S02.E05: Episode 5

[maraleia]

 

As Hardy and Ellie continue their unofficial investigation into the Sandbrook case, new information forces them to re-evaluate the things they believe - is it possible that they've been wrong about everything so far? Barrister Sharon receives unexpected help, while local reporter Olly Stevens gets a major scoop.

 

[staveDarsky]

Crikes! Is Hardy going to live to the end of series 2? Miller didn't even notice him shakily getting to his feet and staggering over to the water's edge as she interviewed Ricky. Lee seemed to take in Hardy's deterioration better than Miller did.

What I'm finding fascinating about this second series is seeing the mirrors and balances between characters.

The relationship between the two QCs is resembling Hardy/Miller with Jocelyn being very unsympathetic about Sharon's struggle as a working single mother. I don't know if they actually needed to give Jocelyn a health affliction - failing sight -- the way they've saddled Hardy with a bad heart. However it seems somewhat symbolic of their faults as people. Jocelyn regrets failing to recognize the chance she had at love. Hardy's let his heart break over PIppa's fate and failing the Sandbrook case while turning away the love he did have from Tess and Daisy.

 

The balance is clearly changing between Miller and Hardy. While he's literally letting her intrude into his home and showing concern and support for her with her struggles with Tom, she's shrugging him off and picking up Hardy's drive to solve the Sandbrook case, staying up all night, pouring over all the evidence and fearlessly asking intimately probing questions of Ricky and others. Hardy's finally remembered Fred's name and taken to pushing the stroller, while Ellie's failing to notice his physical deterioration. Her investigative skills are going to be Hardy's legacy.

Strangely enough, now that Lee, Claire, Ricky and Cate are all suspects, I care less about the Sandbrook story. I just want to see Ellie victorious in solving it for Hardy.

 

Glad we finally had Paul's visits to Joe exposed and we're heading for major drama when Tom takes the stand.

Edited February 3, 2015 by staveDarsky

[solotrek]

I feel like the episode synopsis is off by a week. Olly wasn't in this episode, but he got the scoop the last one.

 

I thought this episode was pretty good. Both the trial and Sandbrook have heated up. Pretty unfair for the episode to open up with a broken hearted Ellie Miller. Geeze Olivia Colman, stop tugging at my heart strings.

 

 

Trial:

We know why the 2 barristers seem to hate each other. I still don't care? The show seems to desperately make me care though and it's taking up valuable time away from actual Broadchurch people we want to see.

So was Susan Wright up there just to mess with Nigel? Because that's basically the only thing she did.

I wonder what Tom is going to say. Maybe it'll have something to do with the laptop? Or will he join his dad in throwing his mom under the bus?

Paul is hiding something right? I feel that if the defense uses him as a character witness, the prosecutor is going to pounce about the laptop and any other shady business. I bet that's why he's so reluctant to go on the stand.

 

Lattimers:

Where's Chloe? Did she realize that her parents basically said they messed up on her and run away?

Beth and Mark clearly need to talk to someone because they have such a disconnect with each other and where they are in the healing process or lack thereof.

 

Sandbrook:

Wow. So Ricky had a thing with Claire and Lee had a thing with Kate? 

What was with the hide and seek scene in the forest? The niece seemed terrified, but was that a reaction to Lee or to Ricky?

If they knew about the cell phone, would that not have been a lead they followed in the initial investigation as well?

How did Hardy not see the post it about Thorp?

So Ricky and Claire seem like the most shady people in this case.

I too thought that the niece was alive and in France. Though maybe the incinerator is just a red herring like everything else in this show seems to be.

I loved the scene in Thorp, felt very X-files. Then I realized I would watch any show that partnered Tennant and Colman up solving crimes like this.

 

Hardy:

Pass out, take 2 pills, magically remove water and mud from shirt, put on jacket, go out for long walk. What an unique illness.

 

Miller:

The conviction with which she said that she's going to solve the case totally made me believe her. I hope she is the one that cracks it.

She has the best oneliners and best facial expressions ever.

• "Oh brilliant, thanks for that shitty platitude. That's fixed everything."
• "You're out of tea bags and milk! And I used the rest of the bread..."

Edited February 3, 2015 by maculae

[Automne]

I missed the first half hour, so I'll have to catch up on that later, if anything interesting happened.

 

But we start seeing the cracks in Scumbag Defense Barrister's façade. I loved how Jocelyn laid into her. I see ol' Joss and I have the same pet peeve of women wanting to fall back on the "I'm a poor single mawm!" excuse when things don't go their way, as if those are the magic words to immediately elicit empathy from everybody and has them giving in. The only person those words should be said to is the person who knocked you up because that's his responsibility. Don't say it to me because all I'm going to say is, "So? What's that got to do with shit or with me?"

 

Don't think I'm completely without sympathy; my best friend is a single mom and I help her out sometimes, but that's out of friendship and I volunteer. She never acts entitled nor blames anybody.

 

But I digress. Glad to see SDB wants to let a pedophile child killer go free just to get one over on Jocelyn. If that's how she runs the shit, no wonder her kid ended up in prison.

 

Very little Beth screentime. Delightful.

 

I wish there was a bit more focus on Chloe. I feel in a lot of similar fictional media, the sibling of a murdered child doesn't get a lot of focus on how they're dealing with it. It's something I liked about The Lovely Bones (the novel); the author didn't just focus on the parents' pain, but showed how the sister dealt with having a murdered sibling. It's a unique position that gets ignored a lot of the time.

 

Now Ellie is starting to show some detective skills and why she was originally in line for the DI position.

 

Tom, what in the shit are you doing?

 

Is Nigel starting to warm up to his biological mother now?

 

Poor Hardy. Get that bum ticker fixed, tout de suite!

Edited February 3, 2015 by Automne

[ganesh]

I just realized when the prosecutor threw out the "you blame everyone but yourself", earlier in the episode, the defense lawyer was chewing out her assistant about Susan being a lousy witness. I loved the judge interrupting, "no, it's not a fact. cut the op-ed and just answer the questions."

 

I really have no idea who did it in the other case. It's gotten to be quite the mess. I hope Miller can solve it.

 

Is it really wise to put a 12 y/o on the stand? How reliable can he be?

[fresiaa]

Priest visits prisoner. Why is that "odd"? Paul seems to feel guilty about it and his tart seems to be angry about it? Odd.

 

Hardy wants to write a will, and leaves everything to...... surprise..... his daughter. Do you even need a will for that?

Not to mention that prosecutor has no trouble typing it. Odder.

 

How can you force someone to be a character witness? "Do you like the defendant? Not really." "Is he a decent man? Nah, killed a kid, so I don't think so" 

Oddest.

[Llywela]

We know why the 2 barristers seem to hate each other. I still don't care? The show seems to desperately make me care though and it's taking up valuable time away from actual Broadchurch people we want to see.

I think we need to see the barristers as flawed human beings, rather than just as barristers, because that's what this show is all about. Just like season one wasn't really about the murder, per se, but was about the people affected by the murder, the way their individual problems and motivations and hang-ups affected their response to the killing, their reactions when questioned and their relationships with each other, impacted on the solving of the crime - showed that a criminal investigation isn't a straightforward piecing together of clues, but is dependent on the actions and reactions of lots of individuals, who are all bringing their own baggage to the table. The same principle applies to the trial. It can't just be two random, anonymous barristers asking a load of questions, because those barristers are also bringing baggage to the table and we need to know what that baggage is in order to understand how it's impacting on the case, which is at the centre of the lives of the characters we already know.

 

 

Where's Chloe? Did she realize that her parents basically said they messed up on her and run away?

They didn't say they messed up on her. They said they messed up last time, which was Danny, by letting him form a close bond with a proto-paedophile without noticing and by letting him sneak out of the house in the middle of the night without noticing. This was the only episode Chloe hasn't been in - hopefully she's spending some time with her boyfriend, taking a break from being sad.

[rozen]

Priest visits prisoner. Why is that "odd"? Paul seems to feel guilty about it and his tart seems to be angry about it? Odd.

 

Hardy wants to write a will, and leaves everything to...... surprise..... his daughter. Do you even need a will for that?

Not to mention that prosecutor has no trouble typing it. Odder.

 

How can you force someone to be a character witness? "Do you like the defendant? Not really." "Is he a decent man? Nah, killed a kid, so I don't think so" 

Oddest.

 

It's a town that hounded a man they'd known for decades to his death on the most circumstantial of evidence. They're all incredibly close-minded and insular, which is probably why the mess happened in the first place. Whenever I see more than a few of Broadchurch's residents interacting with each other, I start to feel claustrophobic. 

 

I don't know why the priest thought emptying his thoughts on Becca, of all people, was going to go well. She is the definition of a fair-weather friend. She's just running through the able-bodied men of the town, you were just next on the list buddy. This isn't true love.

 

I mind is blown that Ashworth is the butler on Agent Carter. I think I screamed a little. Dude is an awesome actor. The Sandbrook families were all kinds of screwed up. Did anyone in those houses not sleep with a married person? I wonder if Ricky and Lee got the niece high and took her out to tag-team her. Then maybe they were all tripping so hard they didn't notice she couldn't handle it and died. 

 

I loved watching the barristers have a go at each other. I could totally see the truth in each of their statements. Sharon beats her assistant up about shoddy work that she should have double-checked and signed off on. But she at least attempts to train her junior, in her berating way, to be better. Jocelyn's a freaking iron-cast mold, she will make you into whatever shape she wants, or break you and toss you away. I do think Jocelyn was lying a bit, she liked Sharon too much, I think. Sharon probably idolized her and Jocelyn was terrified of failing, probably right when her symptoms were catching up with her.

 

I felt punched right in the feels when Sharon's son was asking for his mother to save him, like a little kid would from a monster under the bed. Imo, she has an incredible amount of composure. That would eat me up inside every second of every day.

 

Mark has fully constructed a lala land around his new child, and is firmly committed to rewriting history, whether the rest of his family comes along or not. Self-centered, as always. What an ass.

 

I don't know whether to believe Susan or not. She did say in S1 that she was trying to get Nigel put in jail to save him from turning into his dad. Which seems like a nasty bit of projection from her own failings. But she really does love him, I think. And wants to spend time with him, which is incompatible with his going to prison. Maybe Nigel really did dump Danny's body to cover for a friend, and this is her way from disentangling him from a bad influence. 

Edited February 3, 2015 by rozen

[dbrits]

Hardy wants to write a will, and leaves everything to...... surprise..... his daughter. Do you even need a will for that?

Perhaps it's different in the UK, but I've never heard otherwise in the States. And the answer is a definitive yes in California.

I'm too tired to compose all my thoughts, but I must say that Olivia Colman needs an award just for the complete look of disgust on her face when she learned that Claire slept with Lee. The role reversal between Hardy and Miller has been interesting to watch.

[Llywela]

The presence of a will simplifies matters enormously and saves everyone concerned from being dragged through probate. Also, here, it was simply a narrative device to drive home the point that Hardy is worried about his failing health and wants to put his affairs in order in case he doesn't make it. Plus it allowed him to have that nice private chat with Jocelyn, enabling both to reveal a little more of themselves to the audience.

[joelene]

Again, I fail to see why Hardy had to put Claire in hiding in the first place. She doesn't believe he killed them and he hasn't been abusive, apparently.

When Hardy toppled over after Miller said she'd solve the case I thought he was a goner. And I was totally fine with it.

[staveDarsky]

 

Hardy wants to write a will, and leaves everything to...... surprise..... his daughter. Do you even need a will for that?

Not to mention that prosecutor has no trouble typing it. Odder.

In English Canada, which is like Britain, the estates of people who die without wills then get administered by someone called the "Public Trustee", who can decide where the valuables go. In the case of family strife -- such as a divorce -- the will is quite necessary because it serves as the deceased's voice after death as to where he wanted things to go. Without it, Hardy's ex-wife could argue to put his valuables into her control, or even worse, if she were also to pass away too, then control might pass to her boyfriend Dave, a situation that I'm sure Hardy would not like.

Given that Daisy's only 15, there would be a directive about who controls Alec's estate until she's 18. Perhaps he left Ellie Miller in charge to make sure Tess and her boyfriend don't spend all his money. Of course, we didn't see the full will dictated on TV, so who knows. Daisy might also be in line to receive some of Hardy's police pension for a while as his sole heir.

Again, I don't know for sure about the UK, but in Canada, many estates with a will have to go through probate. For example, if the deceased's property and financial accounts are not held jointly with the heir(s), then they go through probate and are subject to inheritance taxes too.

Edited February 3, 2015 by staveDarsky

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Loved that when Ellie was talking to Fred about going on the teacup ride, she referred to "Uncle Alec" - ha! I also loved that in the first scene with Fred, Ellie was pushing the stroller but later as they were walking near the beach Hardy was the one pushing Fred's stroller. I really like that their relationship is evolving and that they are both letting each other in more, but I was also cracking up at the fact that they have already been accused ot having an affair based on Ellie visiting his hotel room. Imagine everyone's reactions if they found out that she spent the night as his house (never mind that he wasn't there!) and they saw pictures of Hardy pushing Fred's stroller around!

 

I like that the show is pointing out Ellie making the same mistake again. She insists that she didn't know about Joe and Danny, and I totally believe her because she can be totally oblivious. After reiterating that she had no idea, she is seen completely unaware of Hardy falling over as she questioned Ricky and then again when Hardy passes out as she's just inside the house going through Sandbrooke evidence. I don't think she's deliberately obtuse but for someone whose job requires her to pay attention and put the pieces together, she sometimes can't see the forest for the trees.

 

I appreciate how determined she is to solve this case, but the fact that Hardy was keeling over only a few feet away demonstrates how she can put her blinders on. I don't blame her for being focused on the task at hand. I think we have all been there whether we are working on a project or just watching tv. We start tuning out other things without realizing it.

 

Who has been watching Fred all this time? Does her sister take care of both the boys when Ellie is at work?

 

When Jocelyn was telling Hardy her story about the one that got away, I thought maybe she was talking about Sharon (especially since she made sure not to use any gender pronouns). But the conversation between Jocelyn and Sharon later kind of blew that theory. Did the show explain in greater detail what Sharon's son did and I just forgot? Or is the minimal explanation from this episode all we know (that he killed someone while he was trying to help them)?

 

Even if Lee is innocent of killing those two girls, he is such a creeper always watching Hardy and Claire.

[Llywela]

Who has been watching Fred all this time? Does her sister take care of both the boys when Ellie is at work?

Ellie has a childminder. When Hardy turned up outside her therapy session she told him she didn't have time to talk because she had to collect Fred from the childminder.

[staveDarsky]

It took me a second viewing to realize Lee was watching from another pier when Ricky visited Hardy's place. He is creepy. The whole bloody lot of the Sandbrook gang are.

Ah, the fans are giving Ellie a hard time over Fred's whereabouts this series. The only episode where they really didn't account for him was episode 2, but I assumed that he was either at Lucy's or with Ellie but not onscreen. In episode 3 the childminder took Fred for the night and in episode 4, Ellie left Fred with Lucy while she went to Sandbrook. On TV, the little ones sit so quietly and happily in the background playing with a book. I suppose Fred's waiting for the moment when Hardy's watching him alone to start being a real two-year old! I just hope Hardy's health doesn't pick that moment to fail.

[Eri]

I hope the show isn't going to give Hardy a "Cowboy Bebop" moment and have him die once the case is solved so he can rest in peace.

I want more Miller/Hardy shenanigans to come!

[secnarf]

When Jocelyn was telling Hardy her story about the one that got away, I thought maybe she was talking about Sharon (especially since she made sure not to use any gender pronouns). But the conversation between Jocelyn and Sharon later kind of blew that theory. Did the show explain in greater detail what Sharon's son did and I just forgot? Or is the minimal explanation from this episode all we know (that he killed someone while he was trying to help them)?

I got that sense too, but it was more from Jocelyn's reaction when Hardy assumed it was a "he" that got away. Jocelyn got this look like she was going to correct him and then decided not to bother - or maybe I'm just reading too much into it. Maybe Sharon isn't necessarily the person, but I kind of got the impression that it was a woman that Jocelyn was referring to.

I don't think we've ever gotten a better explanation of what Sharon's son did.

I lost a lot of sympathy for him though, when he asked his mother why she couldn't get him out. I know we don't know his whole story and I'm sure it's going to be something tragic so that we feel bad for him, but he's an adult, he should have a basic understanding of how the world works, and it's not his mother's responsibility to clean up his mess. Making her feel bad is not helpful to anyone.

[staveDarsky]

I've just read the ebook about Sharon that was published after episode 5. I was hoping it would detail what Jonah, her son, did, but it didn't. It does feature Sharon's boyfriend/husband so we know she's straight. It also reveals that Jocelyn takes credit for plucking Sharon from where she wouldn't have had great opportunities as a black woman whereas Sharon sees her road to becoming a top defense counsel as being her own fight to get into Oxford University. Jocelyn wouldn't  have hired her if she wasn't already in a prestigious school. Jocelyn considered making Sharon "head of chamber" -- which I assume means some sort of senior in Jocelyn's firm.

I haven't yet finished the book on Jocelyn, but it seems to be set back in 2002, just after Danny Latimer was born because she runs into the Latimer family.

[secnarf]

I didn't mean to imply that Sharon isn't straight - I was referring to Jocelyn. I strongly suspect that Jocelyn is gay, and if I had to guess, I'd say it's Ollie's boss that she's had a thing for all of these years.

[staveDarsky]

I didn't think you were implying that. I was just providing the information from the book should anyone want it.
I also agree that I think it's more likely Jocelyn's been in love with Maggie, though if she was unsure about Sharon's orientation, that would explain why she couldn't express herself to Bishop.

[staveDarsky]

Bonus scene for episode 5 put out by ITV. It's on Facebook, so it may not play if you're not an FB user.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=790486154340567&theater

[jeansheridan]

Loved that when Ellie was talking to Fred about going on the teacup ride, she referred to "Uncle Alec" - ha! I also loved that in the first scene with Fred, Ellie was pushing the stroller but later as they were walking near the beach Hardy was the one pushing Fred's stroller. I really like that their relationship is evolving and that they are both letting each other in more, but I was also cracking up at the fact that they have already been accused ot having an affair based on Ellie visiting his hotel room. Imagine everyone's reactions if they found out that she spent the night as his house (never mind that he wasn't there!) and they saw pictures of Hardy pushing Fred's stroller around!

 

I did think it was odd he was pushing the stroller.  I sort of wondered how that happened honestly.  And I did sort of love the comedy of him keeling over and she's just so oblivious.    But she tuned out Fred too.  That said, I liked seeing Ellie really work a case.  We've been told she's good, but it's been a long time since we've seen her focused and ready to work.  Of course these people aren't her neighbors.  I think that makes it easier for her.

 

Coleman's face when she said he had no more bread ...It's those little details that makes this show delightful.  These writers have more self control than I do because I would be tempted to have 80% Hardy and Miller scenes and 20% mystery. 

[Christina]

Regarding Sharon's son, staveDarsky posted this link to an unaired clip in the thread for episode 6. I talks about her son's charges, but doesn't spoil anything else. Also, I don't have facebook and it loaded for me.

 

 

Bonus scene for episode 6 put out by ITV. It's on Facebook, so it may not play if you're not an FB user.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=793620257360490&theater

[staveDarsky]

If you're just catching up with episode 5, don't miss the Sea Brigade podcast for this episode. It catches things you may have missed.

http://seabrigade.libsyn.com/podcast/the-sea-brigade-a-broadchurch-podcast-s2-e5

Edited April 7, 2015 by staveDarsky

[Primetimer]

Ricky fights Lee, Jocelyn dunks on Sharon, and Tom picks a side.

Read the story

[alias1]

I strongly suspect that Jocelyn is gay, and if I had to guess, I'd say it's Ollie's boss that she's had a thing for all of these years.

That's what I thought, too.    And Jocelyn seems to be right about Sharon.  Sharon is always blaming her assistant for everything that goes wrong in the trial.  I still don't care about either of the lawyers, though.

 

I loved Ellie's expression of disgust when Claire was talking about how addicted she is to Lee.  I can't imagine this series without Olivia Coleman.

 

How could they not have determined that the other number in Claire's phone is to Ricky?  Aren't there ways to obtain that information?  Seems like both of the Sandbrook couples are lying about everything. 

 

I hope this season doesn't end with Joe Miller getting off and then season 3 will be about the fallout from that.  Please show, don't do that to me.

[DeeJayKay]

Uncle Alec remembering Fred's name and pushing him in his stroller.

 

Hardy offering comfort to Ellie by trying to put a hand on her shoulder.

 

Hardy trying to make conversation with Jocelyn and offering advice.

 

What is WRONG with the man?

[Pattycake2]

I was so afraid that Hardy was going to keel over into the water.  His memories of almost drowning make me a wee nervous having him so close to the water.  

 

Now I'm thinking that maybe there was swinging/wife swapping/foursomes going on among the neighbors and Ricky gave Lee the drug so that Claire would be out of it when they substituted the niece.

 

I wonder if Ricky and Lee got the niece high and took her out to tag-team her. Then maybe they were all tripping so hard they didn't notice she couldn't handle it and died.

 

Yeah, that. 

[Constantinople]

The people in BizarroEngland have some odd ideas about priests and ministers

 

Why Becca would be surprised that her boyfriend Father Coates visits Joe Miller is beyond me (unless it isn't the idea of visiting Joe per se, but that Coates kept it secret from her).

 

Equally odd is Sharon Bishop's surprise when Coates wouldn't serve as a character reference for Joe (leaving aside the whole issue of whether or not such evidence would even be admissible).  It's not a priest's job to rubber stamp whatever one of his congregants decides to do.  Not many priests would act as a character reference for someone they thought was an unrepentant criminal.

 

It's really convenient that one of the files in the Sandbrook case had some offhand reference to an abandoned factory for apparently no reason whatsoever, and that abandoned factory just happens to have a dead body in it (presumably the missing babysitter)

 

Things I continue not to care about
* Knight's personal history
* Bishop's personal history
* Anything to do with Sandbrook

[gibasi]

Did anyone else think it was beyond bizarre that Beth should talk to a group of "reformed" pedophiles?  Maybe I've watched too much Law & Order SVU but I thought pretty much once a pedophile always a pedophile?  And why would this help Beth in any way?  She wants to do something in Danny's memory; how about a skate park or scholarship or something. I certainly wouldn't suggest talking to a group such as that!

[pasdetrois]

I really, really hate Claire, both the character and the actress' portrayal. It grates.

 

It looks as if the patio of Hardy's rented home takes on sea tides every day.  I wondered if he was going to drown in a half inch of water while passed out from his cardiac trouble. But oh to live that close to the sea. I'm actually enjoying the gorgeous scenery more than the wretched story and acting this season.

[izabella]

I really, really hate Claire, both the character and the actress' portrayal. It grates.

 

She's #1 on my loathing list, closely followed by Susan.  How has Hardy refrained from slapping her silly?

[DeeJayKay]

 

that abandoned factory just happens to have a dead body in it (presumably the missing babysitter)

We did not SEE a body, although it's an easy assumption, as we don't know where Lisa is.  Pretty horrific assumption, too.

 

How has Hardy refrained from slapping her silly?

That's not Hardy's way.  He'd rather wither you with sarcasm.

[pbutler111]

I keep thinking that Mark must be guilty, otherwise I don't understand why they would be constantly showing Beth going off on Ellie and blaming her for what Joe did, since Beth thinks Ellie had to have known. It would be satisfying, then, for Mark to be the real murderer. Otherwise, Beth just seems nuts.

[pezgirl7]

Did anyone else think it was beyond bizarre that Beth should talk to a group of "reformed" pedophiles?  Maybe I've watched too much Law & Order SVU but I thought pretty much once a pedophile always a pedophile?  And why would this help Beth in any way?  She wants to do something in Danny's memory; how about a skate park or scholarship or something. I certainly wouldn't suggest talking to a group such as that!

 

They explained it in a previous episode that they thought preventing other boys like Danny from being targeted would be a good cause. But yea, I don't think the men can be reformed, and a skate park is a much better idea!

 

What is WRONG with the man?

 

He's dying? Maybe Hardy is finally realizing his life sucked before. I hope his operation is a success! I like the kinder, gentler Hardy, who's still rough around the edges.

 

I'm finding the Sandbrook stuff interesting, and I really am not sure what happened. People are acting guilty, but at the same time, not seeming guilty, at least not of murder. It's odd. I was trying to figure out why Lee just let himself get beat up, and all I could think of was that he feels guilty of something and wanted to be punished, or he wants sympathy from Hardy. At least we got a shirtless scene out of it.

Edited April 2, 2015 by pezgirl7

[staveDarsky]

It looks as if the patio of Hardy's rented home takes on sea tides every day.  I wondered if he was going to drown in a half inch of water while passed out from his cardiac trouble. But oh to live that close to the sea.

 

The real house went up for sale in January for £275K. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2909648/David-Tennant-s-Broadchurch-blue-seaside-hut-goes-sale-275-000-estate-agents-hope-cash-popular-series.html) And a comment I read about it said the house floods -- often! But hey! David Tennant sat on its stoop a few times and passed out on the patio so that's worth something. LOL  (Photo of the real interior: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/03161/Broadchurch-inside_3161124c.jpg)

 

It's odd. I was trying to figure out why Lee just let himself get beat up, and all I could think of was that he feels guilty of something and wanted to be punished, or he wants sympathy from Hardy. At least we got a shirtless scene out of it.

I among others wondered if the fight was staged. The timing's off. It looks like the way to/from Hardy's cottage involves walking across the field the fair is on, so it's not like he jumped out of his cabin, into a cab and was at Lee's in 3 minutes. Probably would have been at least 15. You'd expect with that much time to fight, one or the other of them would have been incapacitated, not still fighting energetically.

Edited April 2, 2015 by staveDarsky

[pezgirl7]

It didn't even occur to me that the fight could have been staged, I guess because the father seemed genuinely angry at Lee. But I did find the time gap to be strange, so it being staged makes sense. But then the question is, why stage it? To throw suspicion off the father (I don't know his name) and onto Lee? Why would Lee agree to that?

 

*I typed 'Tom' at first, instead of 'Lee', because that's the actor's character in Master and Commander, which I watched last night. Doh.

[thuganomics85]

Susan's cross-examination was probably the most I enjoyed the trial.  Certainly the only time I thought Jocelyn showed any of the spark that everyone else hyped her to be, even though, really, Susan made it so easy.  Even when she is telling the truth, she comes off dodgy as hell, and just always caries the persona of a creep.  It was a risk for Sharon to even put her in the box.  But, it sounds like her strategy now is that Mark killed Danny, and Nigel disposed of the body.  Lets see how much more they're going to drag this out.

 

Hardy and Ellie continue to be awesome.  Loved Ellie confessing she ate the last of his bread; Olivia Coleman's face was priceless! And, Hardy slowly but surely bonding with them; even pushing the stroller!  It's too bad he wasn't down with the carnival stuff; I can just see him squeezed into a bumper car, with his typical annoyed face, crashing into everyone else, while he pretends that they are everyone in these damn towns who keep lying or dicking him over.

 

Really don't know what to make of this Sandbrook stuff now.  I guess the idea that Lee/Claire were swingers or partner-swapping with the neighbors, could be something.  But, the fact we have three episodes left, and they are all on Hardy/Ellie's list, makes me wonder if there is still time for another party to show up.  I just can't see this show resisting a last minute twist again.

 

Thank goodness Tommy at least let Ellie hug him, because if he didn't, he would have been on my permanent shit-list, age and and feelings be damned.  But, of course, he's totally on Team Joe, so I'm sure he's going to fuck up the case even more.

 

I'm not sure which subplot baffles me more: Beth and this helping out convicted pedophiles story or Paul being "guilt-tripped" by Sharon, into being a character witness for Joe.  If he truly falls for that, then even my residential Rory/Arthur Darvill love will not be enough to respect his spineless ass.

 

The direction is this episode was really good.  They really took advantage of the scenery in this one. 

Edited April 3, 2015 by thuganomics85

[mjc570]

thuganomics85:  I absolutely agree with everything in your post.  Thanks for articulating for me.

[Bebecat]

Beth agreeing to the pedophile group thing is just plain stupid. There is no fixing those freaks. There are plenty of ways she could honor Danny that could actually help people. That is a huge waste of time for all involved. A little too bleeding heart even for me as a liberal. Good grief.

[catray]

Predictably, I annoyed that Paul's visits to Joe (which are no one's damn business and part of his damn job) are being trotted out as something wrong by the prosecution and they are using them to try and force him to be a character witness. ARGH! And then Paul runs to Becca and confesses it and predictably she is horrified... I can't. I get that people won't be happy to learn of the visits, but seriously-- Paul is a priest!! This is what he does!!

 

Personally, given how Beth can't even forgive Ellie for being married to Joe and not knowing what he was doing, I just don't see how she could be a big enough person to work with reformed sex offenders. She just doesn't seem the type at all. Maybe I'm wrong, but given how shrill she is towards Ellie (and basically anyone else who has wronged her) I find it difficult to believe she would decide to do something like that.

 

Olivia Coleman killed it during her scene with Tom-- I ached for her. It was so superbly acted. Meanwhile, I want to punch Tom for being a dumb teenager, but he's also confused and angry... and now he's going to fuck up the trial by accusing Mark of being potentially be pedophile himself and killing Danny next week (pure spec based on the promo). 

 

All the Sandbrook suspects are shady as hell. It looks like Lee and Cate were potentially having an affair, so I think I am now on the Claire/Rick suspect train. Love Ellie and Miller working on the case, especially now that Ellie has really gotten her teeth into it. Love them together.

 

Susan, argh... what is she trying to accomplish?! I wanted to scream when she accused Nigel of dumping Danny's body on the beach, though I did enjoy that we finally got to see Jocelyn do her job, freaking finally!

[Llywela]

I keep thinking that Mark must be guilty, otherwise I don't understand why they would be constantly showing Beth going off on Ellie and blaming her for what Joe did, since Beth thinks Ellie had to have known. It would be satisfying, then, for Mark to be the real murderer. Otherwise, Beth just seems nuts.

Joe is guilty. He confessed. This season is not about disproving his guilt and discovering a different killer after all, his guilt has already been established. This season is about the gulf that exists between knowing someone to be guilty and being able to prove it in court. It's about how the baggage carried around by every individual impacts on their actions and interactions, and has repurcussions, sometimes major ones. It's about the way human beings in pain behave toward one another and how anyone can make a mistake. And it's about how fine the line can be between a tiny mistake and a massive mistake. It's about the fact that solving a murder and then gaining a conviction isn't as simple as just assembling clues and presenting them in court, because flawed, fallible human beings are involved at every step along the way, and human beings stuff up very easily.

[staveDarsky]

I also see series 2 about the character arcs of Ellie and Hardy. In series 1, Hardy was already on the slide and Ellie, who started episode 1 on top of the world, plunged to the bottom by the end of episode 8. In series 2, just when we think they can't get lower, both do. But now in episode 5, Ellie is really rising like a phoenix from the ashes, becoming the detective who deserved the DI job. We just hope Hardy soon starts his rebound -- especially with his health.

[jeansheridan]

I now know how to spell beaucoup! In my part of the world we say it like "bowcoo". My life is better.

[Wordsworth]

I agree with everyone else that Paul is a minister and his visits to talk to Joe about repenting are not a betrayal of the Latimers or anyone else.  I'm sitting through that whole scene with Becca muttering, "He's a minister, for Pete's sake".

 

I predict that Tom will try to give his father a fake alibi for the night of Danny's murder.  He's a kid.  His life has been turned upside down and his family is on parade during this public spectacle (and not in a good way).  I don't agree with his position, but I understand his anger/fear/grief.

 

I got the same vibe from Jocelyn when Hardy asked about "him".  I'm pretty sure Jocelyn's gay and that Maggie was the S.O., not Sharon.  They act like an old married couple sometimes.

 

And Hardy & Miller are starting to get that same feel.  They are becoming more comfortable with each other.  I loved the scene where Miller said she would solve the case.  Good for her!  

 

And I'm flummoxed about the case anyway, so they're going to have to reconcile it for me.  Lee & Claire are married, but she carries on with anyone (including Ricky) and he was into Cate, as well.  Not the most likable people in the world, but which one of them is a murderer?  

 

 

[attica]

Someday, I want to paint a room of mine in that bright, yolky yellow with clean white trim in Claire's gaff. I would look good in it. :)  Ah, the joys of renting and living among the butter and the beige.

 

Nice to see Charlotte Rampling have some scenery to chew on at last. She's been too boring and broody up to now. Bite it, gurl!

 

I don't get what Beth's supposed to talk about with the pedos. "Here, look at what a mess you guys make?" That seems...unuseful.

[jeansheridan]

I love that Ellis gets to fix at least one thing. Or try to.

And Hardy 's home is catnip to me. Gorgeous location. Although people do just walk in. And Lee can spy easily. Seems like Hardy would want more privacy just because.

I have liked Paul a lot this season. I guess he really is just a bridge character, connecting Joe, Beth, and Becca. But I like that he seems genuine and really thinks about his role in the community. Other than Grantchester I haven't seen a television clergy member portrayal so balanced. He is human and hopeful.

[Wordsworth]

I also really enjoyed seeing Hardy & Miller call Claire on her nonsense and walk out.  They're trying to protect her from a dangerous man, but she lets him in the house anyway for a sexual encounter?  Clearly she doesn't feel as threatened by him as she's led on.

 

Susan & Nigel:  Has Susan changed her opinion of Nigel?  Did she really actually see him on the beach that night or was it her mistaking Joe for him because of her preconceived notions of Nige's personality?  Or is it now just getting back at him for rejecting her?

 

Beth & the "Charity":  There are people out there who are sexually attracted to children that go to great lengths to avoid acting on that attraction.  Getting counseling for the attraction is difficult as many therapists don't understand it and report a would-be patient to the police instead, even if they have no evidence that an actual child has been victimized.  My guess is that this charity is intended to help provide resources for men who are trying to control their urges...similar to the way alcoholics are taught to avoid situations where they will be tempted to drink, this group might teach the men to never be alone with kids for any reasons, avoid kid-friendly places, etc.

 

 

[alias1]

I don't understand the problem the town seems to have with Paul visiting someone in prison.  He's a priest so he should visit people in prison to comfort them and pray with them and maybe get them to repent.  But asking a priest to be a character witness seems absurd.  And Becca acting like he's a leper now seems absurd.  It seemed out of character for her, too.

 

There was something funny about that Lee/Ricky fight.  Lee seems way too fit to take a beating like that from pudgy Ricky.  And the time needed for Hardy to get there and still see them fighting was not realistic.  It doesn't really make sense for them to stage it.  Or are we supposed to think they staged it?  Either way, it seems like bad writing.  Too many discrepancies.

[DeeJayKay]

Remember that Ricky did not seem to know where Lee was, and Hardy did not tell him, so Hardy had no reason to think that Lee was "in danger" (altough Ricky seems to vibrate not-nice, possibly dangerous).  So once Hardy had his will done, he got a cab and went to see Lee, probably just to question him. And the fight was ongoing when he got there, so it hadn't been long since Ricky found him (probably bumped into Ollie and asked him!) 

Edited April 3, 2015 by DeeJayKay