"It's not Trumpton, I don't know everybody."
Welcome back, Broadchurch, you've been missed...
Four years after the original series aired, and now into its third and final chapter, TV's golden couple Olivia Colman and David Tennant are back on our screens and we couldn't be happier.
Watching them bicker against the backdrop of another horrific crime makes for much-needed light relief, in an episode which is perhaps the most grim and certainly one of the most affecting to come from the pen of writer/creator Chris Chibnall.
DS Ellie Miller's (Colman) aforementioned gag is only bettered by her rather mumsy comment to boss DI Alec Hardy (Tennant): "I think you should say sorry to Brian" (after the forensic investigator – played by Peter De Jersey – incurs Hardy's wrath).
Even the notoriously grouchy Scots detective gets in on the laugh upon discovering his workplace nickname: "How long have they been calling me 'shitface'?"
This is why we love Broadchurch so much – irreverence in the face of malevolence.
And there's plenty of unpleasantness in this series opener. The mood is sombre and downbeat as Miller and Hardy are called out to attend to Trish Winterman – played by Coronation Street's Julie Hesmondhalgh – who has reported a serious sexual assault.
What follows is an almost forensic look at how she is handled, very sensitively it has to be said, by all she comes into contact with at Wessex Police. Her post-attack care, including swabbing of the mouth, is distressing to watch and Hesmondhalgh is utterly compelling as the victim.
When she asks, "Do you believe me?" it's impossible not to sympathise with her pain and bewilderment. By the time Miller and Hardy find the spot where the attack took place, you'll be desperate for a break and a strong cup of tea, such is the power of the drama unfolding.
In fact, it's not until over halfway through this episode until we catch up with the other residents of Broadchurch. The Latimers are reintroduced – Beth (Jodie Whitaker) has become an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (assigned to Trish) while her now estranged husband Mark (Andrew Buchan) is severely regretting contributing to a book written about his son's murder.
For all the unrelenting misery, Chibnall does seems cautious in this opening instalment of the show's final series – careful not to overload the audience with either new characters or nods to the past. He's kept this opener stripped down and it's all the more powerful for it.
After a divisive second series, Broadchurch is back on top... and we sincerely hope it stays there.
7 big questions and theories after Broadchurch season 3, episode 1
1. What's the deal with the creepy taxi driver?
Sebastian Armesto plays Clive Lucas, a taxi driver who gives Hardy a good, long stare. Having played a First Order grunt in The Force Awakens and the snivelling Tankard in Poldark, we'd put money on Armesto playing another bad 'un.
2. What did Trish do for two days?
This is the crucial one. Trish's attack took place on the Saturday night, but she chose not to report it until Monday evening. Ellie reckons it was shock but Hardy is slightly more curious – the DI asked, "Why did she wait? Why did she not report it?" Which leads us to...
3. "Are we sure she's genuine?"
This was from queen of sensitivity DC Harford, played by BAFTA winner Georgina Campbell. But it's a valid query. We think Trish is genuine... how about you?
4. Why did DI Alec Hardy come back to Broadchurch?
And what's he been doing for three years? Off somewhere else, screwing up another case? Not writing a book, obviously. Even Ellie asks him why. Her taciturn boss chooses not to say, but let's hope we find out soon.
5. Why was Cath Atwood's party such a sausage fest?
According to Cath (Sarah Parish), there were 70 to 80 guests at her party – 50 of which were men. A clue... or just coincidence?
6. Is Jim Atwood involved?
Cath's husband Jim looks well dodgy. The phone call between the pair of them was a bit suspicious. "I just feel like it's our fault," she says of Trish's attack.
Also, check out the condoms in his car – the same brand as found at the scene of the crime. But surely he's too obvious a suspect, this early in the game?
7. Hold on, I recognise that plastic bag!
In the episode's final seconds, fisherman's twine is removed from the crime scene – kept in a plastic bag. The bag is from the Farm Shop where both Trish and Cath worked. Again, connection or coincidence? Maybe it was Lenny Henry's shopkeeper Ed Burnett wot done it?
The Shores (Dorset's Sexual Assault Referral Centre) and Dorset Rape Crisis have supported and advised Chris Chibnall throughout writing the scripts for this series of Broadchurch.
If you've been affected by the issues raised in the series, you can also access more information on Rape Crisis England and Wales' website or by calling the National Rape Crisis Helpline on 0808 802 9999. Rape Crisis Scotland's helpline number is 08088 01 03 02, and US readers are encouraged to contact RAINN, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800-656-4673.
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