Broadchurch (TV Series) Episode #2.2 (2015) User Reviews

Very watchable, if a bit muddled.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 11 December 2020]

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.

Trial and Error

[tlfirth · 8/10 · 13 January 2015]

There's something about Broadchurch that just keeps on giving. This may have been me least favourite of the series so far, but it still keeps me gripped until the end.

Having two story lines interweave for the second series was probably the biggest mistake Christ Chibnall has made, but he deals with it well. Unfortunately, it just feels as if we're dragging the rest of the story behind us (Mondays can't come any sooner). Also, there are some odd moments that seem unnecessary in the episode, for instance the unexplained moments between Tom and Mark. Clearly there's a guilt line somewhere, but it's still hazy.

Otherwise, I'm still pleased with the show - the best thing about it being the performances from the cast who are consistently cranking up the momentum. The trial moments were very suspenseful, something which I would imagine to be difficult to do. The director works well at flicking between characters and capturing those important expressions.

The good think about the Sandbrook side to the story is that it's shrouded in mystery and we have no idea what could happen. So having them disappear was quite a shock considering the consequences that it might have.

Massive Screw-Ups

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 23 August 2016]

Alec and Ellie continue their efforts to protect Claire, but her husband manages to get them to agree to have a meeting between them. The trial commences and the fact that Ellie beat the crap out of her husband is now used to get his confession thrown out. Beth continues to be a loose cannon, acting in ways that seriously jeopardize the case. She also has a lot of blame to throw at Ellie who really did nothing but respond in anger. It goes to show how when procedures aren't followed, things can come back to bite those who stray. The conclusion to the episode is one of those badly played moments. Also, Mark is again showing that he can't be trusted. Claire is taken away and now there are two issues that must be resolved. Alec's poor choices are also a real factor in the confusion.

Wanted to pull my hair out (in this case this is a compliment though)

[winters_light · 10/10 · 13 January 2019]

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.

Deception

[elabat · 4/10 · 24 December 2020]

First season was quite a good surprise even if not revolutionnary. Really interesting to be able to continue the story and see how it goes crossing it with the previous investigation of the main character. BUT this episode is insulting. People acts illogically, emotionnaly and without coherence. Ellie is a major collateral victim of the crime commited. She lost her husband, murderer of a child. She suffers from not being able to see that. Her life is as broken as Beth's. And Beth acts completely without empathy.. There is a video confession of a murder, timestamped before Ellie kicked him in front of 3 other officers and this is dismissed at trial ?? Come on ! And Beth blames Ellie again for that ? Whereas she acted completely normally for someome who discovers her husband killed a 11 year boy.. And finally the so called worst detective of England has been hiding a key witness undercover for 7 months, and of course everything went wrong and the witness dissapears, by organising a meeting in the worst place on earth where - or course - Beth is coming to confront Ellie again.. Everything is wrong in this episode. It's as the writers searched how to make the story go but lacked ingredients to do so and choose the least good ones.. And i dont even mention Mark spending time with the boy of the murderer of his son. Seriously !

Have you told me everything?

[rgclosson-568-232001 · 5/10 · 1 August 2020]

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.

Truly INSULTING

[Warin_West-El · 2/10 · 21 April 2023]

THIS EPISODE IS INSULTING. So much so, that I just had to write a review.

Hardy and Miller are portrayed as two of the dumbest people on the planet. We're supposed to believe these two decided to go rogue and execute a police action OFF THE BOOKS. Which, in the real world would be the end of your career.

Beth shows up just as Claire and Lee begin meeting. Not only that, we're supposed to believe that Ellie is SO incompetent she failed to notice two grown adults leaving the house she's supposed to be watching.

Yes, Ellie was distracted by Beth. Nevertheless, both Ellie and Beth were on the street and there's no way Claire and Lee could have left the vicinity without using the street and being seen by either one or both of them.

Oh, and one last thing. Hardy notices that Ellie is off-post, so what does he do? NOTHING. Apparently, he was waiting for Claire and Lee to bolt before he finally runs into the room.

That last shot of Hardy running towards camera and looking all befuddled was laughable. Folks, this episode was ridiculous!