Broadchurch

:

Season 2
Season #: 3, 2, 1
Metascore
73

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 18
  3. Negative: 0 out of 18
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Critic Reviews

  1. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: David Hinckley
    Mar 4, 2015
    60
    The new elements and mostly the performances make it worth staying around to see what other secrets lurk within.
  2. RogerEbert.com
    Reviewed by: Brian Tallerico
    Mar 2, 2015
    60
    The score is over-heated, the dialogue is more melodramatic, and someone could make a drinking game out of people standing on beaches or cliffs in the wind looking pensive. What saves Broadchurch this season and is likely to keep people from jumping off the bandwagon is the cast, especially the new additions.
  3. The Oregonian
    Reviewed by: Kristi Turnquist
    Feb 27, 2015
    60
    The plot threads don't weave a very riveting picture, but Broadchurch Season 2 benefits tremendously from Colman, who remains the heart of the show.
  5. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Hank Stuever
    Feb 27, 2015
    50
    Where the original series had a clear through line and a strong sense of the grief that surrounds murder, the new Broadchurch unsuccessfully juggles several more plots and characters, grafting an older case onto the (surprisingly still ongoing) Latimer case.
  6. The Huffington Post
    Reviewed by: Maureen Ryan
    Mar 4, 2015
    40
    Given how wonderful its first season was, the fact that Broadchurch has turned into such a muddle is the bigger disappointment. Despite the usual array of finely calibrated performances, the second season simply doesn't work, in large part because it consciously and deliberately undoes much of what was powerful about the shattering conclusion to the first season.

Awards & Rankings

72
#72 Best TV Season of 2015
88
#88 Most Discussed TV Season of 2015
100
#100 Most Shared TV Season of 2015

User Reviews

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User Score
6.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 120 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 88 out of 120
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 120
  3. Negative: 21 out of 120
  1. WJS
    Feb 10, 2015
    9
    Broadchurch has great acting and superb storytelling, but most of all, some of the most spectacular cinematography on television...in looks fantastic!
  2. oDjento
    Mar 5, 2015
    3
    I am going to be brutally honest about this season, it was one of the worst TV series I’ve watched in a while. I LOVED season 1: it wasI am going to be brutally honest about this season, it was one of the worst TV series I’ve watched in a while. I LOVED season 1: it was mysterious, unpredictable and with plenty of interesting and diverse characters to get invested. Season 2 however dumps all over season 1.
    Firstly, the characters. I liked and was interested or intrigued by all the characters in the first season and they really are part of what made season 1 brilliant. For season 2 they attempt to introduce new characters and none of them are enjoyable, the main reason anyone will be watching season 2 is for the original characters like Hardy and Miller. Jocelyn is more annoying than the “sassy” old good lawyer she seems like she is meant to be and seems almost lost/completely incompetent at her job. Ashworth seems like the stereotypical intimidating villain at first that obviously isn’t the real “bad guy” even though he isn’t fully good. His character is two notes really on acting. Claire tries to be the wild card on not knowing what she is telling the truth about but she’s more just pretty bland and uncomfortable to watch. Bishop is the only new character that plays her part well (and you can tell that because you really loathe her) but is still not enjoyable to watch due to how she develops the plot.
    And now the plot. Season 1 again, awesome plot, season 2 is half assed and unentertaining. Comparing again, season 1’s twists are great and made you excited for the next episode, but season 2’s episode twists were so dull and repetitive. It usually consisted of someone not knowing something in the court room and having to have someone else speak and the people in the court room would all look shocked (oh no, twist…). And then also what Bishop speaks in the courtroom Is complete trash, you would never be allowed to do what she does in the courtroom. The courtroom scenes are boring and just reused over and over, and the Sanbrook case seems uninteresting as you just can’t get attached to it in the same way as the Broadchurch case, they just really wanted to squeeze it in. Side plots are also made and then dropped suddenly and then some plots seems so unnecessary. It’s piss annoying to be frank.
    The series started like it could go somewhere but doesn’t pick up, it becomes stale fast. Sure some direction and cinematography is nice at times but that can’t save this at all for all its major flaws. This season can best be summed by a fan of season one in a single word; frustrating.    … Full Review »
  3. LordMark
    Mar 4, 2015
    6
    + the performances, especially Olivia Colman's
    + a decent finale
    - far too many annoying courtroom scenes - uninteresting Sandbrook    + the performances, especially Olivia Colman's
    + a decent finale

    - far too many annoying courtroom scenes
    - uninteresting Sandbrook storyline
    - lacks the suspense of the first season    … Full Review »
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