After reflecting on the final episode, over the last couple of days, I think it was good, but not great.
The good stuff: Well, the two leading characters were spellbinding; from Hardy hardly able to subdue his excitement, "The screws are tightening Millarrrrgh! You can hear them squeak!" to Ellie wistfully, sat by the sea in her trusted orange anorak suggesting a drink: "We could go to the pub, we've never done that..." and Alec's surely "Nahh" in response. So they both go back to their respective kids - great. And the ending, Ellie and Beth,the survivors, strong women, together breaking bread and with family, great.
The not so good bits: IMHO previous series have been marred by a bit of cheesy sentimentality, I mean the whole village turning up on the cliff with tea lights, candles...Thankfully, we didn't get that, well not quite. The vicar announced that he expected 'about eight' villagers, and guess what they all rocked up. Would Ed really go to church just after being released? Would Cath, who had just previously tried to frame her husband for rape, be stood next to him in the congregation? It was too cheesy, too sentimental.
Trish, the victim was a flawed character, a real person. I rooted for Trish, warts and all, from the start. If only she had told the ex what to do with his Chinese takeaway. Instead we were left thinking that these two might reconcile, which after the way he had stalked Trish, stealing her lap top, installing spyware, left an unpleasant taste in the mouth.
And I'm sorry to say this, but Mark 'woe is me' Latimer's scenes dragged. I just wanted to get back to the station, to the action, and was at best indifferent to him pouring his heart out to the long suffering Beth.
So, we had a lot of loose ends, an attractive instigator and previous rapist, who groomed a weak lad. Trish's pleading question, "Why me?" from episode one was answered in the final episode: because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time . It wasn't a satisfying ending, it jarred, the way Michael suddenly took centre stage, after weeks of slowly teasing us with main cast suspects.
But Broadchurch at it's worse, beats other dramas at their best. Some of it was great. I will miss it.