TV Review: Broadchurch Series Two (2014)

Broadchurch Series Two created by Chris Chibnall

After the harrowing investigation of the death of a eleven-year old Daniel Latimer in the English coastal town of Broadchurch in the first series, the second series focuses on the trial of the guy who confessed to the crime. In the first episode, he enters his plea: not guilty. Everyone (including his defense attorney) is surprised. New legal teams are brought in for both sides. The defense has a win-at-all-costs young lawyer who is rather cynical about the justice system (with many reasons revealed through subsequent episodes). The prosecution has an older female barrister from Broadchurch come out of retirement to win one last case for the hometown. Sparks fly and more secrets are revealed as they spar over the truth and the possibilities of what happened the night of Daniel Latimer's death.

Meanwhile, new developments are happening in Alec Hardy's (well played by David Tennant) previous case, the one where things fell apart and it drove him to Broadchurch as a refuge. The prime suspect is back in the country and is trying to find his wife, who's been hiding in a cottage provided by Hardy. The old case starts to blow wide open, giving Hardy a chance to redeem himself for the botched case. Like the Broadchurch case, Hardy's case is much more complicated than it seems.

The acting and writing are excellent again, as is the cinematography. Viewers will have an easy time getting sucked into watching multiple episodes in one evening. The show does have one surprise relationship come up at the end that felt like shoe-horning in some politically correct content rather than actually contributing to the story or the theme. Otherwise this is a great show and a worthy successor to the first series.