In light of the recent news of the remake of Broadchurch that I mentioned in last week’s Five of the Fifth, here’s why you should watch the original BBC series! I have not got around to seeing it myself but definitely will watch this at some point.

SPECIAL THANKS to Dave W for his wonderful contribution!

“This morning the body of an 11 year old child was found on Harbour Cliff beach at Broadchurch, the body was subsequently identified as Daniel Latimer…”

I was going to sit down to watch the series finale of Breaking Bad later tonight… ending maybe one of the greatest runs of a TV show in recent memory. It’s stylistic, dark and dares to boldly go where other shows only dream of. BBC America’s eight-episode series Broadchurch is a drama of a different animal. It’s a rather straight-forward series as compared to the heavily-stylized, highly-acclaimed shows like Mad Men, Dexter and House of Cards. Yet it summons up more emotion and heartbreak than all our cool, hip TV programs put together. I was so taken with the show that I thought I’d give my 10 reasons why you should seek out what I feel is must-watch TV. It’s not a perfect show by any means but I think a rare achievement such as this should not go unnoticed.

1) The Story

Broadchurch is a little like a better told version of AMC’s The Killing. (Yes I know the original is from Denmark… but I haven’t seen it yet so I can’t comment!) It too involves a murdered child, a male and female detective and family/town coming to grips with that loss. The difference is Broadchurch is a densely-packed story that doesn’t overstay its welcome, wrapping up nicely after 8 episodes. It doesn’t linger on for three seasons much to the detriment of The Killing. In what is essentially is a ‘who done it’, the well-drawn, believable characters make you want to follow their stories through all the twists and turns of the plot. Keeping the story from dipping into melodrama is no small feat in this kind of drama. Creator Chris Chibnall shows how simplicity and straightforwardness can often be the best method for telling a story.

2) The Acting

In a show with pitch perfect acting where characters abound, the two leads, Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller (Olivia Coleman) and Detective Inspector Alec Hardy (David Tennant) really standout. As the local reigning detective she must put away her allegiance to the people of the town. This is harder than it seems as her boy was best friends with Danny and she knows the family well. If Coleman doesn’t win an Emmy next year for her portrayal it would be a shame. Her acting, especially in the final episode, is breathtaking. Tennant, of Doctor Who fame, shines as a prickly detective brought in from the outside to help solve the case. Unable to close his previous high profile child murder case he brings with him the demons of his past… driving Detective Alec Hardy to the brink of a breakdown. Tennant brings an intensity and determination to the role that it really deserves.

3) Danny’s Family

Watching Beth Latimer (Jodie Whittaker), Mark Latimer (Andrew Buchan) and Chloe Latimer (Charlotte Beaumont) tear each other apart over the murder is heartbreaking. Jodie Whittaker’s touching portraying of Beth who can no longer function in her daily life anymore is particularly painful to watch. In one devastating scene she turns to the mother of another murdered child for consolation only to find out that it doesn’t get any better. Ever.

4) The Cinematography

Matt Gray’s beautiful photography is worthy of a feature film. Warm interiors and picturesque exteriors. It does for English seasides what Breaking Bad did for desert landscapes.

5) The Music

Icelandic composer Ólafur Arnalds creates beautiful and atmospheric soundscapes that haunt the film. Already being a fan of Arnalds I can’t recommend enough the 6 song soundtrack. Check out the slow burn of the Main Title above.

6) The portrayal of a small town

The characters are spot on with great supporting turns by everybody. The town has more than its share of secrets and its darker past bubbles up to the surface when the murder brings scrutiny on all of its citizens. Everyone is a suspect and yet it never feels like you’re reading an Agatha Christie novel.

7) The emotional weight of the show.

Not since The Sweet Hereafter have I seen the dynamics of a small town played out like this. The characters are all flawed and proud at the same time. The collective weight of the tragedy takes a toll on everybody. Nobody comes away unscathed. Neither will you.



8) By grown-ups for grown-ups

Shows for adults are in short supply. It’s intelligent. It’s moving. It’s not always fun but you are never pandered to. It’s like a good book you can’t put down. It stays with you long after the credits roll.

9) Sticks the landing

This is exactly the kind of show that network TV would turn into a sappy piece of melodrama. One critic described Broadchurch as a beautiful downer… which it is. He meant that in the highest regard. The fact that they pulled it off with such grace is a minor miracle proving that, IMHO, the best drama is being done on the small screen these days. FOX is planning a US adaptation so I guess we’ll get to see exactly how they would handle it. Lucky for them series creator Chris Chibnall is producing it.

10) The ending

It all comes back to the people of the once proud town. It’s a poignant ending to a heartbreaking dramatic series. This is a show that finds beauty in sadness. There’s no getting over it… there’s only moving on. One of the case’s many suspects declares, “Death; once it’s got its claws into you, it never lets go.”

Post by Dave W. (aka Daveackackattack)



Check out the official trailer of the series:

Thoughts on the series? Would love to hear your thoughts!

[Be mindful of any spoiler in your comment though so please give proper warning]