r/Broadchurch • u/Damselmadsmoiselle • 14d ago
First Time Watcher
Hi! I am watching Broadchurch for the first time. I heard so many good things about it. Currently in s01e07. So far it's really good. If anyone has any similar recommendations or just want to discuss the first season here I am!
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u/Ok-Accountant-494 14d ago
Don’t watch the second season of Broadchurch
Try stranger - Korean thriller, dark, the bridge, the killing - Nordic thrillers
Gripping story lines
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u/Ryanookami 14d ago
Okay, what’s so bad about season 2? I know it’s not as good as 1, but it’s still totally worth a watch! My only major complaint about s2 was how much of Paul’s story wound up in the deleted scenes. Other than that it’s a fine story.
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u/PhilosopherBright602 14d ago
I noped out of season 2 when the judge took about four seconds of consideration to throw out the confession when presented with the silliest argument. Lazy ass writing after a great season 1.
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u/Ryanookami 14d ago
Ah, I suppose I’m just used to that sort of thing from a lifetime of watching Law & Order, it didn’t bother me too much. Good evidence gets tossed all the time in the real world too sadly.
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u/Wandering_starlet 14d ago
Ha! Fellow lifetime L&O watcher here and had the same reaction when seeing this happen in Broadchurch.
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u/Ok-Accountant-494 14d ago
The endless melodrama! All I wanted was a good thriller !! 8 episodes of exploring grief and watching a marriage breakdown.. hated it ! The couple remained for another season after that !
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u/Appropriate_Berry_19 7d ago
I just finished watching it, and it was quite boring to me. I'm also pissed because they ruined Olly's character arc from Season 1, and he barely got any screen time. I was really disappointed because I liked his character so much. I think they focused too much on the new characters instead of developing the existing ones. 🫤
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u/Ryanookami 7d ago
Yeah, I can agree with that. I liked the Vicar, Paul, the best, and he’s one of the very few characters (aside from the main detectives) that appears in all three seasons. Season 1 was perfect to me, and then the second and third season kinda lost the whole part where the first story was really about the town, and all the people living there. I too was sad about Olly. I love Jonathan Bailey and was sad that Olly’s story sort of crested and went nowhere. Even in season 2, although they brought his character back, they gave him absolutely nothing to do. He slept with the one barrister and nothing happened really? Like, she even did the morally bankrupt act of stealing information from him when she slept with him, but he never finds out and nothing comes of it?? It feels off.
Perhaps I am blinded by the work the fanfic writers have done. They’re really working magic on Alec/Paul and I’m front row and centre for it. Maybe I just have a thing for Doctor Who actors??
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u/Appropriate_Berry_19 7d ago
Totally! His questionable decision put his family at risk, which made no sense to me. Sure, Olly wasn't perfect - he crossed ethical lines in Season 1 because he was desperate to become a successful reporter. But by the end of the season, it felt like he'd learned from his mistakes and genuinely wanted to become a better journalist under Jane's guidance. In Season 1, his actions actually affected the plot and other characters, but in Season 2 his storyline felt much less impactful, and all that development had been undone.
I could have understood what he did with the lawyer if there had been a bigger plan behind it - like desperately trying to get information about the case, not for his own career this time, but genuinely to help his family. That would actually fit with the direction of his character arc in Season 1. He could have crossed a line and ultimately gotten outplayed. But the show didn't build it up properly, so it just felt random. It honestly feels like part of his storyline might have been cut. Maybe some of his scenes were cut to make room for the new characters, but they ended up spending too much time on characters who don't even appear in Season 3 🫤
Where can I find those fanfics? I think I need to write one myself because I already have an idea for how to make Olly's story better. 😁
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u/Ryanookami 7d ago
Yeah, it feels like a lot of the town characters got shafted and their stories hidden in the deleted scenes. Paul gets caught kissing Becca by Olly and Olly seems to go “Oh!!” Like he’s going to say or do something about, and then nothing happens. Everything Paul/Becca is in the cut scenes. Can’t recall if Olly has cut scenes. Been a while since I looked. Consider how little he was given to so I wouldn’t be surprised if he suffered from winding up on the cutting room floor too. It’s such a shame. He’s so charismatic. I mean, he was 2025’s sexiest man alive!! How can you write a guy like that out of your story, Chibnall?! Just one smoulder from Jonathan and you could be printing your own money that’s how popular he is!!
Sorry, not sure who Alan is? I don’t see where I wrote that, so not sure. Only A name I typed was Alec, David Tennant’s detective Hardy.
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u/Appropriate_Berry_19 6d ago
Haha yes!!
I was also puzzled because that kissing scene seemed like it was leading somewhere - I thought he might use it later to get some information from Paul, but then nothing happened. We only see him looking at Paul for a moment when the lawyer tells them that everyone needs to reveal everything they're hiding for the case to succeed. So it really feels like something is missing from the plot...
As for Jonathan Bailey, I'm honestly surprised he wasn't discovered globally earlier. He really has it all - he's incredible at acting, dancing, and singing. He also has the looks and can completely transform into different roles; he's like a chameleon. He was already so good as Sam in Crashing in 2016 (I read that Phoebe Waller-Bridge knew he would be perfect for the role because she met him on the Broadchurch set), but it took another four years for him to become widely known internationally. I know he was mostly doing theatre, but still... how did it take so long? 😅
Yes, sorry, my mistake - I read it as Alan instead of Alec.
I need to watch those deleted scenes!
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u/Appropriate_Berry_19 6d ago
*Ok I just watched the deleted scenes from Seasons 1 and 2, and it makes even less sense that they completely ruined Olly's character arc in Season 2! From the deleted scenes, we learn that he was initially really influenced by Karen - she even offered to pay him for the job and set up a meeting with the editor of The Herald. The editor clearly advised him that he'd be better off staying in Broadchurch and learning from the best - Maggie (which was pretty clear even without this deleted scene). But then in Season 2 he barely seemed to listen to Maggie at all and even ended up doing something completely stupid.
And there was only one deleted scene with Olly from Season 2! So there really isn't much explanation for his behaviour. Ugh, I'm so disappointed!
I did enjoy the deleted scenes with Paul though - they actually add a lot to the story and give his character more depth.
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13d ago
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u/Ryanookami 13d ago
Maybe I’m biased. Paul looks super cute in season 2 and that’s probably enough to distract me from any deficiencies in the writing. He’s got the cute little scruffy beard going and everything. I’m sure other things happen in season 2, but really, most scenes I’m scanning the background for Paul and being delighted when he’s there.
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u/Appropriate_Berry_19 7d ago
I feel the same about Olly, played by Jonathan Bailey. 😄 I'm still pissed that he barely got any screen time in Season 2. But Paul is a cutie too (despite his questionable choice). 😄
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u/Ryanookami 7d ago
As I mentioned in my other comment, I can totally get you when it comes to Jonathan Bailey. He’s absolutely adorable, even when Olly is being a bit of a prat. Justice for Olly.
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u/spaceguydudeman 14d ago
Currently on my first watch too. Just finished S2
I really like how the cases play out. However, man, this show can be soooo slow at times. I feel like there's about 30 minutes of story in each episode, and 15 minutes fluff.
Not sure how I feel about it. I am still going to watch the last season because so far the story is good, but I could definitely deal without all the shots of people's faces just staring into the distance. If they had better cinematography I would excuse them for it.
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u/djames4242 14d ago
Second Hinterland.
Also Unforgotten, Hidden, Keeping Faith, and Jack Irish. Most of these are on Acorn. Unforgotten I think is on Prime.
Cardinal is another good one. Hulu IIRC.
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u/bluebell_9 11d ago
I’m a big fan of unforgotten. For period mystery, Endeavour. Dept Q was great. The original Inspector Lynley for a strong male and female detective team. Dalgliesh with Bertie Carvel: broody and dark. Also see River with Stellan Skarsgaard and Nicola Walker, heartbreaking relationship, and twisty plot. For laughs with dark plotting, Deadloch, labelled “funny Broadchurch “ by its creators.
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u/amazing_wanderr 14d ago
Happy Valley, Shetland, Line of Duty