Gracepoint

I understand that many folks are staying away from the show because they are upset that FOX has made a mirror image of a highly regarded series, seemingly merely for the fact that it was "too British" for American audiences.. But as my cable option only added BBCAmerica half way through the network's broadcast of "Broadchurch" I have waited with baited breath for the "Gracepoint" and the very talented David Tennant to arrive on my screen. I was not disappointed. I urge folks to judge "Gracepoint" on its own merits. Yes, it was wrong for FOX do to what it did. But even if "Gracepoint" is a pale imitation of the original, it still is vastly superior to most USA fare. It pains me to think that drivel such as "Scorpion" becomes a hit with U.S. audiences while intelligent dramas such as "Gracepoint" flounder.

But watchable and entertaining if not a top-rate thriller with the acclaimed character range, complexity, atmosphere and acting chops Broadchurch brought to this genre. Then most shows touted as Broadchurch quality aren't.

David Tenant's detective is intentionally charmless and interpersonally challenged. His partner would be fired in real life for her sappy lack of professionalism as, though repeatedly warned, she keeps advocating for the family. And none of the lesser roles are very interesting.

Love the beachy town. Plot fairly involving. Nick Nolte does an entirely credible job playing an old geezer while the young journalists could be played by anybody nice looking.

I find it irritating, in reality too, that the family vs police theme revolves around their resentment at not being let inside all the investigative operations, thinking, discoveries. Police don't help because they refuse to explain exactly why total transparency is out of the question, their liason is equally ill-equipped to field family's frustration, and at times, detectives promise to keep them abreast when to do so risks undermining attempts to find the culprit and could jeopordize a future court case.

More than half way through I can't yet predict who done it though I can spot some red herrings.

If you are a Tennant fan and can suspend the obvious comparison to Broadchurch, by which this version is a hands-down impoverished relative, give Gracepoint a chance. Undemanding, rather bland fare, but not as awful as some critics claim.

Just watch the original. this is just a sad knock off. why can't americans watch british television? can't believer he took the exact same role as the detective. silly all around.

I get why they wanted to make an American remake of the fantastic Broadchurch. I really do. But they were so concerned with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.

Inferior in every possible way, Gracepoint lacks all the charm, character and brooding of the original. On paper, the cast is fantastic - Michael Peña, Anna Gunn, Nick Nolte, and a returning David Tennant. But the performances are so flat compared to the stirring emotional turns from Broadchurch. I think Anna Gunn has it worst of all. She's a great actor and I've loved her in Breaking Bad and Deadwood. But she's no Olivia Colman, and her Ellie Miller falls so flat and feels so two-dimensional. Maybe if I hadn't seen Broadchurch first, I'd have thought differently. But Olivia Colman's Miller was so raw and biting and wonderfully flawed that Gunn's performance seems a mere shadow in comparison.

David Tennant returning in the same role (albeit, with a different name) was surprising. It was jarring to hear much-loved lines from Broadchurch delivered with a (not always great) American accent. He is still amazing in the role, but it just didn't ring as true in Gracepoint as it did in Broadchurch.

If you haven't seen Broadchurch, give this one a go. If you have, maybe skip this as it pales significantly in comparison.

Godawful remake of the British series "Broadchurch" with David Tennant repeating his role as the lead investigating cop and Anna Gunn replacing Olivia Colman as Miller. The only other "names" in the cast are Jacki Weaver as Susan and Nick Nolte as Jack. The rest of the cast is lousy and act as if they're in a daytime soap.

The series tries to be a scene-for-scene remake of the British series and makes one ask, "What's the point?"

Tennant is a real oddity, trading in his normal Scottish accent for some sort of flat American one that seems forced. Gunn is a decade too old for the part of Miller.

The actress playing Beth is too strident and the actors playing Mark and the priest are way too creepy to gain any sympathy.

Stick to the original and don't waste your time of this muck.