The UK press and media blog sites have been unanimously full of praise following the first episode of Broadchurch which aired last night.
David Tennant and Olivia Colman star as two police detectives attempting to solve the mystery behind the murder of a boy in a small coastal town. Andrew Buchan, Jodie Whittaker, Vicky McClure, Arthur Darvill, Will Mellor and Pauline Quirke also feature. The series is written by Chris Chibnall and the episode was directed by James Strong.
Check out the main reviews below
The Guardian
Broadchurch TV Review
From a masterfully choreographed single-take sequence in
which a plumber walks down the high street of a seaside town, cheerily greeting
characters who will all figure later, one can tell that Broadchurch is
something that will stand out, even in the glut of good drama that has lately
made going out in the evenings seem a rash choice.
The Telegraph
Broadchurch, ITV, review
It is a wonderful moment when a much anticipated
new post-watershed thriller turns out to deliver as well as Broadchurch (ITV)
did last night … What stood out most was the intense, microscopic exposure of
hurt. Broadchurch showed us the mauled insides of family grief, the sinewy
speechless despair of the townsfolk who knew the boy
The Independent
TV Review - Broadchurch, ITV
David Tennant's character seems to have
been designed to look good on his fan website...
Daily Mail
Gruff, growling and grown up - Tennant takes charge
Broadchurch isn’t merely good. It’s exceptional.
David Tennant’s bitter, pitiless detective has a Glasgow
growl thicker than the black stubble on his jowls. He proved in Spies Of Warsaw
earlier this year, as the idealistic Frenchman pinned between Nazis and
Communists, that he has left the juvenile days of Doctor Who far behind.
But this hard-eyed, untrusting policeman is his most adult
role yet
Metro
Broadchurch: Colman and Tennant deserve their own series
Where Broadchurch really scored was in creating a believable community in which you could invest some emotion ... Even the fractious relationship between the enigmatic new DI in town (David Tennant, looking like he hasn’t slept for a week) and Colman’s Ellie, on the surface a crime fiction cliché, felt instantly familiar yet fresh.
Digital Spy
'Broadchurch' episode one review: David Tennant drama
matched hype
Den Of Geek
Broadchurch Episode 1 review
Everything about ITV’s new crime drama Broadchurch, from its
intensely likeable cast to Chris Chibnall’s beautifully precise script and
James Strong’s assured direction, tells us we’re in safe hands…Broadchurch hones
in on emotional truths with startling aim.
The Shropshire Star
TV review: Broadchurch
Broadchurch is quite unlike your run-of-the-mill police
dramas. The focus frequently shifts from the grieving Latimer family, to the
difficult relationship between Hardy and Miller and the finger pointing firmly
at a wider community, one that appears to have more to disclose than last
night’s opener revealed.
It's such a relief to see DT back on the screens in something which stretches him. As much as I love DT, I am getting pretty fed up with him playig the suave, 1930's posh snob with an high English accent. His full range of abilities have been tested and conquered on the boards of the theatres but I can only really recall one or two other TV dramas where his abilities have been shown off to their full - as the man dealing with brain damage in "Recovery" and the worringly creepy charater of "Secret Smile".
ReplyDeleteBroadchurch hints at another opportunity to see what the actor is really capable of. The heavy stubble is somewhat unncessary and unrealistic as few DI's go to work looking so disheveld but maybe they wanted to hide DT's goodlooks which could end up as a distraction! The first eposode sets the scene for the drama and wickedly invites the audience to start guessing "whodunnit" and why. Pauline Quirk loiters menacingly, questions are raised about a plubmer who works into the early hours of the morning, and why does the murdered boy's best friend delete a load of messages and info from his mobile and computer?
I am looking forward to next week's episode not just to see DT again but to make sure his character gets a bit more flesh on his proverbial bones and to give us the chance to find out more about the locals and think a bit more about who the killer may be.