Yes, I probably watched Broadchurch just because of David Tennant. Sure, I was excited for the prospect of The Tenth Doctor meeting Rory. But I had no doubt in my mind that it would be great; all the reviews were wonderful. I am happy that I watched the show without knowing anything about it, other than the fact that Tennant plays a detective.
Broadchurch is a crime drama set in a small town, Broadchurch, that revolves around the investigation of death of 11 year old Danny Latimer. Tennant plays Detective Inspector Alec Hardy, who leads the investigation. He is aided by Olivia Colman's Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller, who is a Broadchurch citizen and has been a friend of the Latimer family. The investigation introduces us to the townsfolk of Broadchurch and shows us how a tragedy affects the small community. It really does bring the best and worst in people.
I think the show does very well in keeping the mystery alive. Every episode makes me suspicious of a different character. I can honestly say that there's no character that I (dis)like throughout the season; there are moments when I like them, and there are moments when I abhor them. I could not figure out who the murderer is. I think this is one of those shows that would have been better watched weekly, so I have time to think about the clues and questions. Maybe I would have guessed who the murderer is then. Because it really is a "who's the least likely suspect" scenario.
That probably is my only gripe about the show. Joe Miller, Ellie's husband, is revealed to be the murderer, and he is the only character who was never made to be a suspect. He was always shown to be a good guy, and he wasn't given a darker subplot that would nudge us to suspect him. I'm not saying that there's no foreshadowing at all that it was Joe –– the one that clued me was Ellie asking Susan how she didn't know what's happening in her own house ––, it's just that he stands out as "the good guy," making the writers seem afraid that viewers would suspect him and figure it out before the finale. But, like I mentioned earlier, it did very well in making pretty much everyone else a suspect at some point. As a viewer, I was unable to decide who to root for; I didn't know who to "clear" from the list. It is a fantastic show, acted beautifully by everyone in the cast.
It's announced that Broadchurch will continue, although it is unclear whether any of the original cast would appear. The first season ended with DS Ellie Miller about to move out of town, because she doesn't think she can live in the town that knows her husband murdered his friend's 11 year old son. DI Alec Hardy is quitting his job; maybe take better care of himself and get a less stressful job. He's not from Broadchurch, so I assume he's moving back to wherever he came from (Glasgow?). And since the show is named after the town, I don't see why the two main characters would return for season 2.
There will also be an American adaptation of the show, to be called Gracepoint, and developed by Fox. Smart move by them, David Tennant will reprise his role (American accent and all). Fans are always weary of adaptations, and I do think that Tennant's involvement would bring quite a few of Broadchurch fans to watch Gracepoint. Writer/creator Chris Chibnall will write the pilot episode and executive produce the show. Hopefully this means it won't be butchered. I'm not quite sure about Tennant's American accent, but here's hoping that this show gets picked up, gets good ratings, and brings us more Tennant in America.
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