Doc On The Box – Broadchurch Episode 2.1

Everyone else seems to be saying things about it, so I’ll chip in too. In case you missed the fact, Broadchurch returned to our screens last night. Time has moved on from the end of the previous series – which I’ll try not to spoil – and the killer has come to trial. To everyone’s shock, they enter a plea of Not Guilty, setting in motion what promises to be a long and difficult trial.

Meanwhile, Alec Hardy is still in Broadchurch. He is keeping watch on a woman from his past, trying to keep her safe, but an enemy from his past has arrived in town. He recruits Ellie to help him out, but who knows where things are going?

As most of the cast of the first series have returned, along with the same writer and director, atmospherically it feels like a direct continuation of the first series. According to the writer Chris Chibnall, he planned the show as a trilogy – so this is the beginning of that ever-difficult second act.

The acting is impeccable, but plot-wise, it’s unclear where things are going but things don’t seem to be playing out as a whodunit this time. There are basically two questions posed. 1) What is the man from Sandford’s agenda? 2) Why has the killer pleaded not guilty when we have seen a flashback showing exactly what happened – we know that they’re guilty, so apart from the emotional story, it’s not clear where this is going. There’s a hint that there may be more to the events of Series One than we know, but I can’t see what it could be.

It’s a brave move to remove the whodunit element from the tale – to an extent it reduces things to a very well written soap opera – but I have a hunch this may change soon. I’ve an idea where things are going – I’ve convinced myself that something is going to happen next week that will dovetail the plots together. Not going to say what it is though, as if I’m right, it’ll count as a spoiler. I’ll let you know if I’m right.

So, another highly enjoyable piece of drama, with plenty of questions, but I’m not getting too excited. Plotting is always of primary importance to me, and it’s still early days. I’ll definitely be tuning in to find out where things go, but I’m hoping that Chibnall has something up his sleeve.