Episode #2.2

I can't count how many times that question is asked or implied and the answer is always, "yes," usually with an indignant pose, how could you ask me that? The answer is never the truth and we viewers know it. It's maddening, not satisfying, to be ahead of the characters so often. It's a screenwriting twist we too soon get tired of.

The main characters have flaws and make poor choices that make them not more human, but foolish and aggravating. We don't always know what's going to happen but we are certain it won't be good. The plot and evidence are overtaken by cinematography, which is good but misplaced and distracting. This should be more procedural for my taste, but gets into the weeds of "everybody's got a secret," just waiting to surprise you.

DI Hardy is such a disagreeable person, it's difficult to believe anyone collaborates with him. If I wanted to watch a police detective berate subordinates, go charging in strange directions on strained evidence and intuition, and recognize clues that other trained personnel have overlooked, I would watch reruns of "Vera." This series better get better soon or I'm outta here.

It is hard to review this without spoiling anything but I'll try anyway. The beta-plot is becoming more prominent which serves to re-introduce the element of suspense and mystery that the main plot - i.e. the trial - naturally cannot provide at this point in time. This doesn't mean however that the main plot would be superfluous or not adding to the episode, quite the contrary. Both plotlines are already starting to affect the other and by the end of the ep I wanted to pull my hair out because I felt frustrated by what was taking place (in this case I mean that as a compliment though because it was the events and how invested I was in the story that made me feel that way). This second ep draws you right in and while there is little mystery or suspense it still kept me on the edge of my seat. Bottom line: if you've enjoyed Broadchurch and Chibnall's character-based work so far, I dare say you'll feel right at home again with this ep and the second season so far.

The trial begins, and it's immediately clear that Joe's conviction is in doubt following the unorthodox arrest and confession.

When people look back on Broadchurch, Series two is often seen as the poor relation, the least enjoyable of the three series. However I did enjoy the early episodes quite a lot.

Part two, what it does very successfully, is to get under your skin, it leaves you frustrated and angry, baffled by what's allowed in a Court, where a man who's confessed to murder, is allowed to have an expensive trial.

It's good, it's very watchable, I would argue it does get a little bit muddled at the end, there are too many strands, too many events happening for it to feel cohesive or believable. It needed to be stripped back a little.

Tennant is brilliant, but the two barristers steal this one for me, Charlotte Ramping, Marianna Jean Baptiste, spot on.

Watchable, but not a patch on series one. 7/10.