb and near-flawless entertainment. Only possible criticism is that the last 9 minutes of the concluding episode are, well, gratuitous and out-of-place, oddly heavy-handed. The acting is stunning, not merely Tennant, who is always good, but the supporting cast is pitch perfect. The story is multi-faceted, a so-called simple murder in a simple town which probes the very souls of the characters involved. "How could you not know?" is a line of dialogue that pops up more than once, and is really the signature for the whole piece. If you can, watch it beginning to end and don't be surprised if you simply cannot hit the PAUSE button. It's that good. ------------------------------------------

Addendum June 16: Just starting the second season. In my other reviews, I flagged that most really great shows have one single character who is effectively the "glue" in the narrative, the character that keeps the viewer hooked even when there is no strong forward movement in the episode. Here the glue is the superb actress Olivia Colman, who (noticed this several times) can deliver a line of dialog with only one or two words ("Wanker!" "Still Married!") and still make the viewer smile or wince ... or even cry. Wow.

Crime show with a heart

[fergis · 9/10 · 10 April 2013]

I have been loving the emotional depth of this show! So often families of murder victims exist merely to give clues for the eventual solution but in Broadchurch we are exposed to the grief of a bereft and torn family.

I have never paid much attention to Olivia Coleman before but what an amazing actress! She will be added to my list of actors to follow from now on! She plays Ellie Miller a local detective who is not only charged with investigating the murder but who also knows personally the various suspects and players in the drama. An interesting mix and a fruitful tension!

I am very glad for her character because Miller's superior, DI ALec Hardy (David Tennant), is very much the clichéd grumpy dysfunctional detective we have all seen in a hundred other cop dramas. Having said that he plays his role well. If we must have this trope then Tennant brings some new life to it which is a tribute to his screen presence.

The setting is small town Dorset(Southern England). The village setting with its entangled relationships is fertile soil for the twists and tangles of the story.

After 6 episodes I am very much involved with the characters from the town of Broadchurch and am hoping the producers of this show will let it come to the end of its story arc in the scheduled 8 episodes.

You know, it's just kind of okay

[korereviews · 7/10 · 14 March 2017]

Which is to say, I watch it, I enjoy it well enough, but I just can't understand all the gushing reviews about Broadchurch. I am a big fan of David Tennant; but frankly his character isn't very interesting or especially well-written here. Broadchurch is flat - there is no arc to his character. Olivia Colman is a great actress and if she weren't there I don't imagine there would be any life to this series at all, given that Tennant's character just walks around scowling. But mostly the format is rather trite and formulaic: small town, a heinous crime, wide cast of characters - everyone with something to hide, etc. etc. It's all been done a million times before. That doesn't mean it can't still work, but the writing has to be fantastic and innovative in some way. And this isn't. It's not awful, it's just kind of ... okay. By comparison, look at Happy Valley: also nothing revolutionary about the format or story, but the actors are great AND are given amazing material to work with. It's the difference that excellent writing makes.

Gripping eight part murder mystery

[Tweekums · 10/10 · 23 April 2013]

DS Ellie Miller is expecting to be promoted but when eleven year old Danny Latimer is found murdered on the beach it is thought that somebody with more experience is needed. That person is DI Alec Hardy; he has experience with such a crime but as the prosecution failed in that case he may be a liability. Broadchurch isn't the sort of town where such things happen and everybody is shaken; it is also the sort of town where everybody seems to know everybody else but as the case progresses it emerges that many people have secrets and as they are exposed lives will be changed forever.

Plenty of suspects emerge; the Danny's father lies about where he was that night, the leader of the Sea Cadets has a conviction for underage sex, a woman living near the beach has Danny's skateboard and DS Miller's own son quickly deleted his correspondence with Danny as soon as he learnt his friend was dead to name but a few. By the time the story approached its conclusion many of these things had been explained but not all; as I settled down to watch the final episode there were still plenty of people I thought might have done it.

The large cast do a fine job; particularly David Tennant and Olivia Coleman who played Hardy and Miller and Jodie Whittaker who played Danny's mother. The story moved along nicely and despite the numerous suspects it didn't feel too convoluted. The only real fault I noticed was that we were expected to believe that Broadchurch was small enough for everybody to know everybody else involved yet it was big enough to have its own newspaper and a police station with its own CID… thankfully by the end of the first episode I was engrossed enough to ignore this as dramatic licence.

All of the above was written prior to watching the finale to avoid unwitting spoilers; having now seen it I can say I think the series ended well. The creators eschewed the cliché of revealing the killer in the final minutes; instead we learnt who did it just before the first advert break. The rest of the episode was given over to explaining the motivation for the crime and more importantly showing how this resolution would affect the lives of those involved; both Danny's family and the relatives of the killer. The latter was particularly well handled as such series rarely dwell on the fact that learning that a loved one has committed a heinous crime will have a dramatic affect. As the credits finished we were promised another series; I hope they can replicate the quality of this story.

Mostly good up until the last episode

[trevor-mcinsley · 6/10 · 21 December 2014]

The first seven episodes were very good as they kept you guessing and threw up constant twists and misleads. A lot of these covered some real world issues in quite a sensible and clever way. For instance (spoilers...) the newsagent's story gave a very mature look at just how readily communities will condemn people with a history of sex offences and brand them as a paedophile when the reality might be far from that. It also portrays how the media can make things worse and how one person being murdered can have far reaching consequences on everyone around and dig up all these secrets.

Those bits were clever.

The 'physic' however just felt absolutely stupid. It is never readily explained if the loss of the pendant from the other murders was made public and if that was how he knew. However given how DI Hardy reacts to this and then actually goes and asks him for help the implication is that he couldn't have known that way. Making wide statements that 'it's something about water' or that a boat was involved can be written off as coincidences in a seaside town. However he is correct about the pendant and ultimately that the killer is someone close to them and the series basically just seems to end with the assumption that he is a wizard. Or physic, or whatever ridiculous nonsense he claims. That was weak.

Ultimately though what put a real negative turn on the whole series for me was the last episode. The 'revelation' of who killed Danny comes out of nowhere. It also comes right at the start of the episode making the rest of it a little dull to watch. For the killer to give himself up like that is a pretty disappointing end and then it just goes and shows how the whole murder happened. The fun in crime dramas is usually in seeing the truth come out piece by piece but with this series the entire first seven episodes are almost completely unrelated to the last one. Since the killer himself was given so little screen time throughout the rest of the series there wasn't even suspicion or the opportunity to wildly speculate as to who did it whilst watching it (also one of the perks of crime dramas).

As a result when it was revealed he was the killer I didn't really care. It might as well have just said Captain Hook did it and then showed a pirate ship sailing off into the distance for how unrelated it was to everything before it. His reason behind the murder being so bizarre just made it all feel kind of disappointing. Would have made a lot more sense if he had killed himself out of shame. The whole last episode just felt sort of dodgy to me and almost a little rushed like having him confess was a cop out because they didn't have enough episodes left to let it unfold naturally. The ending of it is sort of surreal and then sets up a weak excuse for cashing in on a second season.

Promises More Than It Can Deliver

[dir4 · 5/10 · 27 September 2015]

This contains spoilers and is only about the first season.

The show has some great atmosphere and some wonderful strengths that differentiate it from other "cop shows."

It has a nice refreshing pace at times that allow human experiences like grief, fear and sadness to unfold dramatically. The setting and acting all contributes to an engaging show for the most part.

However, there are two flaws in the show that make the season disappointing.

A basic rule is that a character needs to have choices and change to be interesting. While Hardy (David Tennant) is an interesting guy at first, his character is doesn't really do anything and gets to be rather boring. He doesn't seem to be that great a detective, just average, which could be OK if there were something he could deal with. But his health problems and his guilt are underutilized and just, well, boring.

Another idea is that stories should be surprising and convincing. The show does offer a little surprise (although we are running out of suspects pretty quickly) but it is very unconvincing. The show tries to compensate for this unconvincing problem through hysterics and an appeal to "I just can't explain the power of the attraction" but, for me, the writers just didn't do a good enough job of planting clues and moving me to the place where I could buy the ending.

For me, a fatal flaw and won't be watching the second season.

Once you start you can't stop watching.

[deloudelouvain · 9/10 · 18 May 2020]

Broadchurch is one of those Crime/Mystery series that once you start watching you can't stop. The urge to find out what is happening, who is guilty, is jus too strong and so you start binge watching it, well that's what I did. I watched the three seasons in four days, the first one I would rate with a nine, the other two seasons with an eight. The mystery level couldn't be higher, every episode you think someone else is guilty, what makes this series so interesting to watch. But also the class acting from Olivia Colman and David Tennant, the two characters and their (non)-compliticity are pleasant and fun to watch. To me Olivia Colman was the best actress, she's very believable in anything she plays, she's pure class. The rest of the cast wasn't bad either, some better than others, but overall they all add something to the intriguing stories. They could have made more seasons if it was up to me, this kind of stuff just never gets boring, certainly not with the quality story writing they have here, that's certainly the best thing about Broadchurch, the quality story writing.

A quality series, that's provided many weeks of guessing.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 24 June 2017]

So Broadchurch has finally come to an end after three series. Chris Chibnall recently rounded off, and moves onto his new project, Doctor Who. It's a difficult series to review overall, the first series was incredible, I think it raised the bar for this genre, it was devastating, engaging, and re-opened a genre that had somewhat been underplayed for so long, the whodunit. In each series that's always been the burning question, who and why. Series one was fabulous, and gained the show a massive following, getting over 10 million viewers. I enjoyed Series two, although it faced criticism, the third series got the show very much back on form, with a very dark and gritty story.

Dark, complex engaging stories, that have kept the nation guessing for weeks, will we see the like of this again for some time? A credit to the writer.

Dorset provided a stunning backdrop to the grief stricken town. The show always managed to look so good. Well acted throughout, Tennant and Coleman made a fantastic duo. I will never forget the impact of seeing Matthew Gravelle (Joe Miller) in my then place of work after the first series, talk about chilling.

I am glad that it ended with the third, when Chibnall finally decides to leave Doctor Who, he could revisit the show, maybe a spin off, maybe a new series? A brilliant series overall, 9/10

Drama of the year.

[tgagbradley · 10/10 · 2 August 2013]

The most extraordinary story ever, written & produced by Chris Chipnall, one of the top British writers today. A Brilliant cast, featuring the cream of British actors. The best drama of the year, keeps you on the edge of your seat for the entire film. The locations for this film are beautiful.

The body of a 11year old boy is found on the beach in Dorset, England. The murder and following investigation create a chain reaction that will tear this small seaside town apart. A town wrapped in secrets, like most small towns anywhere in the world, and they become known as the investigation proceeds. The Murderer remains veiled until the final episode and a surprise and more importantly the reason. The two investigators, DI Hardy a harden, efficient, and blunt outsider with the reputation for failure - played brilliantly by David Tennant - and DS Miller a sensitive and friendly local - played by the extraordinary Olivia Coleman. The interactions between these two is amazing - some of the best dialog and zingers - like when Miller tells Hardy "leave me alone or I will p--- in a cup and throw it on you." - Or when Hardy tells Miller "I pray nightly that you will leave me alone." The remaining Cast is spectacular - you can actually feel the grief and suspicion coming from their characters. The film is well worth watching if you love great drama and great acting.

Small Seaside Town Murder Investigation

[iquine · 8/10 · 27 August 2019]

(Flash Review)

Season 1 follows the Investigation of the murder of a child while the two main detectives search for clues and interview everyone in the small town. One detective is a local and one an outsider which plays into the drama. It does follow the typical pattern of each key character being interrogated and considered as the main suspect which is one mechanism for creating character depth. Can you guess who did it? Overall, it is a good quality television series with nice writing, some picturesque scenes and is a very watchable investigative drama.

Season two is more the watching the town dealing with the aftermath of the court judgement. And more if the town's hidden and dirty secrets slowly surface and run amuck with people's relationships.

Season three is a new case. A lady is raped and the detectives rummage through more of the town's dirty laundry as they try to find the culprit and the detectives banter is increasingly amusing. Is something brewing between them?

Overall, this is a quality British detective mini-series and well-worth the time.

A good British mystery drama

[donita51 · 8/10 · 8 June 2013]

I have just finished watching this drama at two sittings. Tense it was, indeed, but its real strength lies in the portrayal of a small, closely-knit community and the explosion/implosion when disaster strikes. It takes place in a southern, sunlit town in Dorset, but the mood is sombre, with hardly a smile breaking the gloom.

The performers are uniformly good, but I have one reservation. As much as I like David Tennant as an actor and a comic (as seen on QI), I could barely comprehend his talking (mumbling would be more correct). I don't know whether it's his pronounced Scottish accent (I can't understand Sir Alex either) or the fact that he clenches his teeth whenever he speaks. Maybe it's because I am not a native speaker of English...

Apart from that picayune point, I enjoyed the show tremendously and am looking forward to seeing more British-made dramas such as this.

Outstanding

[nathangmercado · 10/10 · 20 July 2020]

Just finished Broadchurch. The writing, the performances, the cinematography were all simply spectacular. Each season was as brilliant as the last. It was so enjoyable and had perfect tempo. Outstanding.

Good Show, Well acted, anti-male agenda in third season.

[unhived · 6/10 · 24 April 2018]

Pretty much what the title says. The first two seasons are fantastic. Well acted, compelling, interesting. Third season feels like someone decided that men are weak, selfish, bad parents and so on. Every male character falls into that category, including the male lead. Women tend to be more victims who persevere despite all the wrongdoings of the males.

Literally, not a single male character is safe. Even the child (teen) characters tend to be portrayed in negative light. This wouldn't have been noticeable if at least one or two characters wouldn't fall into this category, but no.

Don't misunderstand. I'm all for strong female characters, female-centric shows and so on. I loved The Good Wife, Resident Evil, Game of Thrones, The Americans and Into the Badlands. But any show that wants to make female characters appear strong by making all the males extremely flawed, is not my cup of tea.

great emotional murder mystery

[brianennsoldham · 10/10 · 21 April 2013]

If you are enjoying this show I would also recommend you try The Killing. It doesn't pull at your heart the way Broadchurch does, but still a great plot that takes you down many twisty turns and dead ends. It is filmed here in Vancouver, but it is set in Seattle just across the border in the USA.

The quality of the acting in Broadchurch is just phenomenal. Each episode feels like a brilliant short film. The reality of the police search through multiple layers of lies and omissions is great- too often the foreshadowing is like a spoiler memo in other shows.

In North America the reality TV infestation killed so many great shows. I hope quality products like this find a way to stay in business.

great ugly-secrets-in-small-town show

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 17 September 2014]

Broadchurch is a small British coastal seaside town. One morning, Beth Latimer (Jodie Whittaker) discovers that her son Danny is missing and the police finds his body on the beach. Detective inspector Alec Hardy (David Tennant) has recently arrived trying to get away from the big city and a previous case. Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman) is bitter that Alec got her promotion. Her son Tom knows Danny personally. Her nephew Olly is an ambitious cub reporter willing to do what it takes to get a job on a big paper. As the investigation proceeds, the murder and the uncovered dirty secrets bring a media circus to town. The first series ends with a shocking arrest.

The show starts with a matriarchal primal scream. The small seaside town has an idyllic veneer but underneath is a hidden ugliness. It's the well worn genre of the secret small town life. The beautiful locations contrast perfectly with the sickening investigation. The three lead actors Olivia Colman, David Tennant, and Jodie Whittaker are all terrific. The first series is only 8 episodes long which keeps the story tight and compelling. There are loads of dark secrets revealed. The second series deals with the trial. There are good additional characters but the main mystery tension is gone. Any new twists become a little tired. The quality remains high but the tension is lower. The third and final series follows some new and old characters. There is a new case but the old case continues. The initial episode has a different digital camera feel and it loses the cinematic feel. The later episodes look better. The story is a good investigation which hearkens back to the first series.

Fizzles out in Season II

[Billygoat · 3/10 · 1 March 2016]

I won't reiterate what many others have praised about Season 1. Great acting, good cinematography, good direction, great sense of atmosphere. I enjoyed Season 1...except for a sense afterwards that I had been swindled. -SPOILER ALERT - That sense comes from the fact that the mystery is solved NOT by the detectives, but by the murderer giving himself up - practically out of frustration at not having been caught yet. All that intensity with the two main investigators, and aside from coming up with gossip and small town melodrama (who's cheating with who?), no results from their efforts.

Nevertheless...the positive aspects were enough for me to be mostly satisfied with Season 1.

I entered Season 2 looking forward to more. I WANTED to like this. And indeed, the great acting continues, as does the cinematography, etc. Tension is built right from the start of the first episode. Unfortunately, the show sabotages itself with so many things that would never occur in reality, that the suspension of disbelief became impossible for me.

-SPOILER ALERT - We have: -A retired Crown attorney who apparently can choose to come out of retirement and take a case whenever she feels like it. She also gets to choose which case she takes. Must be nice.

-Witnesses present in the courtroom listening to the testimony of other witnesses ( a HUGE no-no).

-Experienced police investigators completely taken by surprise that the beating of a suspect by them would be brought up by defence counsel - even after the Crown had told them it would be an issue (as if they needed the Crown to tell them that).

-The lead investigator having a temper tantrum about "this is why the system is screwed up" when the most obvious questions are asked by defence - acting like a total rookie. The system may be screwed up, but 1) not because of the obvious defence questions, and 2) a seasoned officer would have realized the system was screwed within the first several years on the job.

-The complete lack of preparation of the witnesses by the super experienced Crown prosecutor.

-A judge excluding a confession because of a beating when the assault occurred AFTER the confession.

-The detective running his own secret witness protection program.

-The detective working his case by wandering fields in moments of solitary angst.

-A uniformed patrol officer forcing a homicide investigator with rank to apologize to someone who had filed a complaint against said investigator.

Obviously, nobody expects absolute realism in a drama - but some acknowledgement of how things actually work, some nod to real procedures, are not too much to ask for. The Wire excelled at this, even if it wasn't 100% accurate. By the time we get to the third episode of the Second Season of Broadchurch, we may as well have had pigs with wings flying around in the background and melting watches dripping off of tree branches. I couldn't go on with the show.

Such a shame...so much potential, all thrown away by a script so divorced from reality that it may as well have been written by a kid in elementary school.

Top Notch Whodunit

[plutus1947 · 10/10 · 23 April 2013]

I get fed up with 'whodunits' where after the first few minutes I have already figured out who did the dirty deed.

This most definitely does not apply in the case of the TV drama 'Broadchurch'.

SPOILER BEGINS

This 8 part drama is the story about an 11 year old boy who was found murdered on the beach below a cliff, and discovering the identity of the murderer. The setting is in a small sleepy seaside town called Broadchurch where everybody knows everyone else.

SPOILER ENDS

In many dramas and movies of this genre all too often it is very simple to work out who was responsible for the crime very quickly.

In the case of Broadchurch we were left wondering who actually did do it right up to the final episode, although of course many suspects emerged during the series.

The writing of the script by Chris Chibnall was more than superlative and the direction by both James Strong and Euros Lyn was memorable.

David Tennant would probably be classed as the star but I feel that those who played all the main characters were well deserving of the title 'stars'.

Although Tennant put in his normal great performance I feel that the parts played by both Jodie Whittaker (Beth Latimer) and Olivia Colman (DS Ellie Milller) are well deserving of a mention because they were stars in their own right, having to play very difficult roles.

This is not to detract from any of the other actors who were also excellent. Particularly David Bradley (Jack Marshall) who only appeared in 5 episodes but certainly made his presence felt. It is nice to see that he has at last got rid of his scrawny Moggy which he had throughout the Harry Potter movies.

Pauline Quirke proves once again that she is not just a comedy actress but can handle a serious role too, possibly even better than her comedy expertise. She showed how good she was in drama when she played Olive Martin in the TV drama The Sculptress in 1996.

All in all, if Broadchurch comes out on DVD, I am more than happy to recommend this drama series to all those who enjoy a great whodunit thriller.

Wow!

[laurenhawkins-55367 · 10/10 · 23 June 2020]

This series was just full of surprises! I loved the twists and turns along the way. The two main characters make the show great with their dynamics together.