Gracepoint

All I have to say is that David Tennant with an American accent is the least intimidating thing I've ever heard. I was way more scared when he would yell on Broadchurch. But him saying "WHO CALLED THE REPORTER" in Gracepoint? just makes me laugh. Like ok David you tried. Lol. You sound like Michael Scott

As a standalone show it was pretty good but here's the problem - it was pretty much lifted from the original Broadchurch - shot for shot and identical dialogue so writing the screenplay would have been a virtual copy and paste. So obviously you have to rate this a little lower. Tennant was excellent as always but the accent did slip a few times. The female lead is not a patch on Olivia Colman (but who is?). The big advantages were the lovely Alisen Down (I just want to give her a hug every time I see her) and obviously the absence of Lenny Henry is a massive plus. It was a shame that everyone who has seen Broadchurch would be dismissing all the red herrings straight away and - maybe if they changed the killer from the original would have got it a 9 rating.

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 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.