hen thinking of staple British crime thrillers, adding Broadchurch to your list is a non-negotiable. Set in a fictional, small seaside town, the gritty thriller quickly reached nationwide acclaim upon its initial release, and now, more than a decade later, the hit ITV thriller is finally available to stream on Netflix, and as expected, it’s already had an overwhelmingly positive reaction.

olivia colman and david tennant in broadchurch

Written and created by Chris Chibnall, Broadchurch first debuted on March 2013 and received rave reviews – The Radio Times labelled the series as the best TV series of that year, while Rotten Tomatoes awarded it a rare 94% rating, and by the final season, that score rose to 98%. As for keen fans of the show, the same level of praise was clear. One viewer took to IMDb, calling the series ‘the most extraordinary story ever,’ while another called it ‘one of the most exceptionally riveting series to grace my television set.’

broadchurch season 1 cast

Loved for it’s unflinching narratives and potentially more so, its starried ensemble cast featuring Olivia Colman (The Night Manager), Jodie Whittaker (Toxic Town), Jonathan Bailey (Wicked) and David Tennant (Rivals). The gripping series follows the aftermath of the murder of a young child, and how it impacts a close-knit coastal community in Dorset. The investigation is headed up by the somber Detective Inspector Alec Hardy (Tennant) and Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller (Colman, whose appearance in the series which saw her gain critical acclaim as an actor). Bailey stars as a keen journalist working for the Broadchurch Echo. Like her role in Toxic Town, Whittaker steps into the role of Beth, a mother in deep despair over an unfortunate situation that has occurred to her child.

If you haven’t already seen the series, but loved the likes of The Beast In Me, The Guest and The Girlfriend, for taking idyllic neighbourhoods, families and communities, and exposing the dark and dangerous undercurrents flowing within them, then Broadchurch should be next on your watch-list. What’s more is that all three seasons are available to stream, meaning you can get stuck into series without having to venture elsewhere.

broadchurch season 3 cast

Broadchurch is available to stream on Netflix now.