The difficult second album: Is Broadchurch past its best?

Making a second series of Broadchurch was always going to be a risky move. ‘Detective fever’ swept the nation during the airing of its first series in 2013, with everyone seeming to have an opinion on “who killed Danny Latimer”. When being confronted with the high levels of criticism that the show’s second series has faced during a recent interview, actor David Tennant (who plays D.I. Alec Hardy in the show) said that British viewers “never allow lightning to strike twice”. But does the series deserve this disparagement, or are there glimmers of hope amongst the rubble?

The second series began with a shock twist. It was the day of Joe Miller’s (Matthew Gravelle) court hearing, where he would announce his guilt over murdering the young Danny, after the two had been having secret liaisons. The court, and indeed the audience at home, expected him to confirm that he was guilty, having confessed to the police. However, the court, including his wife D.S. Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman), were left reeling after his shock plea of “Not Guilty”. So far, so exciting.

This revelation was, however, the first in a series of confusions. Flashbacks littered throughout the series have introduced the ‘Sandbrook’ case involving two young girls, which drove Alec away from his previous job. It seems that Alec is guilty of helping his ‘friend’ Claire (Eve Myles) go into hiding. This doesn’t go down well when her husband, the violent and somewhat terrifying Lee Ashworth (James D’Arcy), returns to stir up trouble.  The story of his passionate yet possessive relationship with Claire is kind of endearing, and yet, frankly, quite creepy. This relationship is played out alongside the story of Hardy, whose heart problems have led to him having a pacemaker fitted. The shattered existences of those that Danny left behind are also examined, such as the lives of his parents (played by Andrew Buchan and Jodie Whittaker), who have just had a new baby.

source: Flickr/ Libsy

The saving grace for the show is the double act of Hardy and Miller.

I must admit that the criticisms that the series has faced are somewhat warranted. The series felt a little bit slow at first. It was as if nothing much happened, until, suddenly, everything did. There have also been a few too many cliff-hangers for my liking. Shots in which characters appear brooding whilst staring off into the distance from the clifftops occur frequently. Something that this series has struggled with at times is its tone. The dramatic music rages just before every ad-break, to the point where the tension occasionally feels just a little bit forced. This isn’t helped by the fake West Country accents which abound. Most of them aren’t bad, but they are a bit distracting from the action at times.

However, the saving grace for the show is the double act of Hardy and Miller. Tennant and Colman shine in their respective roles, and their love-hate relationship emulates the actors’ obvious real life friendship. Despite criticism of the accuracy of the legal proceedings as portrayed in the show, what can’t be questioned is the genuine likeability of this partnership. Something that the series has got right is the impact that Danny’s murder has had on this small seaside community. Every life has been touched in some way. The introduction of some new characters, including the barristers for the prosecution and defence (played by Charlotte Rampling and Marianne Jean-Baptiste) adds a further layer of intrigue to events, and they are a welcome addition to an already sterling cast, including the always excellent Arthur Darvill, whose turn as the highly likeable vicar Paul is often overlooked.

Despite the inevitable criticism that this series has faced, I for one will be sorry to see it come to a close. It seems as if the ending has come round extremely suddenly.  I await the outcome of Danny’s murder case, and an explanation as to what exactly happened in the ‘Sandbrook’ case, with trepidation. If there is not another series, I will be sad not to see what becomes of the residents of Broadchurch. Will Mark and Beth ever be happy? What is going on with the defence barrister’s son? And, most important of all, will Hardy ever shave off that terrible beard? There are some diamonds in the rough, then. Boredchurch? Not quite.