TV REVIEW: Broadchurch - Episode 5

Despite throwing even more confusing twists and turns at us, and not really getting any closer to divulging any answers, the cinematography and running themes in this episode of Broadchurch made it one of the best for a while. 

With lots of shifting focus in shots, more hilltop seascapes and not to mention the eerie fairy lights of the fairground outside Hardy (David Tennant)’s gaff, it actually felt a more like a standalone short film than anything else. Although some elements of the show doubtless continue to be frustrating at best, and at worst totally unrealistic, at least we’re being given a beautiful, almost art-house view of the seaside to keep us going. Even if it is shot through the lens of what is now three grisly child murders. 

But I quibble.

As Alec tried not to let Ellie (Olivia Colman) get too caught up in the Sandbrook case (the words bolted, horse and stable door spring to mind) she was allowed an uplifting, albeit momentarily, storyline as she took it upon herself to solve the mystery. Meanwhile, drama between the legal teams increased, Beth (Jodie Whittaker) tried and failed to come to terms with her loss once again, Claire (Eve Myles) admitted to sleeping with Lee (James D’Arcy) whilst left alone at the cottage, and Ricky Gillespie (Shaun Dooley) turned up – although we’re still not too sure of his real motivation. Does he know something about the deaths of his daughter and niece? Meanwhile, it looked even less likely that DI Hardy will survive the series, and James D’Arcy somehow managed to pop up in just about every shot. Could the shock twist of all be that he’s actually some sort of ninja? Time will tell.

Again, this was another episode with a lot of people shouting at a lot of other people, most of whom didn’t really deserve it. We had Sharon Bishop (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) shouting at Charlotte Rampling’s Jocelyn over the latter not taking up her son’s defence as he was put on trial for murder, we had Tom, played by star-in-the-making Adam Wilson (also seen recently in Mr Selfridge and Silent Witness) telling Ellie off for not standing by his murderous Dad, and even Paul (Arthur Darvill) the sinister vicar had a tough time of it.

 I know I’ve questioned Paul’s holiness since day one, but the shock from Becca (Simone McAullay) and minor blackmail on the part of Joe’s legal team that a vicar should be visiting a sinner in jail seems a little far-fetched. Err, it’s his job? Give him a break! Whether this is just a ruse to let him off the hook of suspicion himself for a while, I don’t know, but it certainly worked on me.

This all tied in well with what seems to be an ongoing theme not just of justice as a system, but of what it is fair to expect of individuals. Is it fair to assume Ellie knew what Joe was up to just because she was married to him? Is it fair to punish her for what he did? Conversely, is it fair to blame Claire for protecting her husband? Can we really expect Beth to help precisely the sort of offender who killed her son? The list goes on.

Interestingly, Sandbrook has actually now become intriguing enough as a storyline in itself that it doesn’t feel so much like an irritating distraction from the main event. We’re now genuinely caught up in the mystery, to the extent that I for one now have to frequently remind myself that Eve Myles hasn’t actually been in the show since the beginning. Again, more cleverness on the part of Chris Chibnall in that most viewers are now working on two separate theories for two separate mysteries, all from the comfort of their sofas, and will most likely tune in to find the answer to one or the other. 

On the downside, Susan Wright’s (Pauline Quirke) re-appearance felt like a bit of a farce. Her attempted revelations became yet another example of the show’s slightly annoying habit of dealing you a cliff-hanger (literally, given the town’s location) at the end of almost every episode, only for it to either never be mentioned again or dismissed within the first five minutes of the following episode, like a dissatisfying rollercoaster. Ellie and Alec’s alleged affair, anyone?

Nonetheless, Broadchurch continues to be well acted, well shot and well written. But as viewers become increasingly frustrated, will it continue to be well watched as we enter the final three episodes? Probably, after all, most of us still want to know whodunit, whydunit and can, in the case of Joe, can they prove he-dunit?

Let’s hope so.

Jen

@jenniferklarge

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TV REVIEW: Broadchurch - Episodes Three & Four

When the first series of Broadchurch had reached the halfway point, the nation was on tenterhooks wanting to know who had killed Danny Latimer. Now, everyone seems to be wondering how long it's going to be before everyone in that courtroom gets disbarred and/or starts dancing a fandango on the grave of this particular fictional legal system. As much as I still love the show and all the weird and wonderful goings-on, it's gone a bit mad. It's not quite full cobblers just yet, but compared to the glorious restraint shown in the first series, it feels like Broadchurch has taken a running jump of the picturesque Cliff of Sanity, falling headlong into the Sea of Melodrama below.

The two strands of the Broadchurch and Sandbrook cases aren't so much weaving together as crashing into each other at opportune intervals. Lee Ashworth lurks in every scene he's let near like a handsome, dangerous lurking thing (James D'Arcy gives good lurk), the residents of Broadchurch itself seem to have forgotten that a young boy died and are revelling with a grotesque glee at the proceedings whilst Miller and Hardy try to connect the dots. The trouble is, all of the dots are screaming 'Lee Ashworth is innocent! Look check out this creepy guy over here!" Only they're not.

Before I descend into a complete frenzy of bewilderment and slightly open-mouthed awe, I do have to point out a lot of the positives going on in Broadchurch right now. Well, a few of the positives. Ok, fine, one major positive; all of the roles for older women currently occupying this production. Obviously, Olivia Colman is wonderful and amazing and we still love her. Then's there's Charlotte Rampling who is utter class, Meera Syal bringing fierceness and an excellent wig to the proceedings and Marianne Jean-Baptiste as the conscience-stricken defence barrister. They are all absolutely fantastic and are really excelling within the slightly bonkers proceedings.

Not only that, but we also get the return of lurking Pauline Quirke in the fourth episode (more lurking) who points the finger at Creepy Nige for the disposal of Danny's body. Yes, Creepy Nige is back to earning his nickname, pulling all sorts of facial expressions at his estranged mother when she first tries to make peace with him before trying to frame him in another ridiculous shock moment. It's at these more emotional, sombre moments of high melodrama that Broadchurch is striving for a balance that it's not always able to keep. 

There are those jaw-dropping moments that are fuelled by pure pettiness on behalf of the witness (seriously, how have none of them been done for perjury?) and then there are others where Chris Chibnall is trying to hark back to the restraint of the first series. It doesn't always quite land. The scene of David Tennant gallantly carrying the body of the Sandbrook murder victim back to shore through the pouring rain was far too overwrought to be taken seriously. Tennant is a good enough actor to just let the storytelling land the emotional moments. He doesn't need sodden flashbacks to make him look good.

And yet, we're still hooked. It's still absolutely compelling television, it's just compelling television of an entirely different kind to the first series. This one seems to be hinging more on how many times can we shock the audience with another cliffhanger before they call foul as opposed to crafting the meticulous crime drama we all fell in love with. And I'm sort of OK with that. Granted, if we do get that courtroom-based fandango, I may eat my words, but hell, I'm all for Meera Syal dancing on her bench with wig in hand.

- Becky

You can read Jen's review of Episode Two here.

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TV REVIEW: Broadchurch - Episode 2

Alright there at the back? Have we still got everyone?

Granted, we’re only at Episode 2 of ITV crime drama Broadchurch’s second series, but I must admit I’ve found myself behaving slightly like a fretful tour-guide this week whenever I’ve spoken to a Broadchurch viewer. Are we still all here? Are we still following?

The answer appears to be a resounding yes so far, although don’t worry, I’ll keep checking we haven’t accidentally left anybody in the loos.

There was certainly a lot to take in this week, even for Broadchurch. The trial of Joe Miller (Matthew Gravelle) kicked off in earnest, now with a full quota of lawyers, DI Hardy (David Tennant) ramped up his mad mission to solve two crimes at once, orchestrating a meeting between Claire (Eve Myles) and Lee Ashworth (James D’Arcy), Mark Latimer (Andrew Buchan) continued to behave very oddly, as did Reverend Coates (Arthur Darvill), whilst poor old Ellie (Olivia Coleman) is still bearing the brunt of just about everyone’s anger. Oh and Beth (Jodie Whittaker) went into labour. 

So a quiet episode, really.

Admittedly, there was some silliness, with several reviewers astutely pointing out the show’s ever-increasing resemblance to a soap opera. And it is, really. The meet up between Claire and Lee was doomed from the outset, made obvious by how many times we were told in the dialogue exactly where Alec and Ellie were both standing, and how safe it all was. This is Broadchurch - nobody should be taking ‘safe’ at face value anymore.  The anger aimed at Ellie continues to defy all logic, at least as far as I’m concerned, mainly as I don’t see how anyone can bring themselves to shout at Olivia Colman in an orange anorak. Especially when she’s had nothing to eat but ‘a scotch egg and a Kit-Kat’. In its defence, though, it does neatly demonstrate the atmosphere of blame and paranoia in the town.

And I think that might be part of the reason why, despite its barmy-ness, the show is very much still working. We’re still feeling the aftermath of Danny’s murder, but if all the action was just inside the courtroom, it would get very boring very quickly. So we’re seeing other things. We’re seeing the continued extraordinary performances from Colman and Tennant in particular as their characters’ relationship strengthens further. So much so that it almost makes you wish you could see them detective-ing together in happier times. 

We’re seeing the relationships between the legal teams, flashbacks to the Sandbrook case, a theme of misanthropy as just about everyone is guilty of something unpleasant, lots and lots of beautiful coastlines, a few bluebells, and then Meera Syal turned up! Meera Syal on a bike, slapping on a judge’s wig and then basically delivering the ‘let’s have a good, clean game’ speech a la Madam Hooch. Brilliant, just brilliant.

For this, arguably, is where the show’s genius really lies. Despite its primary storyline being over, there’s still plenty going on that’s new. Amazingly, it somehow still pushes you into having theories, still having suspicions, even though the culprit has allegedly been caught.

  

For example, I personally want to know what Mark Latimer was doing between 1 and 4am on the night in question, what on earth he’s up to hanging out with Tom Miller (Adam Wilson) quite as much as he is, and who Sharon the lawyer (Marianne Jean-Baptise) was talking to on the phone in the hotel.

Oh and I wouldn’t trust the vicar as far as I could throw him, Arthur Darvill or no.

And that’s just me. There are masses of theories and discussions going out there and everyone’s got their own.

If it carries on like this, it’ll have us all hooked until the very end.

Jen

@jenniferklarge

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TV REVIEW: Broadchurch - Episode One

The first series of Broadchurch came as a bit of a shock to everyone really. Built around the central mystery of the murder of Danny Latimer, the series took into account every aspect of the investigation from the police work involved, the reaction of the local and national press, to the emotional torment it placed on everyone affected. It explored some keenly observed themes, particularly in relation to journalistic and police ethics, as well as providing the kind of emotionally involving event television that had just about everyone who watched it debating who might have killed Danny Latimer. 

When the second series was announced, it heralded many jokes about Broadchurch turning into a coastal Midsomer, a town in which murders took place with such alarming regularity that no one would want to visit, let alone move there. Wisely, series creator Chris Chibnall keeps that close, emotional focus on the ramifications of Danny's murder as the audience checks in for Joe Miller's trial. 

Given how central he was to the community through his wife and detective on the Latimer case, Ellie, Joe's actions in pleading 'not guilty' to Danny's murder instantly throws the direction of the series towards a full trial. Meanwhile, in the background, Alec is haunted by the Sandbrook case, oft-mentioned but never explored fully in the first series, as the main suspect in that case returns to haunt his wife, whom Alec has under his unofficial protection.

When we were first introduced to Broadchurch, the town and its inhabitants were revealed to us through a fantastic tracking shot that followed Mark Latimer through his morning routine. It had a nice, flowing style that not only demonstrated the residents' closeness, but also the town itself; quiet, idyllic and rarely interrupted. The contrast to the opening episode of this series is stark. The audience is given glimpses of the characters' new dynamics following the outcome of the investigation as the action cuts between several of the main players in their respective and, importantly, distant locations. 

As ever, the performances are excellent, showcased perfectly in the court scene at the heart of the episode in which Joe delivered his unexpected plea. As the family torn apart by the murder of their son and the subsequent focus on them, both Jodie Whittaker and Andrew Buchan provide a solid emotional core, every new development etched in pain across their faces. Newcomers Eve Myles and Charlotte Rampling also make a strong first impression respectively, adding a gravitas to the two plots which will no doubt become the focus of the series.

However, it is once again down to the fabulous Olivia Colman who steals every scene she's let near as the downtrodden and rightfully angry Ellie. Brimming with a quiet fury throughout the episode, Colman proves just how valuable she is to Broadchurch as a series, inspiring sympathy for a character who could quite easily have faded alongside the taciturn Hardy. Her chemistry with David Tennant has improved even further since their first outing together, antagonising and relying on each other in equal measure. Their scene in the bathroom allowed a grim levity to an otherwise mournful episode, further impacted by Ellie's inclusion into the world of Claire. 

Moving forward into the series, the two main plot strands promise plenty more intrigue and there are several suggestions along the way that factors from both the Sandbrook and Broadchurch cases echo and parallel each other. Mark has struck up a close, secretive relationship with Tom Miller, much like Joe's with Danny, that sets alarm bells ringing. Lee Ashworth, the main suspect in the previous case, was acquitted after his case fell apart, something which threatens Joe's trial and Ellie's post-murder investigation situation parallels Claire's, exiled and alone. And I'm still not convinced that Arthur Darvill's reverend isn't involved in there somewhere along the way. He's just a bit too shifty.

There is a slight concern that Broadchurch has traded in its usually realistic focus for something a bit more dramatic and thriller-lite, particularly given the return of the Sandbrook case's main suspect and its inherent threat to newcomer Claire. However, Broadchurch earned itself a lot of good faith in its excellent first series and it's a strong start to its second.

Jen and I will be alternating episodes once again and so I shall leave you in her capable hands for next week's instalment.

- Becky

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FEATURE: Doctor Who - Jen, Becky and the Seventh Series

And here it is, our final instalment of our Bank Holiday Doctor Who special, a discussion of our favourite bits of this series. We've brought you a review of each episode of the seventh series of Doctor Who, complete with Christmas special (you can find them all here) but we thought that, seeing as its a while until the 50th Anniversary and even longer until the eighth, Jen and Becky are going to be looking back at the series as a whole; the highs, the lows, the Rory...

If you're new to our little discussion articles, you can follow who is saying what at the left hand side with our initials. Of course, one day, we're going to confuse you all by changing the system. But that is not this day.

B: I'll kick things off shall I? In the broadest sense, I really liked the seventh series; it had some great individual episodes (as well as some not-so-good ones), but I'm enjoying Matt Smith as the Doctor and he seems to carry me through the worse instalments. His performance has been routinely excellent throughout and I'm loving the smaller moments he has with his companions. There was a really nice chemistry between him, Rory and Amy that had developed in the first half of the series before Christmas, which just made The Angels Take in Manhattan even more tragic.

J: Agreed. I cried for about a week after what I now refer to as 'The Manhattan Incident'. For me, this series has been the one in which I've finally accepted Matt Smith as the Doctor, and stopped wondering how David Tennant would perform in a particular scene. He's really made the role his own, as they say. And he seems to have done it one tear at a time, which is rather unusual for the show and indeed the character. That said, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't beside myself with excitment at the prospect of DT's return in the 50th special. Shame they can't somehow resurrect Rory though...

B: Well you know how I feel about Rory. But I do think Jenna-Louise Coleman has been a fine addition to the TARDIS control room even if I am getting a little annoyed with everyone describing her as feisty as if that is somehow revelatory in a female character. But I digress. I think she has been a great foil for Smith and has a way with Moffat and the other writers' dialogue that completely humanises even the more ridiculous things she has to say in the line of science fiction.

J: I think we all know how you feel about Rory. It's the nose. And ah yes. Feisty Clara. Blackpool's own. I don't know whether it' just because her accent reminds me of home, but I've found her a lot more easy to like than Amy Pond. Who, come to think of it, wasn't exactly a wallflower herself so I'm also clueless as to why fesity seems to have become Clara's personal epithet. I think it's her common sense, to the point nature (you can take the girl out of Lancashire...) which helps with the more baffling bits of dialogue. Ironic really, giving how grand her destiny has turned out to be. 

B: Exactly. And I LOVED how they handled her many appearances through time in The Name of the Doctor. Whilst it hasn't exactly been explained why she was born to save the Doctor (something for the eighth series maybe?), the many Claras actually made logical, coherent sense, which I think we can all agree is remarkably refreshing for a Who finale. It also gave us many a welcome glimpse at Doctors long and not-so-long past. One of the higher points for the series don't you agree?

J: Certainly. I almost thought I'd missed something, it made so much sense. I kept waiting for it twist around and reveal that she was actually The Doctor's long lost Auntie Mildred. I would have liked to have seen her weaved into a few more moments from recent series I think, but it was still very well executed. Do we think her and The Doctor's relationship might develop into something a little more than professional in Series 8? I've heard a few rumours. Especially now that River-Spoliers-Song has now departed back into the confusing web of time from whence she came.

B: I've long thought that there might be something more with the Doctor and Clara. He's very affectionate with her, lots of kisses to the forehead and a lot of hugging. There has been an overabundance with kissing companions since Who returned, but the Ponds were a noticeable shift - I always thought that the Doctor and Amy had chemistry more akin to siblings, but there is definitely another vibe with Clara. I like Coleman and Smith together so I'm not wholly opposed to it, but I do hope that it is something a little more equal, not another Martha-gazing-adoringly-forever at the Doctor. Because that really sucked. So what did we think of the various episodes of Series Seven?

J: Yes the forehead kisses have been very noticeable, along with all the 'my Clara's'. I also half wondered if that's why the TARDIS rejected her a bit. Jealousy? Episodes wise, my personal favourite was The Crimson Horror. Along with Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS. Hide was a bit of a disappointment. I didn't think The Name of the Doctor was as good as The Angels Take Manhattan, in the fullness of honesty, and I also think that all the series breaks we have these days take something of the sense of occasion out of end of series episodes. There'll be a few Doctor Who parties come November, mind.

B: Agreed. I've not liked the way this series has been split up; it felt like it had to pick up momentum all over again after the heartbreaking The Angels Take Manhattan, which was probably one of the best episodes. And I did love The Crimson Horror, it was a great episode, but I think my personal favourite was Hide actually. Although I did have a problem with the ending, I loved the atmosphere it created as it felt like a proper ghost story. Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS had the most wasted potential I think; whilst it was nice to see the library, the swimming pool and a quick glance at the Eye of Harmony, I absolutely hated the ending. Why work on all that character development with Clara if you're not actually going to take it anywhere? Reset buttons are the bane of science fiction and it really, really frustrated me. As you can probably tell.

J: Er yes I can rather. And yes it was the ending of Hide that ruined it for me. Far too much going on, a story within a story within a bizarre heartbroken alien. I'm certainly intrigued to see where we go from here. I notice the two-parters have ceased now, apparently after feedback from Moffat's young children. There's also the potential for several brand new character arcs now we've left a few beyond. Which I'm rather pleased about, as I couldn't stand River. I love the new Scooby Gang though, Madame Vastra, Jenny and Strax are all brilliant characters. Any wild predictions or theories for Series 8? Oh and can we please stop mentioning Manhattan? I've only just come out of therapy.

B: Apologies - consider the Manhattan file closed! I think two-parters need to make a return personally, if only to give some of the stories a little more room to breathe. We've both observed the habit to wrap up things a little too quickly in certain episodes. As for wild predictions and theories, I'm thinking that, post-50th Anniversary episode, we're going to see some interesting developments for The Doctor who will no doubt be dealing with the fallout from it. And perhaps we'll find out who created Clara. Was it River? Was it the Daleks? I personally think they should go for something completely bonkers and have a previous Doctor see the future, realise what the Great Intelligence was going to do, create Clara in a weird timey-wimey sort of way and drop her off in the future for Matt Smith's Doctor to find. And maybe throw in Madame Vestra, Jenny and Strax for good measure. That probably doesn't make any sense. But then again, it probably won't in the show either. How about you? Madder the better.

J: I think the 50th Anniversary Episode will delve a little further into The Doctor's character, which I don't think we've had too much of lately. I actually think Smith's Doctor is more understated than Tennant's, and is often upstaged by his own companions. Fan as I am of Clara, this series has really all been about her, and I'd like more of a Doctor-centric focus, especially as his character has developed so much since the departure of the Ponds. If I could make requests, I'd like to see an episode on the wedding of Vastra and Jenny, a two-parter in which Straz becomnes an unlikely romantic hero and more of The Doctor's pathetic attempts at babysitting. More than that though, after this fairly substantial knock to his invincibility, I'd like Series Eight to involve The Doctor re-writing himself into history after systematically erasing himself in Seven, saving the universe all over again and generally being The Doctor. Which, let's face it, is why we watch it.

B: Definitely. To bring this full circle, Matt Smith has proven time and again that he has the acting chops to handle the weightier dramatic aspects with his curious balance of youth and maturity. I can't wait to see what Moffat has in store for us...

Whatever Series Eight has to offer, you can guarantee we here at Assorted Buffery will be there to watch it. So what do you all think of Series Seven? Agree, disagree, we would both love to know.

- Becky and Jen

You can find Jen's review of The Name of the Doctor here and Becky's retrospective look at Doctor Who (1996) here.

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TV REVIEW: Broadchurch - Episode Eight

Did you figure out who the murderer was, then?  Before Episode 8? At what point exactly?  I knew all along, didn’t you? Nope, didn’t have a clue. How could you not? Etc etc…

You couldn’t go anywhere on Tuesday morning without overhearing conversations like these about the series finale of ITV’s Broadchurch. In fact, I myself made completely sure I was able to watch the final episode on the day of broadcast, a seriously rare occurrence, as I knew I wouldn’t have a cat in hell’s chance of making it to the end of the day without finding out who the murderer was otherwise. Certainly not once I’d been in the office longer than 30 seconds, anyway.

For a show always very much a whodunit, but one that built up momentum so slowly in parts that you almost forgot that it was, the final episodes of Broadchurch were wholly focused on exactly who killed Danny Lattimer.  Normally at this point I would yell ‘spolier alert!” in big capital letters lest anyone should unwittingly ruin the ending for themselves, but I reckon if you haven’t found time to watch it and see by this point in time, then you probably don’t care.  So, as it turns out, the killer was none other than copper’s husband Joe Miller (Matthew Gravelle), in an act of desperate guilt.  A revelation which came totally out of the blue. Or did it?

Looking back, there were quite a few warning signs flashing dangerously in his direction from the start. For one thing, and this is nothing more than traditional murder mystery fare, up until the final episode he was pretty well the only character in the ill-fated town who hadn’t been hauled in for questioning. And that’s including the vicar. He did, however, begin to act distinctly strangely towards the latter half of the series. Clues were definitely in the air. Particular stand out moments for me included his jokingly volunteering to be questioned by his wife if they were running out of suspects, the parallel thread with shifty Susan (Pauline Quirke), namely Ellie’s amazement that the former didn’t know what was going on under her own roof, and finally her nagging at him about all the household jobs he hadn’t finished lately. He was also just a little wholesome to be true, let’s face it. He even got along with Hardy which can hardly be taken as a good thing.

 Despite the fact that we found out pretty early on in the final episode that Joe was the murderer, the hour still had plenty to offer.  David Tennant performed admirably as hard as nails DI Hardy caught between his ingrained attitudes and the need to comfort the colleague he’s rubbed up the wrong way since day one, and Jodie Whittaker was fantastic as the grieving mother finally being given some semblance of closure. Andrew Buchan was pretty great as Mark Lattimer, too, particularly when visiting his son’s killer in his cell, who in turn was suitably guilt stricken and desperate. The absolute front runner in terms of outstanding performances, however, was without a flicker of doubt Olivia ‘give the woman a Bafta’ Colman, who’s desperation, grief and anger unleashed upon her husband was not only perfectly judged but genuinely distressing to watch.  The timing of the big reveal also meant we had plenty of time to watch her deal with the news, including the agonising moment when she had to tell her children.

In fact the only real issue to worry about is what on earth they’re going to do with Series 2 next year. Surely not another whodunit, in the same place? And surely not with the same detectives given that one wasn’t expected to live much longer than the murder victim and another was leaving town? The jury is still out on that one, but one thing we can be sure of- with 8.9 million people tuning in to the show’s final episode, Broadchurch, Series 1 at least, has been a reasonably massive victory for the ITV Drama department.  

And a very well done to them, too.

-          Jen

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