"Broadchurch" Recap: "Series 2 - Episode 7"

Written by John Edward Betancourt

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK...

If there has been one giant theme present on Broadchurch this entire season, it is that the past will undoubtedly come back to haunt you. We have seen it mostly in the courtroom as past transgressions have been revealed to the jury during Joe Miller's trial, but last night, in "Episode 7" that theme took front and center as the past returned to haunt everyone and at last...there may be consequences for the choices everyone has made.  

But before we get to that we need to talk about the awesomeness of our favorite Detectives with Hardy and Miller continuing to put the squeeze on Lee and Claire and hell, even Ricky. First came a phone call to Claire confronting her about the photograph showing her wearing the pendant and then Hardy visiting Lee to drop an incredible bomb on him...the fact that Claire was pregnant and had an abortion while Lee was in custody over the murder of the girls. This led to one ugly and violent confrontation between the two on again off again lovers in one devastating scene. While they waited for the squeeze to hopefully break someone, Hardy and Miller tried to get something more out of Ricky, but all they could do is connect the fact that the other phone number in Claire's phone...belongs to Ricky.

It turns out though that the squeeze worked and Claire makes a tough decision and heads toward the courthouse, where there was plenty of drama to be found as well. After sleeping with Miller's nephew...Sharon's sleazy assistant brings forth the fact that Miller gave her sister a cool thousand pounds to help her out, the day that Hardy discovered Joe had killed Danny. Naturally, Sharon tries to tie it into Miller bribing her sister to frame Joe. This of course, is the last thing the Defense leaves the Jury with before deliberations and it's one hell of a punch to do it with. Naturally the Jury comes back with a verdict in a few days...and before the verdict is read, we are treated to one incredible surprise. Claire arrives in the nick of time...to give Hardy the pendant, still in the evidence bag she stole from Tess' car moments before the verdict arrives and of course, we are left wondering exactly what the verdict will be because the show faded to black mere seconds before the foreman read the verdict.

But what matters most...is that this was the best episode of the season so far. In the last two weeks Broadchurch has thoroughly impressed me with its breakneck speed and quality storytelling and I am stunned at the fact that there is a strong chance that Joe may be found not guilty. That final blow from Sharon was simply brutal, it broke Miller on the stand and the Jury did spend time questioning the evidence. There is a real chance all the emotionally poor choices made up to this point may come back to haunt the people of this town come next week when the verdict is read. 

On the plus side however, kudos to Hardy and Miller for making some major progress in the Sandbrook case. I recall the scene where Hardy said he was feeling rejuvenated to Lee after his surgery and man...that's no joke. He was ruthless in this episode, planting those seeds of doubt in the minds of the two people that have tormented the man the entire season. It was simply magical to watch because wow...it worked. Despite the fact we were plunged into a cliffhanger in the nastiest of fashion, I'm dying to see what happens next, and something tells me the week long wait to find out if Joe is guilty or not guilty and to see Sandbrook finally come to a close....will be worth it. Until then.   

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