Why Netflix viewers need to watch Broadchurch, a "perfect" British crime drama
Olivia Colman and David Tennant are both amazing in BroadchurchBroadchurch, the acclaimed murder mystery series that made Olivia Colman a household name, is about to drop on Netflix.
Before Broadchurch, the star was well known for comedies like Peep Show and Rev.
But Broadchurch showed Colman’s talent as a dramatic actress, and she’s never looked back. She famously won an Oscar for the 2018 movie The Favourite.
Together with David Tennant, Olivia is at the heart of the gripping drama, which is widely seen as one of the best dramas of all time. David Tennant fans should note his series Des was recently added to Netflix.
ITV originally showed the series in 2013 and it peaked at over nine million viewers. Two more series followed. Now, Netflix is giving a whole new audience a chance to enjoy it.
Broadchurch Netflix release date and how many episodes
Broadchurch will land on Netflix on Tuesday, November 18. The first series has eight episodes.
Broadchurch was originally shown weekly, but luckily, you’ll be able to binge the series on Netflix.
Seasons 2 and 3 will also be added to the streamer’s library, with both having eight episodes each.
The show was created and written by Chris Chibnall, who went on to become the boss of Doctor Who. In 2025, he released his debut novel, Death at the White Heart.
Is Broadchurch based on a true story? What’s the plot?
Broadchurch isn’t based on a true story and is entirely fictional. The series begins with the tragic and mysterious death of 11-year-old Danny Latimer in Broadchurch in Dorset.
Danny’s body was found on an idyllic beach surrounded by rocks and a jutting cliff-face from where he may have fallen. The close community is rocked by the death, especially when the national media begins taking an interest. Danny’s parents, Beth (Jodie Whittaker) and Mark Latimer (Andrew Buchan), and their 15-year-old daughter Chloe (Charlotte Beaumont) struggle with intense grief.
Investigating the case is outsider DI Alec Hardy (David Tennant) and local cop DS Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman). Ellie resents Alec at first but slowly the pair begin to develop a good working relationship.
The pair soon discover that Danny was strangled and launch a murder investigation. Ellie’s own son, Tom, was friends with the murdered boy.
Local vicar Paul Coates (Arthur Darvill) tries to offer his support. Meanwhile, Broadchurch Echo junior reporter Olly Stevens (Jonathan Bailey) sees the case as an opportunity to further his career. Also investigating is national newspaper journalist Karen White (Vicky McClure).
Broadchurch murder suspects: Can Netflix viewers crack it?
One of the reasons why Broadchurch was such a big hit is that everyone was glued to their screens, wanting to find out who the killer was.
Writer Chris Chibnall did a masterful job of throwing you all over the place. So, one minute you’d be convinced you’d cracked it, the next you were back to square one.
Among the chief suspects is telephone engineer Steve Connelly (Will Mellor). He admits a special connection to the case, which immediately puts him on Hardy’s radar.
You also might suspect the vicar. Is he taking such a keen interest just to protect his flock?
Ellie’s son also behaves suspiciously. In the opening episode, we see him deleting phone messages from Danny.
Shifty local woman Susan Wright (Pauline Quirke) also becomes a suspect through her odd behaviour.
We obviously won’t spoil the surprise by revealing who the killer is, but we will say it’s a great conclusion.
Olivia Colman and David Tennant lead the Broadchurch cast
Olivia Colman and David Tennant both give amazing performances. The fraught relationship between Ellie (Olivia Colman) and Alec (David Tennant) drives the whole story.
While Alec appears cold-hearted, he’s often right in telling Ellie that she can’t get too emotionally involved. They must focus on finding the killer.
Talking about the relationship between the two cops, Olivia said at the time: “There is definitely a personality clash between the two; they start off with a lot of animosity between them. She doesn’t like him because he’s taken the DI job she was promised. That’s a stumbling block Ellie finds hard to get over.
“But as the case goes on, she realises he really knows what he is doing, even though his methods are socially difficult for Ellie to watch. I think they have a grudging respect.”
Moreover, David Tennant explained: “They come from very different places, and circumstances have thrust them together, and the way the plot develops by default they end up working much more closely than they imagined they would be able to do at first.”
The pair reunited for Broadchurch series 2 and series 3, both also coming to Netflix. Outside of Broadchurch, both their careers have gone from strength to strength. Olivia Colman has become an international movie star, recently appearing in Wicked Little Letters, Wonka, and Paddington in Peru.
Besides Doctor Who, David Tennant starred in the Disney Plus hit Rivals. He also turned up in Netflix’s The Thursday Murder Club movie. Most recently, he starred in ITV’s phone-hacking drama The Hack.
Who else is in the cast?
Here’s the key cast for Broadchurch series 1 on Netflix:
- Jodie Whittaker (Doctor Who) as Beth Latimer
- Andrew Buchan (Code of Silence) as Mark Latimer
- Arthur Darvill (Legend of Tomorrow) is Paul Coates
- Charlotte Beaumont (EastEnders) is Chloe Latimer
- Matthew Gravelle (The Pact) is Joe Miller
- Carolyn Pickles (Sister Boniface Mysteries) is Maggie Radcliffe
- Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton) is Olly Stevens
- Adam Wilson (Mr Selfridge) is Tom Miller
- Pauline Quirke (Birds of a Father) is Susan Wright
- Will Mellor (Coronation Street) is Steve Connelly
- Vicky McClure (Trigger Point) is Karen White
- Oskar McNamara (Anna Karenina) is Danny Latimer
- Joe Sims (Reunion) is Nige Carter
- Simone McAullay (Home and Away) is Becca Fisher
- David Bradley (Harry Potter) is Jack Marshall
Reviews for Broadchurch
The first series of Broadchurch drew widespread critical acclaim.
The Guardian enthused that it’s “a graceful piece of drama that kept the grief of the bereaved rather than police work at its heart”.
Meanwhile, The Times described it as “the best British thriller for years”. The reviewer also praised the “extraordinary acting by Olivia Colman”.
Reflecting how big the show grew for an ITV drama, it also received positive reviews when it was shown in America. Time magazine lauded how Broadchurch never forget the family of the victim.
Broadchurch series 2 and 3 were also good, but they didn’t quite live up to the heights of the first series.
Having said that, if you enjoy watching the first series of Broadchurch on Netflix, then they are certainly worth a watch.
Read more: The 50 best Netflix series you should watch right now
