One of the Best Crime Dramas Just Returned to Netflix After 4 Years

Netflix’s streaming library is a revolving catalog of titles coming and going, and a crime drama masterpiece just returned following a four-year absence. The streaming giant has an impressive roster in the genre, streaming everything from the breakout hit Adolescence to David Fincher’s Mindhunter. Years before either of those shows premiered, another series took the crime drama genre by storm, and it remains one of the best.

That show is none other than Broadchurch, and it’s finally back on Netflix as of November 1st. The series, which ran for three seasons on ITV from 2013 until 2017, previously streamed on the platform for several years before disappearing in 2021, making its return to Netflix an especially exciting addition. Broadchurch was created by Chris Chibnall and stars David Tennant and Olivia Colman as detectives investigating the murder of 11-year-old Danny Latimer, who is found dead on a beach in a small coastal town.

Broadchurch Is One of the Best Crime Dramas Ever Made

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That may seem like a bold statement, but Broadchurch is absolutely deserving of that praise. The series is a masterclass in crime dramas done right. Rather than following the tried-and-true whodunit formula, Broadchurch uses the initial murder as a starting point to largely focus on the aftermath of the crime, examining the emotional fallout of childhood tragedy and how a single event shatters a small town and reshapes the lives of everyone involved. The series is as much about the “why” and the emotional aftermath of a crime as it is about the “who,” making it the kind of show that leaves a lasting impact on the viewer.

At the core of the character-driven narrative is the perfect pairing of Tennant’s DI Alec Hardy and Colman’s DS Ellie Miller, two characters with very different personalities whose complex relationship provides the emotional backbone for the show. The rest of the ensemble cast, including grieving parents Beth and Mark Latimer, played by Jodie Whittaker and Andrew Buchan, further drive home the emotional element of the show.

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Despite being over 10 years old, Broadchurch is just as compelling today, and it’s one of those shows that will have you hooked from the get-go and revisiting time and time again. All three seasons are “Certified Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes, and the series holds an overall 92% critic score and a just as great 91% audience rating. The series even spawned an American remake, Gracepoint, which aired for a single season on FX in 2014 and is now streaming free on Tubi.

What’s New on Netflix?

Broadchurch is one of several titles now streaming on Netflix following a rush of new arrivals on November 1st. The start of the month also brought everything from the Back to the Future trilogy to The Nun II to the platform. Other titles, like Crazy Rich Asians, Elvis, and Paddington 2, were also added on November 1st, with Netflix then stocking Minx Seasons 1-2, Bride Wars, and Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein in the following days.

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