Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

Cast: David Tennant, Olivia Coleman, Andrew Buchan, Jodie Whittaker, Will Mellor, Arthur Darvill, David Bradley, Jonathon Bailey, Vicky McClure, Charlotte Beaumont, Joe Simms, Carolyn Pickles, Pauline Quirke.

Four episodes and viewers are none the wiser as to who is the murderer hiding in the midst of the sleepy town of Broadchurch. The clues are there for the viewers to collate and make note of but seeming like the two detectives in charge of the case, there seems to be no big major discovery for them to hang onto. It shouldn’t be surprising though bearing in mind that the writer, Chris Chibnall hadn’t even told the cast who the killer was until nearing the end of making the series. It is a puzzle of epic proportions and very much in keeping with the B.B.C. classic Life On Mars, no one is really sure how it will finish but they certainly are enjoying the ride.

The positions are in place, the players are acting more strangely as the net widens to take into consideration anyone, absolutely anyone and at this rate it wouldn’t come as any surprise if David Tennant’s character Alec Hardy was the killer. Before that suspicion becomes a red-hearing also it is worth pointing out that two significant sentences were uttered almost unnoticed.

The wonderful David Bradley’s character as the man with an indecent past is noted as having been living near Whitby 15 years ago just as a young girl was killed and the same number comes up again when asked how old the detective’s daughter would be now, an innocent 15 year old living with her mum. The same number was used twice in the same episode, of course a complete coincidence and not worth following up….There are bigger fish to fry in the shape of the disturbing Pauline Quirke and her volatile life for a start, Will Mellor’s unfathomable psychic and Olivia Coleman’s detective son’s secret.

Like Life on Mars, Broadchurch has captured the imagination of the viewers and made Monday nights an essential night in. The quality of the script and unhurried nature is far and away from the formula of presenting a puzzle to solve in two hours, and whilst this works for so many detective dramas, Broadchurch, its cast and most importantly Chris Chibnall have raised the bar in detective writing.

Broadchurch continues next Monday.

Ian D. Hall