Review of Broadchurch – Series 1, episode 4: David Tennant continues to wow 

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Review of Broadchurch – Series 1, episode 4: David Tennant continues to wow

Last updated: Tuesday, 26 March 2013 at 9:33 am

SPOILERS: Do not read this if you have not see series 1, episode 4 of ‘Broadchurch’

Broadchurch is now halfway through the series. After a slower third episode last week where it took a whole hour to reveal that Mark Latimer was having his wicked way with Australian hotelier Becca Fisher, episode four was packed with unwinding threads.

Local newsagent Jack Marshall has emerged as the prime suspect after allegations of child abuse were dug up from his past by journalist Olly Stevens. It seemed odd to call him in for questioning for a spent conviction with not a shred of evidence that he has been abusing Danny (if you’re going to go down that route DI Hardy, why not believe psychic Steve?) but then it is suspicious he’d been appointed as the head of the sea cadets without a CRB check.

Stranger still was Susan Wright’s (Pauline Quirke) involvement with the sea cadets. Would you really want a woman who whispers into the ear of the local newspaper editor “I know men who would rape you” to teach your child how to tie a figure of eight knot? Her name also appears differently in the paper where she is snapped next to all the local lads, which she blames on incompetent journalists. Convincing as that might seem, you know she’s hiding something- and not just Danny’s skateboard.

Nige is also onto something. Susan had a bust up with him in a muddy alley and it emerged the two have been in on an act together. He was also seen hiding an industrial-looking bow and arrow in his car last episode, and he so happened to be at the scene innocently eating chips in his van when Olly tells Jack Marshall that he knows about his former child sex convictions.

If not in the same way as Jack Marshall, it looks like the vicar could have been inappropriately involved with Danny and Tom. It emerged he taught the boys I.T. – could he have taught them how to delete things permanently from a hard drive as Tom does at the end of episode one? Is he in on some suspicious cyber secret?

And then there was that sudden wave of fervor that swept over the community making everybody gravitate towards the church. Pretty suspect in itself. How did Rev Paul Coates manage that? Even rationalist Alec Hardy (who claims he is a man of faith) makes it to church despite just having had his bleeding head sewn up. Both David Tennant and Olivia Colman continue to carry the show with their performances.

In the final scene where Jack Marshall sets fire to photographs he has taken of the sea cadets – one of which shows Danny without his top on – we are obviously meant to think that scruffy newsagent is the main suspect. But with four more episodes to come there are plenty more opportunities for shady characters to emerge…

Tagged in: Broadchurch, Chris Chibnall, David Tennant, doctor who, jodie whittaker, Olivia Colman

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A dreadful boring programme and I love who dunnits but this is lacking in any form and structure. It manipulates you into thinking it’s the plumber, then the dad, then Pauline Quike, then the newsagent,. It is truly pathetic and an insult.

I have been suffering from insomnia lately, but am indebted to Broadchurch for finding the cure.

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