Broadchurch

[PennLady]

Is anyone watching this? And if you have seen all of it, please don't spoil the ending.

I wait all week for the next episode of this show, and that's saying a lot for me, because I don't watch many shows, and usually am fine with waiting until the next episode. But the writing and acting are phenomenal (and yes, I'm biased towards David Tennant). I don't just want to know who did it, I'm glued to the process of seeing how they solve the murder.

Anyone else? Like it? Hate it? Wish you could write like that?

 

[LaRascasse]

I've seen all the episodes off torrents. It's very well made and the ending is worth the wait. It's much better than The Killing, which has a similar premise but never really engages us as much IMO.

 

[sr71plt]

Never heard of it. It must be on a cable channel I don't get.

 

[babyjane20011]

Hi

Is anyone watching this? And if you have seen all of it, please don't spoil the ending.

I wait all week for the next episode of this show, and that's saying a lot for me, because I don't watch many shows, and usually am fine with waiting until the next episode. But the writing and acting are phenomenal (and yes, I'm biased towards David Tennant). I don't just want to know who did it, I'm glued to the process of seeing how they solve the murder.

Anyone else? Like it? Hate it? Wish you could write like that?

Have you Ripper Street/

i love it
nan

 

[_Lynn_]

I never heard of it, but I don't have TV, so I'm sure its not the only one I don't know.

 

[PennLady]

Never heard of it. It must be on a cable channel I don't get.

It's on BBC America, and probably Hulu or one of the streaming services. It's already aired in the UK, so I'm sure I could find out who did it but I don't want to. I'm pretty choosy about what TV shows I watch, and this is excellent.

Have you Ripper Street/

i love it
nan

I think I would like it, but I haven't. It's one of those things I keep putting on my list for after the kids start school. I might check it out via On Demand when they're both out of the house.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

Is anyone watching this? And if you have seen all of it, please don't spoil the ending.

I wait all week for the next episode of this show, and that's saying a lot for me, because I don't watch many shows, and usually am fine with waiting until the next episode. But the writing and acting are phenomenal (and yes, I'm biased towards David Tennant). I don't just want to know who did it, I'm glued to the process of seeing how they solve the murder.

Anyone else? Like it? Hate it? Wish you could write like that?

I've seen the first three episodes. I like it, but I'd have to say it's behind Breaking Bad, The Bridge and Orange is the New Black as far as shows I'm watching right now.

 

[PennLady]

I've seen the first three episodes. I like it, but I'd have to say it's behind Breaking Bad, The Bridge and Orange is the New Black as far as shows I'm watching right now.

Those shows I haven't gotten to. Right now Broadchurch is the only series we're watching. It'll pick up soon, though. I think Boardwalk Empire starts Sept 8, Walking Dead not long after that, and Dr Who specials. I admit I mostly wanted to see Broadchurch b/c of David Tennant (and I'd also like to see Spies of Warsaw). My only regret is that we can't (without some hassle) put on the closed captioning. Takes a bit to get used to the accents.

 

[DeYaKen]

Is anyone watching this? And if you have seen all of it, please don't spoil the ending.

I wait all week for the next episode of this show, and that's saying a lot for me, because I don't watch many shows, and usually am fine with waiting until the next episode. But the writing and acting are phenomenal (and yes, I'm biased towards David Tennant). I don't just want to know who did it, I'm glued to the process of seeing how they solve the murder.

Anyone else? Like it? Hate it? Wish you could write like that?

I didn't see Broadchurch, to tell the truth I don't watch much TV. I can tell you that many British viewers were disappointed by the final episode because the killer is revealed too early. That may not be a problem in the U.S. as you seem to prefer having all the loose ends tied up. David Tennant is a fine actor and very versatile, you should have seen his Cassanova.

Ripper Street????? Yuk.
Unbelievable plots and total lack of authenticity. e.g. bad guys running around with pump action shotguns while an ex-pinkerton marksman is using a muzzle loader.

When an upper crust Victorian English gentleman said "the situation has GOTTEN a whole lot worse" I switched off.

It was not well received in Britain. IMHO it was formulaic and designed to be sold both sides of the Atlantic. As a result it fell between two stools.

 

[PennLady]

I didn't see Broadchurch, to tell the truth I don't watch much TV. I can tell you that many British viewers were disappointed by the final episode because the killer is revealed too early. That may not be a problem in the U.S. as you seem to prefer having all the loose ends tied up. David Tennant is a fine actor and very versatile, you should have seen his Cassanova.

I had heard about Casanova, haven't seen it yet.

As for the ending, I'd been wondering just when they'd reveal the killer. I wondered if they'd take a Game of Thrones approach -- the BIG thing for the season usually takes place in the penultimate episode, and then the last episode deals with some of the fall out. As for Americans liking things all tied up -- well, some of us do, some of us don't, and I don't usually care so long as it's done well.

Ripper Street????? Yuk.
Unbelievable plots and total lack of authenticity. e.g. bad guys running around with pump action shotguns while an ex-pinkerton marksman is using a muzzle loader.

When an upper crust Victorian English gentleman said "the situation has GOTTEN a whole lot worse" I switched off.

I have to say a lot of details in terms of dialogue, etc., would be lost on me but if the plots are unbelievable then I doubt the show would appeal to me anyway. I have enough to do so I'm picky about what TV series I watch and that's probably why I don't watch much of the usual American shows that run for a 22-episode season. I like the shorter runs.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

Those shows I haven't gotten to. Right now Broadchurch is the only series we're watching. It'll pick up soon, though. I think Boardwalk Empire starts Sept 8, Walking Dead not long after that, and Dr Who specials. I admit I mostly wanted to see Broadchurch b/c of David Tennant (and I'd also like to see Spies of Warsaw). My only regret is that we can't (without some hassle) put on the closed captioning. Takes a bit to get used to the accents.

I don't think there will be any Dr. Who until November.

I agree on the closed captioning. I forget that the option is there. At least 5 or 6 times an hour my wife or I turn and ask, "What did he just say?"

I have to say a lot of details in terms of dialogue, etc., would be lost on me but if the plots are unbelievable then I doubt the show would appeal to me anyway. I have enough to do so I'm picky about what TV series I watch and that's probably why I don't watch much of the usual American shows that run for a 22-episode season. I like the shorter runs.

Do you know how many episodes are in this series?

 

[PennLady]

I don't think there will be any Dr. Who until November.

Nope, not until then. There will be a 50th Anniversary special, and then the Christmas special -- where the new Doctor comes in -- and then I guess sometime around March or so will be the next season.

I agree on the closed captioning. I forget that the option is there. At least 5 or 6 times an hour my wife or I turn and ask, "What did he just say?"

For us, it's a PITA. We can do it, but we have to do it from our cable box, and you have to do it from the box, not the remote. There is a CC option on the TV, but apparently b/c we have a flat-screen and are hooked into the cable box via an HDMI cable, we can't use those settings for CC. Pah.

Anyway, I do find that I get used to the accents, plus I can get a few things from context.

Do you know how many episodes are in this series?

Eight, and episode four was last night.

Two scenes stood out for me -- the dinner scene with Alec Hardy (David Tennant) and his partner and her husband. Awkward and funny. Second was when one woman confronted the newspaper editor (also a woman) and said "I know men who will rape you" as a threat to keep the editor from asking about her. I thought that must be one of the scarier threats a woman could hear.

 

[ishtat]

When an upper crust Victorian English gentleman said "the situation has GOTTEN a whole lot worse" I switched off.

.

The OED notes that gotten was originally found in middle english and had largely fallen out of common use in English only by the early part of the 19th century. It lasted even longer in Irish English. It's one of many examples of American English preserving the earlier usage.

So given the "upper crusts" propensity to cling on to the past your reaction might well have been falsely based.

My wife is watching Broadchurch too here in Oz - we have the last episode at the weekend. She is positive that the identity of who did it can be worked out but I won't say who she thinks it is, just that the vital clues are in the early parts.

 

[PennLady]

My wife is watching Broadchurch too here in Oz - we have the last episode at the weekend. She is positive that the identity of who did it can be worked out but I won't say who she thinks it is, just that the vital clues are in the early parts.

I'm never good at figuring that stuff out. There are definitely a lot of possibilities, and some stronger than others. I'm just enjoying how they tell the story.

 

[DeYaKen]

I had heard about Casanova, haven't seen it yet.

Peter O' Toole as the old Cassanova, David Tennant plays him as a young man. My most memorable line from Cassanova when being pursued by an irate husband. "Why are we fighting? I love your wife, you love your wife, we are on the same side."

As for the ending, I'd been wondering just when they'd reveal the killer. I wondered if they'd take a Game of Thrones approach -- the BIG thing for the season usually takes place in the penultimate episode, and then the last episode deals with some of the fall out. As for Americans liking things all tied up -- well, some of us do, some of us don't, and I don't usually care so long as it's done well.

Perhaps I'm generalising. All the comments that tell me I haven't finished a story come from the US, but that maybe because Lit is a US based site. Ian Rankin goes on record as saying that he often writes a different ending for the US market so I thought it was the norm.

I have to say a lot of details in terms of dialogue, etc., would be lost on me but if the plots are unbelievable then I doubt the show would appeal to me anyway. I have enough to do so I'm picky about what TV series I watch and that's probably why I don't watch much of the usual American shows that run for a 22-episode season. I like the shorter runs.

Kevin Spacey recently delivered a speech in London and he said that TV companies have to get on board with the TV anywhere concept. That people are now able t watch the whole series online in one sitting. Taking what you say about 22 episodes, would you really be able to sit through 11 -22 hours of some of those programs?

Yes I'm with you, 6 half hour episodes or even 3 one hours. We recently went through a phase of having a whole series played out in one week. one episode per night. I quite enjoyed it.

Anyway I'm glad so many of you are enjoying Broadchurch, The BBC needs the money.

 

[PennLady]

Peter O' Toole as the old Cassanova, David Tennant plays him as a young man. My most memorable line from Cassanova when being pursued by an irate husband. "Why are we fighting? I love your wife, you love your wife, we are on the same side."

LOL I think I would see it for that line alone. Excellent. And how can you miss with Peter O'Toole too!

Perhaps I'm generalising. All the comments that tell me I haven't finished a story come from the US, but that maybe because Lit is a US based site. Ian Rankin goes on record as saying that he often writes a different ending for the US market so I thought it was the norm.

Sure you're generalizing. That's okay. We all do it. And speaking as an American, I've also had people (many presumably American as well) telling me I hadn't finished a story. One commenter even said if they'd known that the story was finished at that point, they'd have voted lower. Cheeez.

And things get adapted for different audiences, certainly. I recall reading that "A Clockwork Orange" was published in the US without the final chapter in which Alex leaves his bad boy days behind him. So it's not like it's a new thing. However, plenty of people now have access to books, shows, etc., from other countries, and we deal just fine.

I'm sure different endings, etc., are common but I don't know if it's the norm.

Kevin Spacey recently delivered a speech in London and he said that TV companies have to get on board with the TV anywhere concept. That people are now able t watch the whole series online in one sitting. Taking what you say about 22 episodes, would you really be able to sit through 11 -22 hours of some of those programs?

Well, no, I wouldn't. I read about Spacey's speech and I think I agree with it. However, you're talking a major industry shift there, so you can't expect that to happen overnight. Plus there are still plenty of people who do not have cable, and who do watch regular, 22-episode season shows.

Yes I'm with you, 6 half hour episodes or even 3 one hours. We recently went through a phase of having a whole series played out in one week. one episode per night. I quite enjoyed it.

Anyway I'm glad so many of you are enjoying Broadchurch, The BBC needs the money.

Now I have to wait a whole week for the next episode!

 

[DeYaKen]

And things get adapted for different audiences, certainly. I recall reading that "A Clockwork Orange" was published in the US without the final chapter in which Alex leaves his bad boy days behind him. So it's not like it's a new thing. However, plenty of people now have access to books, shows, etc., from other countries, and we deal just fine.

Re: A clockwork orange, I believe it was published everywhere without the final chapter originally. Burgess added the final chapter later. Perhaps his publisher thought it was too uncomfortable to read without it.

If you really want an uncomfortable read, try "The Wasp Factory" by the recently deceased Iain Banks. An excellent read showing fantastic imagination, but very uncomfortable. A bit like Lord of the Flies.

 

[PennLady]

Re: A clockwork orange, I believe it was published everywhere without the final chapter originally. Burgess added the final chapter later. Perhaps his publisher thought it was too uncomfortable to read without it.

If you really want an uncomfortable read, try "The Wasp Factory" by the recently deceased Iain Banks. An excellent read showing fantastic imagination, but very uncomfortable. A bit like Lord of the Flies.

According to Wikipedia, it was cut for the American audience at the insistence of the US publisher, who did not think the US audience would go for Alex's resolve to turn his life around in the end. Kubrick adapted the US version, with the more downbeat ending.

Last night my husband watched "The Road," a movie based on a novel of the same name by Cormac McCarthy. I watched some but was working on some other things. I think that's about all of the downbeat discomfort I can take for a while. I'll go watch "Eastern Promises" for something lighter.

While I wait for the next episode of "Broadchurch," of course.