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Why you should watch Broadchurch

The underrated crime series you need to watch and here's why

By Samantha ParrishPublished 4 years ago Updated 2 years ago 4 min read
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This is a series that has a lot to offer than regular crime shows. It's more than the avaunt guard procedural drama like The Killing or Blue Bloods with small-town secrets like Justified. Crime shows are a dime a dozen on different television networks or sequel series to continue one long idea like Criminal Minds Or CSI.

But Broadchurch brought something new and unique to the crime genre.

Broadchurch was a three-season show on BBC from 2013 to 2017. It starts with an 11-year-old boy found dead on the beach. Detective Sargent Ellie Miller (Olivia Coleman) has a close connection to the family that lost their son. She has to work with the man who took the Detective Inspector position in her town, Alec Hardy (David Tennant). Both of them have different views on the conduct of authority and investigations. Alec is hardened on the spectrum, and Ellie has professional conduct but personal touches to reach out and give assurance. Since this murder happened to shake up the town and the secrets begin to expose in the close-knit community.

I've applauded all of the performances of the cast, but David Tennant's was the one that I was impressed with. He doesn't do many roles where it's more of an average person than his usual sci-fi or fantasy roles. As a bonus, it's a rare opportunity to see him use his real Scottish voice than the British voice. When I saw that he was a part of this show as a detective, I was excited to see what he would do in this role, and I found it to be the best I've ever seen him in.

The part of this show that I love the most is the music. Most movies or television don't partake in an original soundtrack. Not even crime shows do this for the music, mostly songs from other artists. Ólafur Arnalds was the chosen composer and musician for this show after the show's creator had been a longtime fan of his work. Arnalds did three original songs for the seasons as well as the instrumental soundtracks for the ambiance of the atmosphere for a certain scene throughout the show. The ending songs he composed with Arnor Dan as the singer was breathtaking, it summed up the whole season. "So Close" for the first season, and "So Far" for the second season, according to the show's creator, Chris Chinball, the song holds the clue to the killer's identity. The third song is poetically titled, " I Take My Leave Of You" for a fitting last song of the final season. I can only describe the first song, as an "All is lost" feeling in the ambiance of the town that was shaken in the first season. The second song is my personal favorite that can stand on its own without being associated with the show. The third song is perfect with barely any musical accompaniment. It's a perfect soundtrack for this show.

The show has a perfect amount of a beginning middle and an end. Most crime or mystery shows drag on to the point that viewers have no interest in wanting to know the culprit of the heinous act or the resolve of the victim's family or even the investigator's involvement. It starts with a crime in a sleepy tight-knit town. Then the aftermath as well as a continuation of Alec's case from a previous case before his transfer to Broadchurch, then a final case for both of the main characters. It didn't need any more storylines to stretch it out. It was just enough in the run-time. I do wish it went on for another two seasons but was perfect just the way it is with three seasons.

This is a crime show that stands out from the rest for having a unique soundtrack, brilliant performances of all the cast, and compelling conflicts that keep you guessing til the end. I could watch this show over and over and the reveal in each season still feels like I'm finding out for the first time. If you desire a crime show that isn't like other generic tropes, this is a show for your Netflix list.

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About the Creator

Samantha Parrish

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My book Inglorious Ink is now available on Amazon!

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