The one certainty is the return of David Tennant and Olivia Colman as Alec Hardy and Ellie Miller. This was unveiled immediately in the announcement and quite right too - Broadchurch is primarily a detective show and wouldn't be much without the detectives. Their grudging mutual respect and playful bickering became more important than ever in Series 2, as both relied on each other to survive in the aftermath of Joe Miller's arrest. Alec's health issues meant Ellie had to take the lead, and the chasm in her life got filled resolving the Sandbrook case that plagued Hardy to breaking point. Eventually the pair were re-energized, reaching a kind of inner peace... Broadchurch isn't really about finding inner peace though is it? No doubt Chris Chibnall is lining up something harrowing for the duo in the new run. A situation that will test their resolve and perhaps redefine their burgeoning friendship. The obvious route for Hardy and Miller would be a romance, which they recently joked about. Yet with Miller rebuilding her life and Hardy about as suited to domestic bliss as a flea on a clean carpet, it might well happen.
I am a journalist and comedian who enjoys American movies of the 70s, Amicus horror compendiums, Doctor Who, Twin Peaks, Naomi Watts and sitting down. My short fiction has been published as part of the Iris Wildthyme range from Obverse Books.
