MNPD assemble! It's Broadchurch time

[EauRouge]

Notebooks at the ready We should have enough information at the end of the first episode to start cooking up some slightly implausible theories.

It IS, isn't it, Signora?! Hubba hubba.

It's all a bit disappointing really. There are still flashes of the emotional drama that made the first one such a success but they're surrounded by such silliness and incompetence. Hardy is definitely earning his title of worst cop in Britain with Ellie not far behind.

But I think Beth's reactions have been very natural. She obviously thought Ellie had decided to move back home because Joe's confession had been thrown out. I think the timing made her think that Ellie had deliberately attacked Joe and that they were both planning on slotting back into their old lives after the trial. As for Ellie losing her son because Tom won't see her, Beth might not be aware of that. And if she is then she might think Tom blames Ellie and knows more than he's saying.

I know I'm going to stick with it to the bitter end. If only to see if there are flashes of brilliance that put it back on track.

Ive just watched eps 1&2 (adored the series last time round in no small part due to OCs marvellous acting), however Ive only made it part way through this thread - its mammoth already!

Ive a feeling Claire is stalkerish over DT. Prior to Sandybrook. She turned murderer in order to have him around the place. She convinced him to protect her, playing on his guilt. She is jealous of Ellie and thinks she is competition for DTs attentions.

The Bluebell is a memento she posted to her own PO box as she and DT first met in a bluebel field (I imagine).

I LIKE that theory, Hacked!

I'd also been wondering about how on earth Alec can pay for Claire's hideout, bills etc. In any case, if she was at risk from her ex, why can't she be given official witness protection? Why does Alec have to do it?

I am pretty sure the two stories will intersect, no doubt in some utterly implausible and fanciful way.

The background music is too loud.

why can't she be given official witness protection? Why does Alec have to do it?

I suspect Alec screwed up, feels guilty about it and wants to make up for it in some weird way. That doesn't really explain why he's able to spirit her away and keep her hidden though –if she were in danger surely other officers on the case would know, and want to put her in actual witness protection? I think this means that there was corruption around the case, involving Alec, about which his bosses are none the wiser.

Maybe thats why he is dossing in a boathouse - he is skint. Though why he just doesnt live with Claire Ill never know.

Those of us who live in or near charming seaside towns will be smiling ruefully at the idea of dossing in a boathouse because you are skint...........

Yes, if Claire's been there a while, why did Alec have to stay in the Broadchurch hotel during the last series when he could have stayed in the house Claire's in - or is it not in/near Broadchurch?

Sorry yes, I didnt think re:boathouses

I also agree that Lee and Claire would have run in the opposite direction to Ellie not past her.

In the last bit of secret filming you saw, Claire was looking through her handbag for something. What on earth can she have been looking for?

I also can't believe either of them would be stupid enough to do or say anything they shouldn't with DT in next room, even if they were stupid enough not to suspect they were being filmed.

I thought that Claire's comment about Lee not being rough with her unless she asked him, was merely a jokey reference to their active sex life.

She had been talking about how they had major chemistry, how he was her 'drug', how they were shagging on his kitchen floor within hours of meeting, so I thought it was just an extension of that rather than anything dodgy?

Could be wrong though!

Totally agree will. In fact, I thought that might be why they legged it: she was so turned on by him undoing her blouse to "check for wires", that was enough to her her running off with him!

*to get her running off with him

so I thought it was just an extension of that rather than anything dodgy?

Hmm, interesting.

I'm betting both I think. The sex/'my drug'/chemistry thing is probably what led her into dodginess and that probably includes involvement in the murders, somehow.

Re: the QC who lives in that amazing house, anyone else think she may be blind/hard of seeing? Im also tempted to suggest she and the Editor were once an item.

why have they killed off Beth's mum? That's weird to me.

I also thought CR might be blind - she was listening to an audio book in the dark when the editor first went to her house, and then in the second episode? she asked the editor to read to her - an unusual request I thought. But she seems to get around unfamiliar places easily eg Beth's house, walking on the beach.
Also agree she and editor likely to be ex-lovers rather than rellies or friends.

Beth's mum actor, maybe had other work on (or saw the script and ran a mile

I agree she is losing her sight. Maybe that's why she's so sensitive about it - something to do with her failing sight is what made her lose a previous case.

I assumed the editor was her sister.

Yes I thought it was her sister too.

I assumed that Claire and Lee had run out of the back door not escaped through a window? DT went past the door to the front room on his way to see what was going on and left the kitchen door unguarded. No idea what escape routes are out there.... And yes the plot holes are really sad when you think back to what series 1 was like. Sitting watching it with a lawyer doesn't help!

I thought Charlotte Rampling's character might be losing her sight, too. But I don't think she is blind; I also think the editor is her sister.

I enjoy watching Broadchurch but for me the jury's out on whether it's actually any good or not this time around - some of the writing seems a bit silly, and I still can't work out what it's about. Is it a courtroom drama? Will it be about Sandbrook? Another murder (looking unlikely now)?

I think Claire and Lee might have gone upstairs for a shag since there was no sign of them in the field and you'd have to be Usain Bolt to get out of sight within a minute or so.

In Broadchurch 1 I thought DT was a good cop who had been wronged or had somehow been beaten by the system or something out of hos control.

Now I'm watching Broadchurch 2 I'm starting to think he is in fact a terrible cop! Mistake after mistake.