Broadchurch is a miniseries recently imported from the UK. The series starts with a murder of an 11-year-old boy in a small town, leaving two detectives to slowly sift through the evidence. The series paces itself, at times revealing new information, and at times showing the drama of the family who lost their son. The creators leave enough mystery to keep you guessing until the end of the series.
At no point does this miniseries forget the perspective of any of the characters; their actions all fall within the spectrum of their personalities. The characters are rich and varied, and they all have complex lives. As the series reveals more information about the people, it shows complicated forces at play. Because of the sophistication of the people’s’ stories, you get bombarded you with information. However, the creators of the show reveal the information in such interesting, impactful ways that you end up remembering most of it.
It’s important to note that the series was extremely well-cast, and the actors did an incredible job. The two detectives, played by Olivia Colman and David Tennant, change deeply as the series progresses; The former loses her naiveté, and the latter learns to reach out to others. As they change, they develop a sense of true camaraderie. Luckily for the audience, the detectives grill the townspeople, and they writhe in discomfort as their pasts are dragged out into the light. Meanwhile, the family continues to rebuild themselves, and you see the slow progression as they struggle to regain a sense of daily life.
Interestingly, as an American watching the series, its lack of guns shocked me. Virtually every American series about detectives contains a great deal of gun violence. For this reason, when tension rose between characters I always expected someone to pull one out. No one ever used a gun, including the detectives. When two characters came face to face, the characters simply ended up talking. Viewers get treated to a more personal look at the action. In focusing on the characters and watching them squeeze themselves through tough situations, you get a truer sense of what is happening.
My only critique of the series is that it takes a little too long for the series to start, but if you sit through the first two episodes, you will find yourself hooked. If you like mysteries, please do yourself a favor and watch this miniseries; You won’t feel disappointed.
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