Past Seasons Talk: Murder on the Dorset Coast

[maraleia]

A place to discuss particular episodes, arcs and moments from the show's first and second season including the remoteness of the town to the insular nature of the story. Please remember this isn't a complete catch-all topic -- check out the forum for character topics and other places for show-related talk.

[DeeJayKay]

Thank you, that explains that.  you must be exremely busy.

I am hoping the upcoming book explains a couple of dangling ends, such as the postal worker, and ALL of Steve the psychic.  I don't mind dangling ends, as such, as that is the way life happens.  Things are unexplained.

[nyxy]

Thank you from me too, Maraleia!

 Deejay, ITA about the dangling ends. Would love to see more about the psychic. I didn't know there was a book, though--looking forward to learning more! 

[DeeJayKay]

There is a book - a novelization, if you will - due out on Sept. 2, written by Chris Chibnall and Erin Kelly.

[nyxy]

yaaay- delighted to hear this!Thank you, deejayKay. Had to look it up after reading your post. The article in *Telegraph* linked below has few details. Chris Chibnall's co-author, Eric Kelley, writes Brit psychological thrillers- curious how the coauthoring will turn out..

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10409536/Broadchurch-the-book-to-be-published-in-2014.html

Tidbit from the article and something else I didn't know: Season One finale had 10m viewers. No wonder there is going to be a US version as well as an ITV season two of the show.

Presumably the book will be focused on season one.

Edited April 10, 2014 by maraleia
changed BBC to ITV

[Eozostrodon]

They shot a scene explaining the postman scene, but it wound up having to be cut for time. It's included in the deleted scenes extras on the Blu Ray. I don't remember exactly what it was (I don't have a Blu Ray player) but the postman was angry at Danny for doing something minor - scratching his van or something?

Btw it's an ITV show, nothing to do with the BBC.

Edited April 9, 2014 by Eozostrodon

[daisycat]

Eww... US version, really??

I heard once upon a time that there was going to be a series 2 - did I hallucinate this, or was it just wishful thinking?

[nyxy]

There is totally going to be a series 2 (yippeeeee). According to this article, it was announced the day after the finale, which was seen by 10 m viewers:  http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/broadchurch-series-2/

There is also a US version of the show, titled *Gracepoint*.  Done by Fox, I believe, and being shot in Canada:  David Tennant will be in it, but not Olivia Coleman (sadly). DT says it's quite different from the ITV version:  http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/02/21/david-tennant-gracepoint-interview/

Edited April 11, 2014 by nyxy

[Kathira]

I rewatched Broadchurch this week, and one thing about the reveal of Joe as the killer struck me. How much did he really confess? We see him tell Hardy that he's the one at the shed, plus he has the phone (and there's all the other evidence, like the computer records). Then we see the recreation of the event as it was happening, with no voice over from Joe, as if he was telling Hardy what had happened. It just plays out like a flashback. Then we see Hardy questioning him about the nature of his relationship with Danny, the money, etc. So Joe confessed, right? Except that Hardy never says this specifically to anyone. He tells Ellie it was Joe and that they have him in custody. He tells Danny's family that they are "fairly certain" they have a right man. He also hedges in the press conference. Why doesn't he say someone has confessed? Is this just legal reticence to make sure he doesn't' harm the case against Joe by making definite pronouncements about his guilt?  Is there some element that they're not sure of? That maybe Joe's confession isn't true? Anyway, it was just something I noticed on rewatching, maybe it doesn't mean anything.

I hope they don't go with Joe's trial as a main plot. I'm thinking there shouldn't be one, since he's not pleading innocent, but I'm not that familiar with the British legal system. I would love to see a return to the Sandbrook case. Maybe the Sandbrook killer sees Hardy in the news and moves to Broadchurch to continue to taunt him. I know they've said it won't be another murder, but that doesn't rule out kidnapping, etc. I could see a scenario where Hardy gets his operation (or his condition stabilizes) and he stays in Broadchurch. Miller is still on the police force, but with a new DI. A child is kidnapped and the kidnapper sends notes to Hardy, taunting him. This brings Hardy into the case whether he wants to or not. Miller is on his side, but he's in conflict with the new DI as they race to save the kidnapped child. Sounds good to me. I could probably write it as a fanfic.

Edited April 11, 2014 by Kathira

[LakeGal]

I really enjoyed season one.  At the beginning of the season DH and I said the best ending would be if it turned out to be her hubby as the killer.  We watched the entire season with this thought in mind.  So we enjoyed the reveal and the ending.  I think I would have been disappointed if anyone else had turned out to be the killer.

[Wordsworth]

It really fit with the theme of the entire show.  It was Ellie's hometown.  The place where she knew everyone.  Wasn't that her constant refrain, "I know this person"?  Then, as the course of the show goes on, she finds out more and more about the people she thought she knew:  Mark, Jack Marshall, Nigel.  But at least she could go home and get away from this strange new place where no one was as they seemed.  The reveal of Joe as the killer was just the final straw that broke Ellie's view of the small seaside town where she thought she knew everybody.

 

 

 

[Automne]

I'm watching this show now and Ellie is a little annoying with the small town I-know-everyone mentality. Broadchurch is a seaside town of 15000. It's small, but not that small and everybody has secrets. Somebody who is a cop and was in the running for the DI position ought to not be viewing the world through rose-colored glasses. Had Alec not come to the town, she would have been woefully ill-equipped to solve the case. I have been spoiled about who is the killer, but it's not really ruining the show for me. I can pay more attention to any foreshadowing and the red herrings that I would have otherwise. I'm really intrigued as to how season 2 is going to go for Ellie with the blinders coming off and being the wife of the guy who murdered their son's best friend. Aside from how it will affect her, how will the town see her now? Whatever the town will think of Alec once his past failure comes to light (because Karen seems to be bound and determined to undermine the case and Alec himself with that), it's nothing compared to sleeping with a child killer and not knowing it.

 

I like Alec and that's not just my David Tennant fangirl speaking. Of course, the show is doing everything it can to paint him as a woobie and it works. Failed case in the past, path for redemption, paying his penance, divorce, child estrangement, social awkwardness, and a nice bum ticker to top it all off. I hope in season 2 and any possible subsequent seasons they don't bring in the ex-wife and daughter. They can stay nicely tucked away in the past and focus on Alec's present and future.

[nyxy]

The book is available for preorder- Sep 16 is the release date.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Broadchurch-Erin-Kelly/dp/1250055504

Edited September 7, 2014 by nyxy

[miles2go]

I've just read the book, and it's pretty good.  There have been a few small changes from the broadcast version.

[Red Fields]

Just binged my way through the entire series on Netflix, after getting 8/10ths through Gracepoint. I picked Joe as the killer watching Gracepoint, but that show apparently has a different character as the murderer. Looking forward to another season!

[Oinky Boinky]

I guess I am spoiled now.  Not sure where I am in this season 1.  Bravo is showing it and I was thinking there would be previouslies or something to indicate if it was the first episode.  

 

Where I am is the court scene where the fellow is supposed to plead guilty and pleads not guilty. 

 

Can someone tell me if that is the first episode or how far in that is?  Thanks

[Llywela]

Where I am is the court scene where the fellow is supposed to plead guilty and pleads not guilty. 

 

Can someone tell me if that is the first episode or how far in that is?  Thanks

That's the first episode of season two.

Edited January 14, 2015 by Llywela

[staveDarsky]

I picked Joe as the killer watching Gracepoint, but that show apparently has a different character as the murderer. Looking forward to another season!

 

On Gracepoint,

Joe got arrested but then Ellie realized Tom was there too as she looked at his shoes. So it was revealed Tom actually swung the fatal blow, accidentally and that Joe is covering for Tom. Carver spotted an inconsistency in the interview video he'd shot and was unsuccessfully trying to call Ellie as the series faded to black.

Broadchurch series 1 left off at Joe strangling Danny and moving the body alone.

 

And just to correct something, Bravo's not broadcasting Broadchurch 2 in Canada, Showcase is. Showcase is owned by the same company as Global which broadcast Gracepoint here. Showcase is broadcasting each Broadchurch 2 episode just six days after the UK airing.

Edited January 14, 2015 by staveDarsky

[solotrek]

I just watched the first season on Netflix. I's not really the greatest murder mystery of all time, but it did what it set out to do better than The Killing did. I love that each character seems to have a secret that is going to be blown open in season 2.  The location is great and the acting is superb. I love the little bits of humor that seem to be thrown in and are delivered so well by Tennant and Colman.

 

Having not seen much British TV, I've never heard of her, but Olivia Colman is amazing. After looking her up I realize that she was in Peep Show and Hot Fuzz which I loved but this was a showcase for her. There's some great sketch comedy videos of her and Martin Freeman from the early 2000's and now I want to see a drama with the 2 of them. Someone please make it happen.

[jeansheridan]

 

I like Alec and that's not just my David Tennant fangirl speaking. Of course, the show is doing everything it can to paint him as a woobie and it works

I only watched this because I'm a fangirl!  "Do I irk you?"  Heh.  And I loved the clergyman too.  Just wondering, but are Anglican clergy also celibate like Roman Catholic priests?  I was unclear about that and that man is a catch! The hotelier lady needs to secure him.

 

The pace of the show frustrated me a bit (I just watched The Fall which was even slower ...bleh!), but I do appreciate that the writers really followed through with the victim's family--from the death, through the affair, pregnancy, the daughter's secret boyfriend, and finally recovery.  All in eight episodes.  Well done.

 

I do wish there had bit just a bit more humor. David Tennant is funny!  I wanted more of those dinner scenes at Ellie's home--awkward and uncomfortable.  And the wake scene.  Not a ton more humor, just human humor if that makes sense?  He and the lead actress had great co-worker energy. 

 

Gracepoint is awful!  Avoid it.  It's like a bad echo of this show.

Edited February 1, 2015 by jeansheridan

[staveDarsky]

1. Anglican ministers may marry. They aren't required to be celibate.

2. The humour between Hardy and Miller is played up a little more in series 2, I'd say.
3. If you've already seen Broadchurch 1, then I'd say the appeal in watching Gracepoint is to see the differences between a show produced for the UK and the same story produced for an American audience. That was how I viewed it and appreciated it.

Edited February 2, 2015 by staveDarsky

[jeansheridan]

I still think Gracepoint is pointless. Maybe with a different lead. The chemistry was off between Tennant and Gunn. And he seemed bored. Very bored. Gunn also seems less small town cop than Coleman. Too glamorous. Just didn't work for me obviously.

[staveDarsky]

Woo hoo! I just discovered that the internet archive cached the TWOP Broadchurch thread on April 19 of last year. I'm catching up there on what was said about series 1.

http://web.archive.org/web/20140419204023/http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/topic/3218197-broadchurch-forbrydelsen-goes-british/

[carrps]

I just finished watching Broadchurch on Netflix, and I watched all of Gracepoint. Broadchurch was muuuuuch better. I agree that Tennant and Gunn had no chemistry, but I also felt that Tennant was more relaxed in his acting in Broadchurch. I think that's because he didn't need to devote any energy to watching how he said things; he only had to act them. If there had been a different actor cast who didn't need to  work with a different accent? I dunno. I still think Gracepoint wouldn't haven't worked. Broadchurch also felt like a real town. Gracepoint seemed fake somehow. It was like they tried to find a town that looked a lot like the Broadchurch town (and "Gracepoint" looked a LOT like it), but one that didn't look like a typical coastal NoCal town. That bothered me, too. I'm a Californian, and I've been up and down the coast a whole bunch of times. It didn't have the right feel.

 

Another thing I liked about Broadchurch was the "Wessex" thing and Hardy's name. They even had Jack reading "Jude the Obsure" as his alibi! It really stood out to me the first time I heard Tennant say "Wessex," and I liked that extra frisson it gave the series. Things don't usually work out too well for Hardy characters. Gave it that extra sense of incipient doom.

[staveDarsky]

FYI, the cliffs in Gracepoint were digital effects. There's a short video on how they added them in. You never would find a place that looks like that on the west coast.

 

I recently listened to the commentary tracks for episodes 1 and 8 of Broadchurch 1. What struck me, especially on episode 8, when Chris Chibnall was one of the commentators, was the care taken in filming Broadchurch. When they did the crucial scenes, the cast were kept apart and didn't rehearse together beforehand so that when they went to do the scenes, the actors were seeing each other for the first time that day and the rawness could be captured. And for the most part, they used the first take. e.g., Hardy and Ellie telling the Latimers the victim was Danny in episode 1; Hardy telling Ellie the murderer was Joe in episode 8; Ellie going to see Joe and attacking him; and Hardy going by himself to inform the Latimers about Joe's arrest. It meant the camera people had to be really on their toes and couldn't do the intricate measurements for lighting and focusing on the faces, but that probably helped with the impact of each of those scenes.

 

I wonder if they went to the same lengths when filming the similar scenes for Gracepoint.
 

Yes, the Thomas Hardy tie-ins are fun. Episode 2 introduces us to Alec's ex-wife, Tess, a very fitting name for her!

Edited July 29, 2015 by staveDarsky

[shirazplease]

I'm late to this party but I just binged Season 1.  The cliffs and sea and all the scenery were as vivid as any human character in the story, just took my breath away.   I'm going for Season 2 this weekend.  I'm so thankful Nigel didn't kill the dog.  

[LeGrandElephant]

I'm watching Season 1. It's hard to get into it because I made the mistake of watching Gracepoint first, but now that Broadchurch is on Netflix I wanted to watch it and watch the subsequent seasons. 

 

I keep being struck by how much more attractive the Mark here is than the Mark on Gracepoint. The actor here reminds me strongly of Ryan from The O.C. 

Edited May 23, 2016 by LeGrandElephant

[staveDarsky]

So many of the actors in Broadchurch had, at some point, played characters with American accents, making it really frustrating that they didn't just remake it with the UK actors in a US setting.

I suppose in the end, Anna Gunn, Michael Pena, Nick Nolte, Kevin Zegers, and Jacki Weaver looked like they were big enough names to pull in audiences for Fox.

[Miles]

Since the first post says this is not only a discussion of season 1, but also season 2, I'm not going to read the posts till later.

Not going to lie, I came here to gloat a little. I called Miller's husband being the killer around episode 3. I have to confess I cheated a little in that I didn't figure it out by the clues presented, but asked myself: "which of these characters wouldn't be a big let down being the killer" and then noticed "oh Miller's husband has waaaay too much screen time for just being the supportive stay at home husband of the detective." As the show went on my conviction hardened, since one after another the actual clues also fit perfectly and I was proven right in the end.

Especially fun was the "subtle" foreshadowing where Miller asked the woman who's husband molested and killed his daughter how she couldn't know what was happening in her own house.

Edited September 19, 2016 by Miles

[jeansheridan]

Quote

 I'm so thankful Nigel didn't kill the dog.

Me too although given a child died, it's pretty shallow of me.  Apparently that dog is the real pet of the actress.  So well behaved and screen friendly!  If you look carefully he shows up in the memorial scene for Kevin.  He's just kind of stretched out on steps leading to the church.  Blink and you miss him (or her). 

[DJG1122]

Don't know where this should be. Mods, if it should be somewhere else, please move it.

USA here. Just binge watched seasons 1 & 2 on Netflix. Season 3 not showing here yet, not even on Amazon.

Chibnall said in the beginning that this was a trilogy. Beginning, middle and end. Loose ends that I would expect to see tied up:

Danny had blood on his hands in the opening sequence of S1. When his body is found, he has cleaning solution all over him, but no blood.

During Joe's trial, (don' t remember by who), the question is asked,  "did Mark Latimer kill Danny". Camera shows Mark, Beth and Nigel sitting side by side and all three are shaking their heads no. Mark, ( because he knows he didn't kill Danny?), Beth, (because she doesn't want to think Mark killed Danny?) and Nigel (because ?????)

Why were cigarette butts like the ones Susan Wright smoked around the area where Danny's body was found? Susan Wright stood and smoked cigarettes on the EXACT spot Danny's body WOULD BE found?

Yes, I understand that there is a new season/issue. Season 2 wrapped up the Sanbrooke case. I expect Season 3 to wrap up the Broadchurch case.

 

(Totally off topic-Dorset and environs is absolutely beautiful!!!!)

[secnarf]

On 2017-03-18 at 6:49 PM, DJG1122 said:

Don't know where this should be. Mods, if it should be somewhere else, please move it.

USA here. Just binge watched seasons 1 & 2 on Netflix. Season 3 not showing here yet, not even on Amazon.

Chibnall said in the beginning that this was a trilogy. Beginning, middle and end. Loose ends that I would expect to see tied up:

Danny had blood on his hands in the opening sequence of S1. When his body is found, he has cleaning solution all over him, but no blood.

During Joe's trial, (don' t remember by who), the question is asked,  "did Mark Latimer kill Danny". Camera shows Mark, Beth and Nigel sitting side by side and all three are shaking their heads no. Mark, ( because he knows he didn't kill Danny?), Beth, (because she doesn't want to think Mark killed Danny?) and Nigel (because ?????)

Why were cigarette butts like the ones Susan Wright smoked around the area where Danny's body was found? Susan Wright stood and smoked cigarettes on the EXACT spot Danny's body WOULD BE found?

Yes, I understand that there is a new season/issue. Season 2 wrapped up the Sanbrooke case. I expect Season 3 to wrap up the Broadchurch case.

 

(Totally off topic-Dorset and environs is absolutely beautiful!!!!)

It's been a while since I saw the earlier seasons, but weren't they answered? The blood on Danny's hand was because he cut himself on something (Joe then cleaned it off?). I don't remember that scene in the trial. Susan Wright stood there smoking after Danny was killed, watching - she talked about wondering if her kid looked so peaceful after her husband killed her.

[staveDarsky]

On 2017-03-18 at 6:49 PM, DJG1122 said:

During Joe's trial, (don' t remember by who), the question is asked,  "did Mark Latimer kill Danny". Camera shows Mark, Beth and Nigel sitting side by side and all three are shaking their heads no. Mark, ( because he knows he didn't kill Danny?), Beth, (because she doesn't want to think Mark killed Danny?) and Nigel (because ?????)

Joe's defense lawyer kept pushing the idea that Mark killed Danny to show that it was possible to doubt Joe did it and suspect someone else. When she made this particular accusation, all three of Mark, Beth and Nige shook their heads because they knew in their hearts that Mark wasn't capable of killing his own child. The only person who announced that Nige did it was Susan Wright, his birth mother. Why? Because she wanted to hurt him for rejecting her. She knew it was Joe who she saw on the beach. Jocelyn proved Susan was lying, putting that whole angle to rest.

Right at the end of series 2, some fans were still convinced someone other than Joe killed Danny.  It got so bad that Chris Chibnall tweeted out "It was Joe. It was always Joe." So any suspicion you have about Nige can be put to rest. It was Joe.

[DJG1122]

Thanks

[secnarf]

14 hours ago, staveDarsky said:

Joe's defense lawyer kept pushing the idea that Mark killed Danny to show that it was possible to doubt Joe did it and suspect someone else. When she made this particular accusation, all three of Mark, Beth and Nige shook their heads because they knew in their hearts that Mark wasn't capable of killing his own child. The only person who announced that Nige did it was Susan Wright, his birth mother. Why? Because she wanted to hurt him for rejecting her. She knew it was Joe who she saw on the beach. Jocelyn proved Susan was lying, putting that whole angle to rest.

I think Susan also said something to the effect of she believed it was Nigel because Nigel is his father's son - in other words, a 'nature' (genetic) component to the predisposition to commit murder.

[Ms Blue Jay]

On 5/23/2016 at 2:39 PM, LeGrandElephant said:

I keep being struck by how much more attractive the Mark here is than the Mark on Gracepoint. The actor here reminds me strongly of Ryan from The O.C. 

 

Alan Ruck.  He's so Alan Ruck to me

Edited April 22, 2018 by Ms Blue Jay

[RainbowBrite]

I'm posting this through squinted eyes because I have only seen season 1, but I cannot get over how jarring it is that they use the same footage of waves for so many scene breaks. One in particular actually made me laugh; I cannot recall the scene at the moment, but it cut from the scene to a shot of the waves and then picked right back up again at the previous scene!

I really enjoyed the first season overall. I enjoyed watching David Tennant in a role that was not a villain - I've only seen him in Jessica Jones and Harry Potter (starting Dr. Who just seems overwhelming).

Edited June 13, 2018 by RainbowBrite