Broadchurch (TV Series) Episode #3.1 (2017) User Reviews

A chilling and grim premiere, but nonetheless stunning

[abedein7 · 8/10 · 27 February 2017]

Aaaannnd we're back.

After a two year break, our favourite depressing yet stunning crime detective ITV drama returned to our screens.

I have got to say, Broadchurch's chilling effect still remains strong - this time with a new case. After the happenings of the last two series, you would think that there would be very little that could be eye-brow-raising but Chibnall gave us no breathing time as we were straight off with an alarming opening scene.

New series, new mystery. Who was the raper? Episode 1 in the third and final series of Broadchurch began this series with a chilling and grim feel, but nonetheless stunning with beautiful shots of the West Country and a fantastic script.

Tennant and Colman were back on form - as if they had never left - and this episode opened the doors to many possible accusations as to whom the killer is. It is way too early in the series to start guessing since many doors are yet to be opened as the ITV thriller unfolds throughout the next seven weeks.

Broadchurch is back on form.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 20 June 2017]

A distraught Trish turns up at the local station to explain she's been sexually assaulted. Ellie meets her and takes her to a unit where crisis worker Anna is there to meet her. Trish undergoes tests, but Alex and Ellie believe her injuries are older then she's claiming, she has two days unaccounted for. A kind Ellie gives Trish her mobile, who instantly calls, to Alec's annoyance. Beth Latimer is assigned to help Trish, someone who's still coming to terms with her own grief. It transpires Trish was raped at the party of her friends Catherine and Jim.

A very dark introduction, I think the subject was handled in quite a sensitive way, a traumatic subject, which wasn't sensationalised or demeaned, but handled in a realistic, gritty way.

Once again Ellie has her personal problems, her dad's with her and her son's been supplying porn win school.

People are so quick to slate ex soap actors but the performance of Julie Hesmondhalgh shows us the stream of talent. Personally I thought she was incredible as Trish. Tennant and Coleman once again combine to great effect, what a pity this is to be the last series. Nice to see Lenny Henry and Sarah Parish.

Already better then the rather hit and miss second series, this is going to be a tough watch, but gritty and brilliantly acted 9/10

It's not Trumpton

[studioAT · 8/10 · 7 March 2017]

Here we go again. Back to Broadchurch with Miller and Hardy.

After the so-so response the second series got (I don't know why, I liked it) it's almost as if the show is trying to go back to basics. There's been a crime, the detectives have to go through lots of suspects in a small town to find out who did it. Nice and simple.

It's great to have the main characters back, and very clever of the writer to keep linking back to the case that dominated series one. Is the format a bit tired? Perhaps, but it's well played and well acted drama, and goodness knows that's in short supply.

Keep flying the flag for quality TV 'Broadchurch'.

Never see this show if you're in sad mood.

[bola_de_pu · 10/10 · 27 February 2017]

Oh my! After two years they are finally back. I must say that I'm very surprised with the first two seasons of this show and Broadchurch is probably the best drama show that I found by mistake looking for what to see on IMDb.Too soon to tell what will happen on this season, but for sure we will have amazing performances by Colman and Tennant, once again. When I first see this show I was having a rough time in my life and my path was not looking in the right direction and I found this masterpiece and my first impression was that I like this show probably because my "sad mood" was emotionally linked to the problems the characters are going through season one. Then, I watch the show again and I convince myself that this show it's brilliant in every way and I make the decision when I recommend to my friends that not watch it if they're having trouble in there lives. So, great first chapter and expecting an amazing final season.

Delicate Topic

[Littleman95 · 10/10 · 22 December 2020]

What a start! And this one is a very delicate topic to deal with. I hope they will treat with it in a great way like they do with the previous seasons. I have high hopes.

Handled Boldly

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 16 January 2018]

The detectives are called to possible rape. The victim is a sort of plain, middle aged woman who attended a party and was attacked outside the building where the party was held. An interesting aspect of this is the great diligence that is taken by the authorities to not contaminate evidence and to be respectful of the woman who was raped. She was physically assaulted as well. Trish, the victim, is terrified and alone. She asks for police protection but that's not possible. We can already see the wheels turning. The people who hosted the party have already been out trying to warn people who may have been there, compromising the investigation from the start. This is one of the best done of these police mini-series.

Broadchurch makes a confident return for its final series

[ryanjmorris · 8/10 · 28 February 2017]

An opening shot of a beach? Check. Giant, sweeping camera angles over scenic locations? Check. Olivia Colman shouting at her on- screen son? Check. Yep, it can only be Broadchurch.

This show got off to a flying start with its debut season back in 2013, gripping the nation with its groundbreaking depiction of the somewhat tired "whodunnit" story focusing on the death of Daniel Latimer . Two years later it dropped its second series, and things didn't go as smoothly. One half of the plot was devoted to Joe Miller's court case, which did little beyond reminding viewers of the series they'd already seen, and the other half failed to really grip the country in the same way the show managed in its first year. Ratings remained high, but critics turned against it and it was impossible not to feel that a once great show had lost its magic frustratingly early on.

So here we are again as the show returns for its third and final series. This time, all notions of murder have been pushed aside and we instead focus on a serious sexual assault. Alec Hardy (David Tennant) and Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman) are called in to speak to Trish Winterman (Julie Hesmondhalgh), who has reported being sexually assaulted at her friend's birthday party. A new case begins, and meanwhile we catch up with the likes of Beth and Mark Latimer (Jodie Whittaker and Andrew Buchan) and their daughter Chloe (Charlotte Beaumont).

After the show's second series fell victim to treading water for far too long and spending an unforgivable amount of time merely reiterating facts we already knew, it's promising to see Series Three try something a little different. The show still looks and sounds the same - which is terrific, the cinematography and soundtrack that Broadchurch offers are some of the best on British TV - but it's forging a new path.

Most of this premiere's A-plot is executed well. It moves quickly, even starting two days after the assault took place, and details are uncovered fast. We're reintroduced to the lead characters without any hesitation, and bar the odd exposition infused line - Ellie's dad dropping in the whole "Y'know, since your mother..." felt horribly forced - they're both as engagingly written as ever. Tennant and Colman are reliably on form, their verbal sparring is still a highlight and the way the episode even pulls out some humour between the pair is admirable.

Away from the central plot, things get a bit more iffy. Mark's reintroduction works fine, but Beth's is more forced. We're told she has a new job, working for a charity that supports victimised or suffering women, and it feels natural to begin with. Beth has essentially been a victim herself and she has suffered, it's a good progression for her as a character. By the time the scene's up, though, she's already been pushed into the lead case to act as Trish's support. It feels rushed and doesn't allow Beth the same slow and steady reemergence that benefited Mark.

Still, this only really damages one scene, as once we move back into the A-plot again things start to feel more confident. Broadchurch has always been excellent on surface level, and these strengths are demonstrated again tonight. This may have lacked the emotional gut punch of the show's very first episode, and maybe didn't quite recapture that heart stopping moment when Joe Miller pleaded Not Guilty and pushed us towards a series we didn't expect to see, but it's a focused and tightly packed premiere that pushes Broadchurch back in the right direction. Let's hope it stays there this time.

Grade: B+

www.morrismovies.co.uk

"Are you alright" Chris Chibnall?

[mmwea · 10/10 · 22 September 2019]

Ok, the title of my review was a little cheeky, but I've spent a lot of time in the UK, and people don't ask each other "Are you all right?" or "Are you OK?" every two or three minutes, especially when they've just been raped, or are covered in blood, or have just discovered a body, or whatever. It seems to be an odd tick on the part of an otherwise excellent writer, Chris Chibnall. But I gave the show 10 stars anyway, because it really is brilliant. Actually, season one and two are brilliant. Season three is a hot mess. In fact, season three is rubbish. But DO watch the first two seasons.

Cast struggle with lazy writing

[mark-338-155607 · 5/10 · 28 February 2017]

Season 1 of this show was brilliant. It was the edge of your seat writing and direction which made this one of the best series in 2013. Skip to Season 2 and it was poor, trying to stretch out an already dead story, I felt it should have ended in 2013.

Fast forward to Season 3 - We have a new story, with the same detectives, but sadly the great cast really struggle with a poorly written script.

The rape victim is lead away to a sealed room, and the person explains to the victim why it is sealed, just in case we were wondering.

The car journey with both detectives to the scene of the crime also suffered with David Tenant explaining how many hours we have lost, and how angry he is with the victim, again for the benefit of the story.

The discovery of the corner from a condom wrapper was ludicrous, especially as there were over 5 acres of land, but they happened to find this, along with a blood smear on a stone.

During a debriefing with the officers brought forth more lazy writing, when a female officer points out the time of the rape, to the report of it, only for Olivia Coleman to point out that it will be clear why this happened when she completes her rape training.

This authorial intrusion throughout, highlights lazy writing and a lack of imagination which completely ruins the viewing, coupled with the worst nonsensical - lets push the story forward - ending make this a more than generous 5/10

Yawn

[greenwhich · 28 February 2017]

The content at least is a new case, but the crime is in which probable statistic for that age group to ever happen shown like that. For example serious sexual assault or rape, at a function or party, happens statistically in which age group, younger, they think they can get away with or whatever else disturbs that kind of demented mind. The crime happens to everybody and it shouldn't at all, there is no excuse, that is not the criticism that I am offering. It is the content here that I simply found myself fast forwarding, because it was quite illogical. In that older age those cases, isn't the statistic, home invasion, stalking, or by chance location, like that victim walking. The party theme everybody should know everybody else in that age group, so therefore by the numbers it is a committed by a juvenile mindset. No that isn't the case here when there is a lot of crime evidence pointing to premeditation as somebody who had been getting away with it for far longer. How would they at a function for that age group, despite of stalking or whatever else, those numbers then prompt which kind of rationality and case. I am sure the drama makes TV.

After struggling with the above irrationality, I found myself drifting into not all of this again. Fast forwarding those drawn out moments that are simply drawn out. Because it is seemingly a case for the sake of being shocking and not because it was a crime by the numbers. Arguably we can argue that as example the Yorkshire Ripper didn't care, but the broader statistic here is what, it plays on the older demographics watching on that basis prompting what.

I know it is the first episode with a series yet to play out. That isn't the point.

Boring boring boring

[jasonbuckley-02962 · 1/10 · 26 April 2021]

Poor writing. Poor acting. Season one was good. Season two half good. Season three crap.

Hardy

[scntyguy · 1/10 · 30 December 2021]

Why is DI Hardy such a cold, withdrawn, non personable person? He is rude and ruthless! He has always treated Miller very bad and brown beats her every chance he gets.

Hardy=👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎