Broadchurchis a Britishcrime dramatelevision series broadcast onITVforthree seriesbetween 2013 and 2017. It was created byChris Chibnall,who acted as anexecutive producerand wrote all 24 episodes; it was produced byKudosin association with Imaginary Friends Productions Ltd. The series is set in Broadchurch, a fictional English town on the coast ofDorset;it focuses on Detective Inspector Alec Hardy (David Tennant) and Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman). Other members of theensemble castappearing in all three seasons areJodie Whittaker,Andrew Buchan,Arthur Darvill,Carolyn Pickles,Jonathan Bailey,Matthew Gravelle,Charlotte Beaumontand Adam Wilson.

Broadchurch
Series titles over a coastal scene
GenreCrime drama
Mystery drama
Serial drama
Created byChris Chibnall
Written by
Chris Chibnall
Louise Fox (one episode)
Starring
Ending theme"So Close" byÓlafur ArnaldsfeaturingArnór Dan(series 1)
"So Far" by Ólafur Arnalds featuring Arnór Dan
(series 2)
"Take My Leave of You" by Ólafur Arnalds featuring Arnór Dan (series 3)
ComposerÓlafur Arnalds
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No.of series3
No.of episodes24(list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Chris Chibnall
  • Jane Featherstone
  • Punit Kulkarni
Producer
Richard Stokes
  • Dan Winch (series 3)[1]
CinematographyMatt Gray
Running time46–51 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkITV
Release4 March 2013(2013-03-04)
17 April 2017(2017-04-17)
Related
Gracepoint,Malaterra

The first series, which premiered on 4 March 2013, focuses on the death of local 11-year-old Danny Latimer and the impact of grief, mutual suspicion and media attention on the town. Danny's family, his mother, Beth (Whittaker), father, Mark (Buchan) and sister, Chloe (Beaumont), is a key focus. The second series, which premiered on 5 January 2015, follows the dual story lines of bringing Danny's killer to justice and a case from the past returning to haunt Hardy. The third and final series, which premiered on 27 February 2017, focuses on the rape of a local woman, Trish Winterman (Julie Hesmondhalgh), at a birthday party, while the Latimer family goes to extreme lengths to move on from Danny's death. Chibnall has stated that the third series was the last and that he had originally envisionedBroadchurchas a trilogy.[2]

All three series received positive reviews and praise for the writing, cinematography, performances (particularly Tennant and Colman) and character development.[3]

Episodes

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SeriesEpisodesOriginally airedAverage UK viewers
(millions)
First airedLast aired
184 March 2013(2013-03-04)22 April 2013(2013-04-22)9.37
285 January 2015(2015-01-05)23 February 2015(2015-02-23)9.68
3827 February 2017(2017-02-27)17 April 2017(2017-04-17)10.75

Development

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Conception

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Broadchurchcreator and writer Chris Chibnall described the project as a labour of love.[4]He conceivedBroadchurchin about 2003 while working on his first series,Born and Bred.[5]The concept forBroadchurchwas to explore how a child's murder affects a small, close-knit local community and how the characters react to the media attention and mutual suspicion that arise.[6]

The series' location was partly inspired by theJurassic Coastin Dorset, where Chibnall lived.[7][8]Chibnall says that he initially did not have a location in mind for the series, but the opportunity to improve hiswork-life balancemade setting the show in Dorset appealing.[6]From 2006 to 2011, Chibnall spent most of his time travelling about the UK and Ireland, working onTorchwood,Law & Order: UKandCamelot.By setting the show in Dorset, Chibnall did not have to spend time away from his home and family. His decision to set the show on the Jurassic Coast also helped him generate more ideas and tighten the writing.[6]For example, Dorset-born poet and authorThomas Hardy's surname was used for one of the main characters (DIAlec Hardy). Alongside this, his first name, Alec, and other character's first name, Tess Henchard, are in reference to characters from Hardy's novelTess of the d'Urbervilles.Hardy's use of the term "Wessex" was used to name the fictional Wessex Police,[5][9]and character Jack Marshall reads the Hardy novelJude the Obscure.[9]

The series' name also came from Dorset. Chibnall invented the name "Broadchurch" based on two settlements in Dorset: "I thought a lot about the literary heritage of this county. In true Thomas Hardy style, I came up with a compound location name of Broadchurch combining the hamlets of Broadoak and Whitchurch."[6]

Writing

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TheJurassic Coastof Dorset provided inspiration forBroadchurch.

Chibnall wrote the script forBroadchurchon specafter his work onCamelothad ended.[6][7]He began usingwhiteboardsin May 2011[10]to create backgrounds for each character and craft the plot of the series[5][7]—which he envisioned as a trilogy.[11][12]Series one was written to work both as the first of a trilogy and as a self-contained drama. He believed that it should be self-contained in case the show did not do well in the ratings and that a second series was not commissioned.[9][12]Chibnall was assisted in this process by friends Sam Hoyle (a television script executive)[5][9]and television directorJames Strong.[7]The series was influenced by two American television shows,Twin Peaks(created byMark FrostandDavid Lynch) andMurder One(created bySteven Bochco,Charles H. EgleeandChanning Gibson).[8][13]

The story was nearly finished on the whiteboards when Chibnall began writing the script. After about two weeks, he had a draft of the first few episodes, but he had not yet settled on a killer.[14]About two weeks later, Chibnall woke up one morning and realised the main suspect should be Joe Miller,DSEllie Miller's husband.[14]By making Joe the main suspect, Chibnall focused the series more closely on Ellie and improved the narrative structure of the series so that it became about two families (the Millers and the Latimers). He then redrafted the first script and re-plotted and re-outlined the series. However, Chibnall kept the script loose enough that he could choose another character as the murderer if his preferred solution leaked to the press during shooting.[14]

Only the first few episodes were written before filming began. Chibnall waited until casting was complete and he saw the actors perform their roles before writing subsequent scripts. These later scripts were shaped to take advantage of each performer's take on their role.[15]

Production approval

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In autumn 2011,[7]Chibnall pitchedBroadchurchto Laura Mackie,[9]the Head of Drama atITV,who proved very enthusiastic about the proposal. Just a few days after she finished reading the scripts, she suggested that Chibnall contactKudos,a production company.[7]Mackie then brought the show to ITV Director of TelevisionPeter Fincham.[5]Broadchurchwasgreen-litby Fincham almost immediately[6]for airing in early 2013.[7]

Although ITV made a sizeable financial investment inBroadchurch,[16]additional funds were needed because of the cost of the large ensemble cast. Additional funds were sought from international partners, who would then windistribution rightsin their territories. Beforeprincipal photographybegan,ZDF(German public-service television broadcaster) andBBC America(the American cable and satellite television network jointly owned by theBBCandAMC Networks) both provided additional funding.[7]

Broadchurchwas created and written by Chibnall andproducedby Kudos in association withShine Americaand Imaginary Friends.[6][7][17][a]Chibnall served as executive producer[7][18]along with Kudos's Jane Featherstone,[7]while Richard Stokes was producer.[7][19]

Series 1

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The first series ofBroadchurchpremiered on 4 March 2013 at 9:00 p.m. on ITV.

Casting

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The role of Reverend Paul Coates was written with actorArthur Darvillin mind and was the first role cast.[20][21]The role of DS Ellie Miller was second,[22]as actressOlivia Colmanwas Chibnall's first choice to play Miller and the role was offered to her without an audition.[23]DI Alec Hardy was the third role cast,[22]and the part was offered toDavid Tennantwithout an audition.[23]

All the remaining parts were cast through auditions, which took several weeks.[24]Although Chibnall had determined who the murderer was by the time casting began, those who auditioned for the programme were not told the killer's identity.[25]The roles of Mark Latimer (father of the murdered child) and Karen White (a reporter for a national newspaper who comes to Broadchurch to challenge DI Hardy) were cast after Colman, Darvill, and Tennant.[26]The role of Beth Latimer was cast after Mark Latimer and Karen White.[24]

Matthew Gravellewas cast as Joe Miller, DS Miller's husband. Gravelle auditioned along with many other actors for the role, but Chibnall has said the casting team early on considered Gravelle their top choice for the role.[b][27][28]The producers knew this was a critical casting decision: whoever they hired to play Joe Miller would need to act with great power in the final episode, so they researched Gravelle's past acting roles and watched as many of his performances as they could find. Chibnall paid particularly close attention to theWelsh languagetelevision seriesTeulu[cy],in which Gravelle had recently played a lead role.[14]

Principal photography

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James Strong directed five episodes of series one ofBroadchurch;Euros Lyndirected three.[29]Matt Gray was bothdirector of photographyandcamera operator,[14]and said he approachedBroadchurchas if it were a documentary film, rather than a television drama.[11]In Britain, very few scripted television programmes are filmed in the order seen on the air; it is far more common to shoot out of order. Usually, scripts are first broken down into their component scenes and shots. Scenes using the same locations or sets are shot at the same time, to minimise the time and expense of moving cameras and equipment.[30]Broadchurch,however, was shot in order, to keep the identity of the murderer a secret until the end of the production.[31]

East Cliff and Beach inWest Bay, Dorset,provided the scene for Danny Latimer's death in the series.

Most ofBroadchurchseries one was shot on location to heighten the reality and intimacy of the series and because the Dorset coast was integral to setting the mood of the drama.[7][32]The first castread-throughoccurred at Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church in London on 7 August 2012.[33]Principal photography began on interior sets at Vision Studios on 13 August 2012.[7][14]Location shooting began the first week of September.[7]Most location photography occurred in the town ofClevedonin north Somerset.[34]Some scenes were also shot in the towns ofBridportandWest Bayin Dorset.[31]Three locations were used in the area aroundYate,South Gloucestershire,[35]and two inBristol.[34][36]Other filming locations includedShepton Mallet,[37]Portishead,[19][34][38]andWeston-super-Mare,[19][34][38]and the villages ofEype[38][39]andFlax Bourton.[36]The oft-seen cliff where Danny Latimer's body is found and which features heavily in the visuals ofBroadchurch,is Harbour Cliff and Harbour Cliff Beach in West Bay.[7]Many of the villages involved in the shooting ofBroadchurchreceived a boost in tourism, especially in West Bay and Bridport.

Not all shooting was done on location. Some sets were built at Vision Studios near Bristol,[7]because equipment needs made it impractical to film on location.[19]Two shots requiredgreen screenshots tocompositeimages together. These "green screen" shots were filmed at Waterloo Film Studios in London.[40]

Rehearsal onBroadchurchwas kept to a minimum.[14][32]To heighten the raw and tension-filled tone of the show, actors were often prevented from seeing the space they were to perform in until shooting began.[32]Almost noimprovisationof dialogue occurred on the set.[15]A heavy reliance was also placed on getting the firsttakeright. Director James Strong believed the first take was more spontaneous and more natural than subsequent takes. Subsequently, most of what the viewer sees inBroadchurchseries one are first takes.[14]

Principal photography onBroadchurchseries one concluded on 4 December 2012.[41]

Secrecy

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Chibnall was determined to ensure that the identity of the killer did not leak until the final episode aired. One reason for the secrecy was commercial: it encouraged viewers to keep watching. But Chibnall also believed that it would enhance the acting, as actors could not in any way telegraph or signal their innocence or guilt.[7]

Several means were employed to maintain secrecy. All cast and crew were required to sign documents in which they agreed not to reveal the killer's identity.[27]

In part, secrecy was maintained by the way scripts were written. Performers were given the first two scripts at the start of principal photography, but additional scripts were written only after Chibnall had observed the actors bringing their characters to life.[15]Once the scripts for episodes six, seven and eight were finished, they were released all at once over a single weekend[14][15][27]Even after the final three scripts were distributed, just 29 people knew the killer's identity while the final episodes were filmed, including the four cast members critical to the "reveal".[42]Actor Oskar McNamara, who played Danny Latimer, was informed about the killer's identity several days in advance, in part so that he could prepare and in part so the scene could be choreographed and rehearsed. These three episodes were then shot together.[14]

Music

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Icelandic musicianÓlafur Arnaldscomposed the music and sounds forBroadchurchseries one.

Broadchurchcreator Chris Chibnall had long been a fan of Icelandic composer and musicianÓlafur Arnalds,and owned all of his albums. While writingBroadchurch,Chibnall listened constantly to Ólafur's music. He later told Ólafur that the "entire feel of the show was inspired by" his music.[43]

Ólafur agreed to join the production in December 2012.[44]To compose the music for the first series ofBroadchurch,Ólafur read the show's scripts to put himself in the right mood. He also researched sounds which might be heard in the Dorset area. He then improvised at the piano and composed several themes, some for the series as a whole and some for characters. Ólafur also composed certain sounds using synthesisers and electronic sound generators to go with certain spaces, such as the cliffs. Once he saw the completed footage for the first episode, he rearranged some themes to fit the imagery and composed some new themes as well. Because there was so little time between his being hired and the air date, Ólafur composed very quickly and spent very long days at work. He had just four months to generate about 30 minutes of sound and music for each episode, spending one and a half to two weeks on the music for each episode.[43]Despite the time crunch, Ólafur credited Chibnall's relaxed attitude as the key to the music's success.[45]

The music forBroadchurchdeliberately avoided a typical orchestral score, which Ólafur felt sounded too large and perfect. The score was written for astring quartetand piano, accompanied by electronic sound.[43]Recording, which took just five days,[43]was done in an empty church inReykjavík.[18]The musical soundtrack toBroadchurchseries one includes four pieces: "So Close" (the only one to have lyrics), "Suspects", "Arcade", and "Broken".[18]"So Close" plays at the end of each episode. Ólafur collaborated with the singer Arnór Dan of the Icelandic bandAgent Fresco,with whom he had worked on his third studio album,For Now I Am Winter,released in February 2013. Arnór wrote the vocal melody, while Ólafur wrote the rest of the song. Chibnall contributed the lyrics.[43]According to Chibnall, the song holds clues to the killer's identity.[18]

TheBroadchurch (Music From the Original Soundtrack)extended playalbum was released on 15 April 2013 byMercury Classics,a division ofDecca Records.[46]A second edition that includes songs from the first two series (excluding "Broken" from the first edition) was released in January 2015.[47][48] An album for the third series, titledBroadchurch - The Final Chapter (Music from the Original TV Series)was released on 1 April 2017.[49] Some of Ólafur's work forBroadchurchappears in the trailer for theFantastic Fourmovie reboot.[50]

Media releases

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The first series ofBroadchurchwas released on DVD andBlu-rayin the United Kingdom byAcorn Media UKon 20 May 2013.[51]The series was released on DVD in the United States on 1 April 2014 byEntertainment One.[52]

Series 2

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After the first series ended, ITV announced thatBroadchurchwould return for a second series.[53]The show's creator, Chris Chibnall, toldThe Daily Mirrorin the summer of 2013 that "the focus of the next series will be on how the shattered community rebuilds itself after the grisly events" of series one.[54]Series one actorWill Mellor,who does not appear in series two,[55]strongly implied in an interview that a new murder would not be the focus of the second series,[54]while David Tennant told theAssociated Pressthat the series would go in a "very unexpected direction" which he called "as gripping as the first season."[56]Chibnall said he mapped out the show's plot and characters on severalwhiteboardsin his office. "You have to be very methodical," he said about plottingBroadchurch."It's like a mathematical puzzle where you put all these blocks together and move them around for the most satisfying thing."[57]

Casting

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David Tennant,Olivia Colman,[58]Andrew Buchan,Arthur Darvill,Jodie Whittaker,Charlotte Beaumont,Joe Sims,[59]Carolyn Pickles,Jonathan Bailey,[60]Pauline Quirke,[61]Tanya Franks,Simone McAullayand Adam Wilson all returned for the second series.[62]Neither Tennant nor Colman was contractually obliged to return. Without them, Chibnall said, "We would not have done it, absolutely. Luckily they wanted to come back because they weren't contracted to."[63]New series two cast members includeMarianne Jean-Baptiste,James D'Arcy,Eve Myles,Charlotte Rampling,Meera Syal,Phoebe Waller-Bridge,Amanda Drew,Shaun DooleyandTom Rosenthal.[64][65]Rampling plays Broadchurch resident Jocelyn Knight. It was near her home that Danny Latimer argued with the postman a week before his death.[66]Myles plays Claire Ripley, Jean-Baptiste's character is Sharon Bishop and Waller-Bridge plays Abby Thompson.[67]

Secrecy

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Before broadcast, the plot of series two was closely guarded. Cast members were sworn to secrecy about the details[57]and required to sign non-disclosure agreements.[68]Actor Andrew Buchan said cast members were told little about the plot, except on a need-to-know basis as they prepared for their performances in each episode.[69]Actor Joe Sims said that actors only receive two scripts at a time to ensure that they did not know where the plot was headed.[70]Several different endings for series two were filmed.[71]

In August 2014,Erin Kelly,author of a book adaptation ofBroadchurch,said that writer Chris Chibnall inserted a one-line clue about Series 2 into her book three days before the book was due to begin printing. Kelly said the clue comes early in the novel. Although it does not spoil the plot, she said, it does provide a hint about it.[57][72]The clue involved the argument the postman had with Danny Latimer. Jack Marshall identifies the location as being near Jocelyn Knight's home. On 19 December 2014, ITV revealed that Charlotte Rampling's character is named Jocelyn Knight.[66]

Filming

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St Andrew's ChurchinClevedon,Somerset as St Bede's, the Broadchurch parish church

The second series filmed under the code name "Tea and Sympathy"[60]inDevon,Dorset,North Somerset,[69]andReadingin Berkshire.[58]A car park next to the West Bay Hotel in Bridport served as the production's base camp.[73]Each episode took 12 and a half days to film.[70]Filming began in late May 2014.[74]Shooting has taken place outside the George Hotel in Bridport,[75]at Munchees café in Reading,[76]and at the Riverside Restaurant, Wynn's funfair,[73]the seafront and The Lazy Lizard nightclub inWeymouth.A few scenes were shot on a beach between Freshwater Beach and East Beach in West Bay.[77]St Andrew's Churchin Clevedon has been used to depict the Broadchurch parish church and graveyard. Other Clevedon filming locations include Marshall's Field and Hill Road and the house used to represent the Latimer family home in Lavington Close.[70]The Forum building on the campus of theUniversity of Exeterwas used to represent the Wessex police station,[78]while another campus structure served as a local courtroom.[79]Some filming occurred inBracknell Forest,in particular the Jennett's Park suburb and the John Nike Leisuresport Complex inBracknell.The shopping district in Bracknell was decorated to mimic the Christmas holidays for filming.[80]

The production team was criticised by the West Bay coastguards in June 2014 for filming too close to the edge of East Cliff at West Bay, Dorset. Severe weather and recent rock slides left the cliffs unstable and a coastguard volunteer said the production team should have used stakes, safety lines, harnesses and helmets. A spokesperson for theBroadchurchproduction defended the film crew, noting that the production team had received all necessary filming permits, had visited the site numerous times to ensure safety and taken other reasonable health and safety precautions.[81]

James Strong, who directed five of the eight episodes in series one, directed the first two episodes of series two.[82]Jane Featherstone and Chris Chibnall continued as executive producers,[74]with Chibnall acting as lead writer again.[83]

Filming for series two ofBroadchurchconcluded the night of 12 October 2014.[60][63]Final scenes were shot at the village ofEypein Dorset.[60]

Promotion and broadcast

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On 9 November 2014, two 20-second teaser trailers began airing on ITV, each titled "The End Is Where It Begins".[84]On 16 November 2014, a third 20-second teaser trailer aired on ITV, in two versions, voiced by characters Alec Hardy and Ellie Miller, respectively. These were also titled "The End Is Where It Begins".[85]A fourth, series two trailer was released on 11 December.[86]Old Faces,a song written and performed by Laura Doggett, featured on the trailers.[87][88][89]

The first episode aired on 5 January 2015, on ITV in the UK andTV3in Ireland.[85][90]The Canadian TV channelShowcaseandTV Onein New Zealand both debuted series two on 11 January 2015.[90][91]In Australia, theABCfirst aired on 15 February 2015 while BBC America aired the second series in the United States beginning on 4 March 2015.[92][c][93]

Series 3

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On 1 December 2014, a number of media outlets reported that ITV had commissioned a third series ofBroadchurch.[94]Later that day, ITV denied that a third series had yet been commissioned.[95]

ITV confirmed thatBroadchurch,as well as Tennant and Colman, would return for a third series immediately after the series two finale on 23 February 2015, repeating the use of "Broadchurchwill return "after the closing credits.[96]

In February 2016,Olivia Colmangave an interview onThis Morningwhere she stated that the final series would be shot in May 2016 and said that she did not yet know anything about the plot.[97]

On 12 April 2016, ITV officially announced the casting for the third and final series, withJodie Whittaker,Andrew Buchan,Arthur Darvill,Carolyn Picklesand Adam Wilson returning. Filming for the third series began in May 2016 and broadcast started on 27 February 2017.[citation needed]Miller and Hardy investigate a serious sexual assault. Creator Chris Chibnall said, "We have one last story to tell, featuring both familiar faces and new characters. I hope it's a compelling and emotional farewell to a world and show that means so much to me."[98]

Critical reception

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Critical response ofBroadchurch
SeasonRotten TomatoesMetacritic
194% (36 reviews)[99]91 (30 reviews)[100]
284% (31 reviews)[101]73 (18 reviews)[102]
398% (43 reviews)[103]85 (14 reviews)[104]

Series one ofBroadchurchwon critical acclaim.[105][106]OnRotten Tomatoes,the first series has an approval rating of 94% based on 36 reviews, with an average rating of 8.7/10. The site's critical consensus reads "Well written and beautifully shot,Broadchurchis a deliberate, slowly unfolding mystery procedural with terrific performances from a fine cast. "[99]Metacriticgives the first series a weighted average score of 91 out of 100, based on 30 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[100]Radio Timesnamed it the best television series of 2013,[4]andEntertainment Weeklycalled it "a bona fide national obsession" in the UK.[13]

The second series received "generally favorable reviews", with a weighted average score of 73 out of 100 based on 18 critics, according toMetacritic.[102]It has an approval rating of 87% based on 30 reviews and an average score of 7.95/10, onRotten Tomatoes.The critical consensus reads "Season two ofBroadchurchbuilds on its predecessor's intrigue, with the added bonus of new characters who mesh well with the existing cast. "[101]

Series three was met with critical acclaim.Metacriticrated it 85/100 based on 14 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim",[104]whileRotten Tomatoesgave it an approval rating of 98% and an average score of 7.8/10, based on 43 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads "In its final season,Broadchurchestablishes a high standard for police procedurals to come, combining socially conscious themes with suspenseful mystery and a pair of compelling leads. "[103]

Ratings

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The first episode ofBroadchurchseries one was seen by an average of 9.1 million viewers (31 percent audience share). This included 6.15 million live viewers (25.2 percent audience share), with another 716,000 viewers (4.4 percent) on time-delayed viewing viadigital video recorder,timeshifted channels(+1) and similar media and technologies.[107]This was the best premiere episode of a weekday new drama series in the United Kingdom since ITV'sWhitechapeldebuted in January 2009.Broadchurchattracted an average weekly audience of 7.1 million "live" viewers during its run. After accounting for time-delayed viewing,Broadchurchaveraged 9.2 million viewers per episode. An average of 8.4 million viewers (33 percent audience share) watched the final episode ofBroadchurch.About 8.8 million viewers tuned in at the start of the show and a peak of 9.3 million viewers saw the murderer revealed. But only 7.9 million viewers remained with the episode after the reveal.[citation needed]

Broadchurchseries one was not a rating success in all countries, however. When it aired on BBC America in the United States, ratings were negligible. American consumption of the series oniTunes,Amazon.comand other streaming video sites was also small.[29]

The premiere episode of series two drew an average of 7.3 million viewers.[108]for a 30.1 percent share on 5 January 2015.[109]An average of 300,000 viewers watched it on ITV+1 an hour later. The episode opened with 6.8 million viewers at 9 pm and ended with 8.7 million viewers (with a peak viewership of 8.9 million).Broadchurchwas the second-most-watched programme of the evening, with the most-watched beingCoronation Street(which had a peak audience of 8.3 million).[108]The series two premiere drew 800,000 (28.1 percent) more viewers than the series one premiere and was 22.6 percent higher than average ITV viewership (5.2 million) in the same time-slot over the past 12 months.[110]The consolidated rating made this episode thehighest rated drama episode on ITV in 2015.

But ratings dropped significantly afterward. Viewership for the second episode fell to just 6.11 million viewers (a 22.4 percent share) after accounting for ITV+1 viewership.[111]That was the lowest overnight viewership rating for the series since episode five of series one. It was still good enough to win its timeslot, however.[112]Overnight ratings dropped again for the third episode to just 5.2 million viewers, the lowest for any episode of the series.[113]Overnight viewership dropped again for episode four, reaching a low of 5.6 million viewers. However, the series still won its timeslot, beatingSilent Witness.[114]

Awards

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Broadchurchseries one was nominated for 7 BAFTA awards. Olivia Colman wonBest Actress,David BradleywonBest Supporting Actorand the show was namedBest Drama Series.[115]The show competed for the BAFTA Audience Award, but lost to "The Day of the Doctor"(Doctor Who), which Tennant also starred in.[115]At the BAFTA Craft Awards, Ólafur Arnalds won Best Original Television Music, while James Strong was nominated for Best Director-Fiction for "Episode One", Mike Jones was nominated for Best Editing-Fiction for "Episode Eight", Catrin Meredydd as nominated for Best Production Design and Chris Chibnall was nominated for Best Writer-Drama.[116]

Broadchurchseries one was also nominated for and won many additional awards, including honours at theFreesat Awards,[117]TV Choice Awards,[118]National TV Awards,[119]Broadcast Awards,[120]Broadcasting Press Guild Television and Radio Awards[121]and theRoyal Television Society Awards.[122]It also won aPeabody Awardfor its distinguished and meritorious contributions to excellence in quality television.[123]

Broadchurchseries three won the award for best Crime Drama atNational Television Awardsin early 2018.[124]This was the first year the award was presented andBroadchurchwas competing againstSherlock,Line of DutyandLittle Boy Blue.[124]Julie Hesmondhalghwas nominated for theBAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Rolebut lost toVanessa KirbyfromThe Crown.[citation needed]

Adaptations

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In early 2014, theFox Broadcasting Companyin the United States announced that it had licensed the rights toBroadchurchand would produce a U.S. version of the series, namedGracepoint.The Fox series, also starring David Tennant, was created and written by Chris Chibnall and directed by James Strong.[125]Fox specifically saidGracepointwould have a different ending fromBroadchurch.Gracepointbegan airing on 2 October 2014.[126]Following very low ratings,Gracepointwas not renewed for a second season.[127]

The French channelFrance 2,on whichBroadchurchaired in February 2014, also announced an adaptation. The French series, produced in association with Shine France, was titledMalaterra (TV series)[fr]and was directed byJean-Xavier de Lestrade.

Notes

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  1. ^Kudos is a subsidiary ofShine Group.Shine America is the American subsidiary of Shine Group. Imaginary Friends is a production company established by Chris Chibnall to produce author-driven dramas.
  2. ^Gravelle had worked for producer Richard Stokes in an episode of the seriesHolby City,and for Stokes and writer Chris Chibnall in "End of Days",an episode ofTorchwood.In 2010, he'd been nominated for aBAFTA Cymruaward as Best Actor for his work onY Pris.
  3. ^BBC America had originally set the premiere date for 4 February 2014. But nine days later, the cable channel delayed the series two an additional month without comment.

References

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  1. ^"New cast members for Broadchurch 3 announced ahead of filming of the final series".ITV.12 April 2016.Retrieved3 February2017.
  2. ^"Chris Chibnall says Broadchurch is" absolutely "never coming back".Radio Times.Retrieved24 March2018.
  3. ^"Broadchurch - Rotten Tomatoes".Rotten Tomatoes.Retrieved18 November2018.
  4. ^ab"Broadchurch named best TV show of 2013 by Radio Times critics".Radio Times.27 December 2013.Retrieved8 November2014.
  5. ^abcdeGraham, Alison (22 April 2013)."Broadchurch: the perfect TV murder?".Radio Times.Retrieved8 November2014.
  6. ^abcdefgShaw, Annette (15 February 2013)."The West Dorset coastline is the 'star' in Chris Chibnall's new ITV drama".Dorset Magazine.Retrieved8 November2014.
  7. ^abcdefghijklmnopqr"Broadchurch, ITV".Broadcast Now.28 February 2013.Retrieved9 November2014.
  8. ^abGilbert, Gerard (20 February 2013)."David Tennant: From time traveller to crime unraveller".The Independent.Retrieved8 November2014.
  9. ^abcde"Broadchurch: Anatomy of a hit".Royal Television SocietyTelevision Magazine. January 2014.Retrieved3 January2015.
  10. ^Broadchurch Behind-the-Scenes(DVD). Acorn Media. 20 May 2013. Event occurs at 6:15. Archived fromthe originalon 11 November 2014.Retrieved18 November2014.
  11. ^abWhite, Peter (24 October 2013)."Featherstone: Broadchurch 'planned as trilogy'".Broadcast Now.Retrieved10 November2014.
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Bibliography

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