Broadchurch

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.

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.

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

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.

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.