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Broadchurch

2013 in Review: Best New Shows of 2013

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2013 felt like a weak year, particularly for the big four networks. However, there were a handful of shows that debuted this year that felt like they moved television forward, especially on the drama side of the ledger. Without further ado, here are the shows that debuted this year that shined the brightest.

 

5 – Getting On (HBO)

 

I just reviewed this show a couple of weeks ago, and until that time this fifth slot was very much in play. I was particularly amazed at the strength with which it blended its’ dramatic and comedic elements and how the cast seemed to do an excellent job playing off type in comparison to the roles they became best known for. While it may not be the sort of series that’s for everyone due to its’ extreme darkness, it is the sort of show that could fit a niche in the HBO lineup for years to come.

 

4 – Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox)

 

This was not a banner year for the sitcom, as the big four debuted a large number of series, the vast majority of which will not or should not see a second season. However, standing head and shoulders above that pile of mediocrity was Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which mixes up sitcom elements with procedural elements and is already miles ahead of where Michael Schur predecessors The Office and Parks and Recreation were after nine episodes. Brooklyn Nine-Nine is consistently funny and much like Parks and Rec has a surprising amount of heart.

 

3 – Hannibal (NBC)

 

I spend a decent amount of time pointing out every horrendous decision the peacock makes, so when something goes right over at NBC I feel compelled to throw them a bone. If Cult was the bottom of the serial killer trend we saw this year, than Hannibal stands hands and shoulders above the rest. Bryan Fuller has done the impossible with this show, which is to make a Hannibal Lecter that is different from, but not inferior to the Anthony Hopkins version from the films. The show also benefits from strong performances by Hugh Dancy and Laurence Fishburne as Will Graham and Jack Crawford respectively. However, to me, where Hannibal truly set itself apart was in it’s visuals. For a morbid show, it’s actually downright beautiful, a trend that establishes itself from minute one when Will is dissecting the first murder scene in his head. Here’s hoping this one makes it to season four, when Fuller will finally decide to tackle Red Dragon.

 

2 – Broadchurch (BBC America)

 

Bringing the single focus Twin Peaks vibe into the new generation, we get this new mystery from the BBC. Already optioned to be produced in America by Fox, the miniseries revolves around the death and disappearance of an 11 year old child, with the investigation being impeded by an irresponsible media and the closeness of inspector Ellie Miller to the family, her son’s wholesale destruction of evidence, and the new lead inspector’s questionable past. David Tennant and Olivia Colman get particular kudos as the lead inspector pairing, and quaint resort setting provides the perfect eerie backdrop for this case.

 

1 – The Americans (FX)

 

The best new show of the year was one that FX hyped a ton in 2012, including ads during all of its’ major shows and a website takeover. The Americans lived up to that hype, providing a throwback spy thriller about two Russian sleeper agents who happen to have their lives deconstructed, down to their marriage which exists solely for appearances. Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell shined in the lead role, with Russell playing ideologically tilted wife Elizabeth Jennings, while Rhys drew the harder task as conflicted husband Philip. Throw in a mix of visuals that seem simultaneously cutting edge and historically accurate while having feeling like an homage to the Beastie Boys “Sabotage” video, and it becomes clear how The Americans came to be the best of 2013.

Next Time: Friday we look at the biggest stories of the year in what seems to have been the beginning of a long term paradigm shift for television.

It’s easy to get hooked by Broadchurch

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Cast of Broadchurch (Source: BBC America)
Cast of Broadchurch (Source: BBC America)

Broadchurch: Wednesdays at 10p.m. Eastern Time on BBC America

One of the perks of sharing a common heritage and common language with Great Britain is that there always seems to be a great amount of cultural exchange coming across the pond. We’ve seen it with music in the past (ever hear of a little band called The Beatles?), but recently we’ve seen it more and more with television. In the last decade we’ve seen a number of breakout hits come from Britain, including The Office (and it’s longer running US adaptation), Downton Abbey, and an explosion in popularity for Doctor Who. Tonight marks the debut of another British show that looks to capture the eye of America (Fox has already greenlit an American version for 2014-15) in Broadchurch.

Broadchurch is a mystery series along the lines of Twin Peaks or The Killing, in that the entire season is devoted to the investigation of one overarching case as opposed to the case-of-the-week model that CBS has made its’ bread-and-butter for the last decade. Following the case are Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman) and Alec Hardy (David Tennant), whom not only have to deal with the technical aspect of finding a young boy’s killer, but doing so in a way that keeps an interfering media away.

The first thing you’ll notice with Broadchurch is that the camera work is visually stunning, filled with long tracking shots that convey a sense of busyness and an almost cinematic quality to them. This aspect is only aided by the scenery, as most of the show takes place on a beach set beside a cliff and a quaint seaside village not unlike what you’d expect to see out on the east end of Long Island. The scoring is similarly strong, giving off the eerie vibe that sets the mood for a mystery.

Another strength of the show is the dynamic between its’ leads. There are numerous ways that shows of this ilk tend to differentiate their characters: by the book vs. loose cannon being a classic example, but this is the first time that the dynamic could be described as emotional insider vs. cold and aloof outsider. Of course, the writers also manage to find new twists in which to create difficulties within this partnership as Alec was given a job essentially promised to Ellie, while Ellie’s nephew is responsible for the journalistic tsunami that is about to descend on Broadchurch.

The show is also particularly well acted, with a strong commitment to subtlety. Olivia Colman does a superb job portraying Ellie Miller, whose life goes from normal to upside-down in a matter of minutes between getting jettisoned for her promotion and the death of her son’s best friend, however, this is never overplayed, as Ellie looks like she has keeping it together just enough to trudge on with the investigation while still credibly maintaining the possibility that her emotions can compromise the investigation. Similarly, David Tennant does an equally strong job ensuring that Alec Hardy does not turn into the caricature of the more bureaucratically oriented cop while allowing for the stark differences between himself and Ellie to come forward.

The Final Verdict: 44 minutes in and it’s no surprise that Fox jumped at the opportunity to adapt this show. Visually beautiful, subtly acted, and well written, Broadchurch is the sort of show that The Killing has tried to be for the past three seasons. Debuting in the United States at the quietest time of the TV calendar, I strongly recommend watching it, as it seems to be the sort of captivating high concept crime drama that is otherwise absent on this side of the pond.