Broadchurch

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Fandom
Name: Broadchurch
Abbreviation(s):
Creator: Chris Chibnall
Date(s): 2013
Medium: television
Country of Origin: UK
External Links: Wikipedia; IMDb
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Broadchurch is an 8-episode murder mystery drama series starring David Tennant and Olivia Colman. It originally aired beginning in March 2013 on ITV, and in August of that year on BBC America.

Canon

The story takes place in the fictional Dorset town of Broadchurch, where eleven-year-old Danny Latimer has just been murdered. The effect of the crime on the community serves as large a part of the story as the actual solving of the mystery. The crime is investigated by Detective Inspector Alec Hardy (Tennant), a man with failure in his past and no future, and Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller (Colman), a local police officer denied her promised promotion and then thrust into a case beyond her experience - or even her imagination. Other major characters include the family of the dead boy, DS Miller's family, the town's churchman (played by Arthur Darvill), the proprietor of the local hotel, newspaper staff, and newsstand owner Jack Marshall (played by David Bradley).

Canon relationships include the Latimers, Mark and Beth; and the Millers, Ellie and Joe. Mark also has a canon affair with hotel proprietor Becca Fisher. The Latimers' teenage daughter Chloe is in a relationship with local teen Dean Thomas. Ellie's nephew, cub reporter Olly Stevens, has a brief sexual liason with visiting investigative reporter Karen White, possibly as part of her effort to manipulate him and get inside information on events.

In canon, the relationship between Alec and Ellie is never more than professional and for the most part hostile, though there is also the beginning of friendship between them.

Fandom

Alec and Ellie are frequently paired in fic. Other in-universe non-canon ships are much more rare. Becca Fisher, a young, lonely, and overworked business owner is one candidate for shipping, as she could easily be paired with any other character. Another is Reverend Coates, also young and single, at times charmingly awkward, and played by the same actor as Doctor Who's popular Rory Williams.

Crossover fic makes up a large part of the fandom, with same-actor crossovers being a feature because of Tennant's role as the Tenth Doctor. Alec Hardy is often shipped with Doctor Who's Rose Tyler, sometimes as an AU or chameleon-arch version of the Tenth Doctor. He is also shipped with other characters played by Billie Piper, including Hannah/Belle from 'Secret Diary of a Call Girl' and Holly from 'True Love.' Other Hardy ships include Donna Noble (Doctor Who) and Sarah Postern ('Big School,' also played by Catherine Tate).

Fanart is another popular form of expression among Broadchurch fans. Again, crossover art based on David Tennant is common: gifsets compare Alec Hardy to DI Peter Carlisle of 'Blackpool,' or Emmet Carver from the US remake 'Gracepoint.' Daleks appear on Hardy's desk. Broadchurch screenshots and gifs are also used to express a wide range of emotions, from Miller's sharp tongue to Hardy's impressive repertoire of scowls.

Example Fanworks

Fanart

Fanfiction


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