Be Reel Blog - Broadchurch - Ben Schultz

Broadchurch was originally recommended to me a long time ago, but I was neglecting to watch it because I figured it was just another crime drama. The only other crime shows that I had some experience with were different CSI and Law and Order shows, all of which felt very one note, and all seem to use a very similar formula from episode to episode. I found out that actors like David Tennant and David Bradley had roles in it, and I had seen them in other excellent shows and movies, so I gave it a shot. What I found, was a surprising show that blew every other crime show that I have seen out of the water.

Broadchurch is a crime/mystery drama about a team of police trying to find a child-killer that soars high above its competition. Broadchurch stars David Tennant and Olivia Colman as police detectives Alec Hardy and Ellie Miller respectively, trying to solve the murder of eleven-year-old Danny Latimer in a small town called Broadchurch. Each episode unravels new leads and reveals new secrets, and the writing does a perfect job of keeping you on your feet, and never quite points the suspicion in any one direction. The show's writer and creator, Chris Chibnall, writes the show intensely realistically, never making people seem stupid, or opting out of showing someone's reaction to discovering a death or a secret. Not only is the writing amazing, but the acting is also stellar, as not one of the performances feels underwhelming.