Broadchurch

TV

Broadchurch

J: Not all good British programming comes from the BBC. ITV and the public broadcaster have always been neck in neck in the competition for quality programming and audience numbers. As far as international markets are concerned the BBC have dominated for a long time but ITV has made a comeback with Downton Abbey and now Broadchurch. In this twisted tale of hidden desires and secret pasts the body of a young boy is found at the bottom of a cliff in a Southern English town. Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller has just returned from a long holiday in Florida to what she assumed was a promotion, only to find that her job was taken by an out-of-town detective called Alec Hardy. Hardy is from a larger city and not used to small-town life and the two naturally don't get along at all. But the murderer hid his tracks too well and suspicion begins to unravel the fabric of the small community.

C: Unlike most detective series, Broadchurch spends its entire season investigating the one murder, and I wish more series would adopt this kind of narrative. But then again, Hostages tried something similar but fell completely flat and I was desperate to escape. Broadchurch however kept me gripped till the last frame. This was by far the best season of TV I saw last year. David Tennant as the outsider, not trusting anybody, and Olivia Colman as the native who can’t fathom the idea that anybody from her quiet little town could be capable of such a deed, made for a gripping and heart breaking TV event.

J: An important factor to the narrative is that it does not focus on the investigation procedure. Instead we get to know not only the Latimer family's foibles and friends but the town as well. What makes it so successful is how skillfully we are introduced to a very large cast without the viewer getting confused by the overall plot. Another important point is that it explores the emotional turmoil that such a murder can cause. We don't get cameras panning away while characters cry but raw emotion. That the series is stocked with fine actors helps.

Final Thoughts

C: The story will tear you apart, but I can highly recommend Broadchurch. TV has become a strong force with fantastic shows to follow, and it’s easy nowadays for a new show, and especially those from Europe, to go unnoticed, but I urge anybody to see this gem. After the critical and viewer success of the first season, a second season has been confirmed, as well as an American remake. Something that had me instantly furious. Why remake something so brilliant? Are the viewers incapable of understanding a story when the dialogue isn’t said in their own accent? But what came as a surprise is that David Tennant will again play the role of Alec Hardy. And Anna Gun from my other favourite series of all time, Breaking Bad, will play Ellie Miller. And Nick Nolte will play Jack Gerald Marshall. So I would lie if I said I’m not very curious to see what comes from this remake. But even if it is absolutely brilliant, nothing could replace the experience I had of watching the original for the first time.

J: This is not easy viewing at times. Though it does not try to shock the viewer with gore or cheap gimmicks it lets its characters' emotions run rumpage on the viewer. I agree that this will possibly be one of the most harrowing series you're likely to watch in some time. Despite "enjoying" the series as much as Christo I am willing to give Gracepoint (the tentative title of the remake) a go, though it would have to do something different with the material in order to please fans of the original without straying too far away from the core story. But I urge fans of British television and cinema, and particularly David Tennant, to watch it before the remake hits your screens.

C: The acting was superb, straight down to the smallest character, but I would like to point out Jodie Whittaker in particular who played the mother of the deceased boy. My heart broke for her character, and amidst all the heartache she had to endure, she remained a strong woman determined to keep it all together. I hope to see a lot more of her in the future. David and Olivia gave their all through these characters. It was a breath of fresh air to see the clichéd cops who don’t see eye to eye in such experienced hands.

J: I think special mention should got to David Bradley. Best known as Argus Filch in the Harry Potter movies (and as the most detested character in Game of Thrones next to King Joffrey) this actor has been getting a lot of different roles of late, increasing his stature as a surprisingly versatile actor in spite of being type-cast as a grouchy old man. The performance he gives is ultimately heartbreaking.

C: The other thing that really stood out for me was the cinematography. It was absolutely beautiful. The colour, the lighting, the effective use of slow motion, the scenery, everything contributing to the telling of this life shattering story. In one of the opening scenes we are treated to a continuous shot as Mark Latimer walks down what has to be part of his usual morning routine, and we are introduced to all the key characters in one seamless motion. Characters who you will start to love, hate, suspect and fear in weeks to come. It was a stunning piece of filming.