Broadchurch, UK Killing-style TV drama 04 March 2013

[Nick Armstrong]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/broadchurch/11384874/broadchurch-series-2-episode-5.html

Last night's was 'the worst so far' says the DTel critic elsewhere (with spoilers)...

[Barbirollians]

Viewing figures apparently in freefall even beaten by Silent Witness !!!

[eighthobstruction]

Bowed out after Ep 2....unbelievable tripe....writer needs a good talking to/editor....

[Anna]

Problem is, when you have a drama that has nation on edge of seats as to who killed Danny, huge success, sold to US, etc., it's awful tempting to the writers/producers to think a second series will be even better .... Alas, this time it really hasn't worked, it's completely bombed because it's a nonsense, I suspect people only continue to watch it because of Olivia Colman

[eighthobstruction]

I think much of OC's despair must come FROM THE SCRIPT / STORY she is being asked to enact....

[Anna]

I think much of OC's despair must come FROM THE SCRIPT / STORY she is being asked to enact....

And, if anyone watching it was due to give evidence in a Crown Court or require the services of a barrister, I should think they'd flee the country ....!

[DracoM]

Just watched final epi of most recent 'Broadchurch' - and what a fast, schmaltzy and brazenly unlikely wrap-up THAT was!

[jean]

I didn't watch the second series, but I've been gripped by this.

In one respect only I think the 'wrap-up' was 'unikely', but I won't do into that unless someone else has something to say.

But there are several aspects to the 'wrap-up'. Which one qualifies as schmaltzy?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I didn't watch the second series, but I've been gripped by this.

- except that I did watch series 2, which was so poor, I nearly didn't watch this one. Glad I did; from the very first scene I found it, as you say, gripping.

In one respect only I think the 'wrap-up' was 'unikely', but I won't do into that unless someone else has something to say.

SPOILER ALERT: I thought the revelation of the younger offender a very good plot twist - but I did wonder about about his ability to follow the older offender's instructions to "do it" under such emotionally fraught conditions.

But there are several aspects to the 'wrap-up'. Which one qualifies as schmaltzy?

The Latimers? This sub-story has been the least successful aspect of this third series for me - as if grafted onto the new story in order to connect it to the previous two. The semi-happy ending of their story - well, I can see that some "lifting" from the grim main events was felt to be necessary. I just wasn't really convinced by this - it "clunked". I did, however, like the scene with Hardy and his daughter - at the age when young people start to feel less overwhelmed by their attitudes towards their parents, and considering what her father has helped achieve for women, I found it exactly paced and "placed" - a commendable lack of schmaltz, I thought.

As for the "loose ends tied, we're all moving on" ... well, mnyah ...

[jean]

SPOILER ALERT: ...I did wonder about about his ability to follow the older offender's instructions to "do it" under such emotionally fraught conditions.

SPOILER ALERT: That's what I wondered, too.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Further Spoiler: Thinking further, I did wonder about the character of the Taxi Driver - completely selfish and controlling throughout the series: would that sort of person have behaved as he did under interrogation?

[vinteuil]

.

... well, mnyah ...

.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/5e/e1/8d/5ee18d63adef70f57b2e56af420b1b5c.jpg

[DracoM]

Most partnerships, their warring having been a core part of this series, suddenly hugging and making up over takeaways, against golden sunsets......I mean....

Come on..........that Latimer family wrap-up......glutinous Tv IMO.

And the Lenny Henry thread...........? erm......???

[Serial_Apologist]

There was an interesting TV discussion this morning as regards whether or not this series presented all of its male characters in an unrealistically and unrelentingly mysandric light.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Most partnerships, their warring having been a core part of this series, suddenly hugging and making up over takeaways, against golden sunsets......I mean....

Yes - fair point: "I've put spyware on your computer to keep an eye on you whilst I'm staying with my new girlfriend. Chinese takeaway to make up?" "Yer, alright."