Broadchurchis one of Britain’s best mystery TV shows of all time, and it excels at one important aspect that other thrillers tend to ignore. Premiering in 2013,Broadchurchis one ofDavid Tennant’s essential TV showsand sees him as Detective Inspector Alec Hardy. It brilliantly delves into three different brutal events, with each season focusing on a new crime, and is frequently praised for enthralling audiences from start to finish.
DespiteBroadchurch’s strong positive reception, it’s still a relativelyunderrated British crime TV show, and it’s a title every fan of detective shows should watch. Written byDoctor Who’s Chris Chibnall,Broadchurchis one of the UK’s finest TV shows and has arguably changed the murder mystery genre in some ways. There is one thing thatBroadchurchsucceeds at in comparison to othersuspenseful TV thrillers, though, and it’s the reason the show is still so popular today, over 12 years since its release.
Broadchurch Explores The Greater Impact Of Its Tragedies Better Than Other Thrillers
The Hit UK Show Doesn’t Forget To Update Audiences On The Fallout Of Each Season’s Crime
If there is one thing that makesBroadchurchstand out from similar titles, it’s that it covers every little detail it can possibly think of, almost like a Harlan Coben book. The mystery of whokilled Danny Latimer inBroadchurchseason 1doesn’t just focus on Alec Hardy and Ellie Miller’s investigation;the show also delves into the previously hidden backstories and origins of the various locals who live in the titular seaside town.Danny’s death rocks the town, but it isn’t the only tragedy, andBroadchurchdives into topics like inappropriate relationships, abuse, and child custody, too.
This also occurs in seasons 2 and 3, as well, as audiences learn more about things like Hardy’s past before moving to Broadchurch, all while following a brand-new mystery and the fallout of Danny’s demise. Althoughnot all of these discoveries are necessarily connected to the new central crime that comes with each season,it’s great to attempt to guess which revelations are relevant and which simply make a character look guilty.
WhenBroadchurchmoves onto a new season and refocuses the story,the impact of the past installment’s tragedy still plays an important part in the narrative.Of course, a large majority of the residents inBroadchurchseason 1 aren’t involved in Danny’s murder, but the event still impacts them and triggers reminders of their own harrowing pasts. Even the detectives are influenced by the event, especially Ellie, whose son, Tom, is Danny’s best friend.
Its Character Focus Is Why David Tennant’s British Mystery Show Was Such A Success
Chris Chibnall’s Character Development In Broadchurch Is Stellar
Alec Hardy is undoubtedly one ofDavid Tennant’s best TV characters, and while he is clearly one of the strongest members of the cast, he isn’t the core reason the show is so popular. WhenBroadchurchfirst started airing in the UK, a huge selling point of the show was the star-studded cast.There are loads of massive British names inBroadchurch,many of whom have big international careers, and others whose talents the rest of the world is yet to discover. In fact, there are severalDoctor Whoactors in theBroadchurchcast.
Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller
Jodie Whittaker
Doctor Who, Attack the Block, St Trinian’s, St Trinian’s 2: The Legend of Fritton’s Gold
Fleabag, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Agent Carter, Avengers: Endgame, Dunkirk, Oppenheimer
Lee Ashworth
There isn’t really anybody inBroadchurchwho provides a weak performance, which makes their characters even better. The intricate details in these characters are very endearing, and it makes audiences further invested in the show, as they’re keen to figure out whether they’re involved in the main crime or not.Broadchurchknows how to tug on the heartstrings, too. Even whenBroadchurchreveals the identity of Danny’s killer,season 2’s overarching mystery is arguably just as interesting as watching the Latimers deal with the trial,the birth of the baby, and Beth and Ellie’s strained friendship.
More Thrillers Should Take Broadchurch’s Approach To Their Central Mysteries
From the get-go,Broadchurchmakes it very clear who the audience should consider a suspect.While other characters may be introduced after the first episode of each season, the guilty party is never someone who appears at the last moment; they’re always hidden in plain sight. However, by limiting the list of suspects, it makes every single one of their actions worth analyzing closely. Everyone has their own secrets, but it’s about deciphering whether they’re linked to the crime or not.
Broadchurchisn’t afraid to throw in a red herring or to just straight-out lie, either, but it always adds up and isn’t done for the sake of it. For example, Eve Myles’ Claire Ripley inBroadchurchseason 2 is hiding from her husband because of the Sandbrook murder case, but it’s later revealed that she had been present the night of the killings and was aware of what happened to Pippa and her cousin, Lisa.Broadchurchmakes it easy to invest in the characters’ respective stories, which keeps us on the edge of our seats.
