Broadchurch | |
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Genre | Crime drama |
Created by | Chris Chibnall |
Written by |
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Directed by | |
Starring | |
Ending theme | "So Close" by Ólafur Arnalds featuring Arnór Dan (series 1) "So Far" by Ólafur Arnalds featuring Arnór Dan (series 2) |
Composer(s) | Ólafur Arnalds |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language(s) | English |
No. of series | 2 |
No. of episodes | 16 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) |
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Producer(s) | Richard Stokes |
Cinematography | Matt Gray |
Running time | 44–50 minutes |
Production company(s) |
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Release | |
Original network | ITV |
Picture format | 16:9 1080i |
Audio format | Stereo |
Original release | 4 March 2013 | – present
Chronology | |
Related shows | Gracepoint |
Broadchurch is a British television crime drama broadcast on ITV. It was created and written by Chris Chibnall and produced by Kudos Film and Television, Shine America, and Imaginary Friends. The first series (which premiered on 4 March 2013), focused on the death of an 11-year-old boy and the impact of grief, mutual suspicion, and media attention on the town. Filming for series two began in late May 2014, concluded on 12 October 2014, and premiered on 5 January 2015. Series three was confirmed on 23 February 2015, immediately following the series two finale.
Broadchurch series one focused on the search for the boy's murderer by detectives Alec Hardy (played by David Tennant) and Ellie Miller (played by Olivia Colman). Chibnall was inspired by the Jurassic Coast of Britain to set his crime drama in a fictional, close-knit small town in Dorset. Much of the tone of the series was inspired by the music of Ólafur Arnalds, who also composed the soundtrack for the programme. Writing on spec, Chibnall convinced ITV to green-light the series in the autumn of 2011. Auditions soon followed, although some actors were offered roles directly. Principal photography began in August 2012, with location shooting occurring primarily in the towns and villages in Dorset, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, and the city of Bristol. The production went to great lengths to keep the identity of the murderer secret. Cast and crew were nominated for many awards for series one; they won several British Academy Television (BAFTA) Awards and a BAFTA Craft Award.
Series two was announced when the first series ended. The second series primarily focuses on two plot strands: the trial of the murderer and the reopening of the Sandbrook case. Tennant, Colman, and most of the cast of series one returned for series two. New series two cast members include Marianne Jean-Baptiste, James D'Arcy, Eve Myles, Charlotte Rampling, Meera Syal, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and location shooting again occurred primarily in North Somerset, Devon, Dorset, and Berkshire. Secrecy surrounding the series two plot was strong.