Broadchurch (2013)

The critic calls it a textbook example of excellent writing, characters, acting and sense of place, one of the best limited series in a long while and absolutely essential viewing.

The critic praises the series as a delicate portrait of extreme sadness, guilt, suspicion and recrimination in a small coastal town shattered by a child's murder. It is described as about as good as TV drama gets.

The opening episode of Broadchurch stands out with its masterfully choreographed sequences and unsparing depiction of parental grief. Olivia Colman's performance as DC Ellie Miller is singled out as the emotional centre of the piece.

The first episode delivers as a post-watershed thriller, revealing the dark undertow in a small Dorset town and the murk in everyone's closet. It shows the mauled insides of family grief and the despair of the townsfolk.

The review finds the series intriguing and well-crafted in its portrayal of a community's reaction to murder, but ultimately unsatisfying due to overfamiliarity with the small-town murder trope. It praises the performances of Tennant and Colman and the organic direction.

The critic finds the brooding drama grudgingly effective in pulling viewers through its paces but notes it falls a couple of notches below the Brits' best crime fare due to cliches and an unsatisfying payoff.

The critic finds the series engrossing and emotional, praising its close examination of small-town life and the strong ensemble performances, especially from David Tennant and Olivia Colman. They single out the emotional depth and cinematic quality for making it stand out among crime dramas.

The critic praises the assured direction and script of the first episode, noting it handles the sensitive subject of child murder with emotional truth rather than sensationalism. She singles out Jodie Whittaker's performance as the grieving mother for particular praise.