giddyOh. My. Goddess.
First off, I have to say that I'm pleased as punch that I was right about who the killer was. (And no, I'm not going to spoil this ultimate spoiler of the final episode of the series by telling you lot who it was! You're going to have to watch the series to find out! LOL!) What I couldn't figure out clearly was the motive, as nothing really seemed to *click* into place for that. That said, all the clues really were right there for the viewer to spot (but I'd have to watch a DVD set of the episodes again in order to write them out for a blog post, which I don't plan on doing), and it was a smart, intelligent, witty set of clues indeed. I had figured out who did it around Episode Five, after having the niggling feeling at the back of my neck after Episode Three.
The acting in this, the final part of an exquisite eight-part drama series, was to put it bluntly, magnificent and superb. David Tennant gave a superb performance as DI Alec Hardy in this final episode, but the stealer of scenes this episode was Olivia Colman as DS Ellie Miller. The supporting cast in this final episode of the run were marvellous as well, with all manner of breadth of emotions coming out in the townsfolk once the killer's identity was revealed in a media conference by the police. But by far, Tennant and Colman carried this series, and to be honest, I think both of them deserve British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards for their performances in Broadchurch.
The plot turns and twists were revealed in full with a lovely flashback sequence to the night of the murder, and pretty much all the questions raised in the series surrounding the murder were resolved. But there were a whole series of issues raised in the story that seem to be leading to a second season of Broadchurch (which is already confirmed). What makes this episode so special was the fact that once the murderer's identity was revealed to the tv viewers, the final 35+ minutes or so of the episode was the aftermath and aftershocks on the people of Broadchurch, and how they all handled the revelation of who the killer was. The final ten minutes or so was some of the finest television I've ever seen, and to be honest, the end of the eighth episode of the run was anything but anticlimactic.
With this episode of Broadchurch, the series reached the end of its eight-episode run and never let the foot off the accelerator. It was everything a gritty, atmospheric, full of twists and turns mystery set in a small seaside town should be. And when it returns for a second series, I can only hope that David Tennant, Olivia Colman, and their fellow cast mates return to lend their acting abilities to it once again.
Well done, Chris Chibnall. Simply marvellous, evocative television at its finest.