A moody UK coastal town at dusk

British Crime Drama · ITV · 2013–2017 · Complete Series

Broadchurch

3 Series (Complete) 24 Episodes Stars David Tennant & Olivia Colman Dorset Coast BAFTA-winning

The murder of an 11-year-old boy tears apart the small, close-knit Dorset seaside town of Broadchurch, forcing mismatched detectives DI Alec Hardy (David Tennant) and DS Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman) to confront secrets everyone in the community has been keeping. Dark, absorbing, and beautifully shot, created and principally written by Chris Chibnall as a completed three-series drama. Broadchurch streams free on Tubi in the US — one of several free ways to watch British television.


Is This Series for You?

Best For

Fans of Slow-Burn, Character-Driven Whodunits

Viewers who want real emotional weight behind their mystery — a grieving community, complicated relationships, and a resolution that earns its reveal rather than rushing to it.

Character-DrivenSlow Burn
At a Glance
ToneDark, emotional
PaceSlow burn
Time Commitment

Watch in Order, Series by Series

Each series is 8 episodes and tells one continuous story, so unlike an episodic mystery show, Broadchurch needs to be watched in order from the start.

Serialized
At a Glance
Episodes per Series8
Watch OrderRequired
Content Note & Verdict

Genuinely Heavy Subject Matter

The series deals with a child's death and its aftermath throughout, and Series 3 centers on a sexual assault case — handled seriously rather than for shock value. British TV Hub's verdict: essential viewing and one of the defining British crime dramas of the 2010s.

Heavy ThemesEssential
At a Glance
ContentGrief, sexual assault (S3)
VerdictEssential

Where to watch in the US

Tubi

All 3 series · Free with ads · No subscription required

Watch Free on Tubi →
Free option: The entire series streams free on Tubi, supported by ads — no subscription needed.

Streaming availability in the US can change. Check the linked service for the current season and episode selection. Checked September 2026.

Prefer to own it?

Buy the DVDs

Individual/complete-series DVDs available · Check current sellers and formats

Shop Broadchurch DVDs →

📚 Love Broadchurch? Join The Ultimate British Bookshelf for the books behind your favourite British dramas →

Looking for your next watch? See Shows Like Broadchurch


New Viewer's Guide

Where to Start

Series 1, Episode 1 (2013)

The discovery that sets everything in motion, and the introduction of DI Alec Hardy and DS Ellie Miller's uneasy partnership. Must be watched first — the series builds continuously from here.

Series Premiere
At a Glance
Watch OrderRequired from Episode 1

Best Episodes, Ranked

1 · Series 1, Episode 1 · 2013

The Setup

A quietly devastating opener that introduces the town, the case, and the mismatched detective partnership at the show's center — spoiler-free, but essential viewing to understand everything that follows.

Series Premiere
At a Glance
PositionSeries 1, Episode 1
Best ForFirst-time viewers
Watch Free on Tubi →
2 · Series 1, Episode 8

The Series 1 Finale

Widely cited as one of British TV's most talked-about reveals of the decade — kept spoiler-free here, but it's the payoff the entire first series has been building toward.

Series Finale
At a Glance
PositionSeries 1, Episode 8
Best ForPayoff-seekers
Watch Free on Tubi →
3 · Series 2, Episode 1

A Bold Structural Choice

Series 2 opens by splitting its focus between the courtroom fallout of Series 1 and a cold case from Hardy's past — a risk that divided critics at the time but rewards patient viewers.

Series 2 Opener
At a Glance
PositionSeries 2, Episode 1
Best ForCourtroom-drama fans
Watch Free on Tubi →
4 · Series 3, Episode 1

A Darker, More Mature Turn

Series 3 introduces a new central investigation involving the sexual assault of Trish Winterman, while continuing to follow the Latimer family's struggle with the aftermath of Danny's death, handling its subject matter with unusual seriousness for the genre.

Series 3 Opener
At a Glance
PositionSeries 3, Episode 1
Best ForViewers wanting a fresh case
Watch Free on Tubi →
5 · Series 3, Episode 8

The Series Finale

The last episode of the show, closing out both the Series 3 case and the three-series arc as a whole — the ending Chris Chibnall always intended for Hardy and Miller.

Series Finale
At a Glance
PositionSeries 3, Episode 8
Best ForSeries completionists
Watch Free on Tubi →

Main Characters and Cast

Lead

David Tennant

DI Alec Hardy — a brilliant but troubled detective carrying the weight of a previous failed case, and Broadchurch's first major post-Doctor Who leading role for Tennant.

Lead Detective
At a Glance
RoleDI Alec Hardy
AppearsAll 3 series
Lead

Olivia Colman

DS Ellie Miller — a local officer whose own life becomes entangled with the case in ways she never expected, in a role that won Colman a BAFTA.

Lead Detective
At a Glance
RoleDS Ellie Miller
AppearsAll 3 series
All 3 Series

Jodie Whittaker

Beth Latimer, the grieving mother at the center of the Series 1 case, whose family's story anchors the emotional core of all three series.

Grieving Parent
At a Glance
RoleBeth Latimer
All 3 Series

Andrew Buchan

Mark Latimer, Beth's husband, whose grief and secrets both come under scrutiny as the investigation unfolds.

Grieving Parent
At a Glance
RoleMark Latimer
Recurring

Arthur Darvill

Reverend Paul Coates, the town's vicar, who becomes a steady presence for the Latimer family and the wider community as they process their grief.

Local Vicar
At a Glance
RoleRev. Paul Coates

What Makes the Series Special

Central Partnership

Tennant and Colman's Chemistry

Two mismatched detectives — one an outsider, one a local — carry the entire show through performances that both actors have called among the best work of their careers.

Lead Performances
At a Glance
LeadsTennant & Colman
Setting as Character

The Real Dorset Coast

Filmed largely in the real seaside town of West Bay, the show's coastal setting grounds its grief-stricken story in a genuinely beautiful, and genuinely ordinary, English community.

Dorset Coast
At a Glance
LocationWest Bay, Dorset
Creative Vision

One Creator, a Complete Three-Series Arc

Chris Chibnall is credited as the principal writer of all 24 episodes (with a co-writing credit for Louise Fox on one) and deliberately concluded the story after three series rather than stretching it further — a rare instance of a hit crime drama ending exactly when its creator intended.

Complete Story
At a Glance
WriterChris Chibnall

Setting and Filming Locations

Setting & Filming

West Bay, Dorset

The fictional town of Broadchurch is largely filmed in and around West Bay, a real seaside town on the Dorset coast known for its distinctive golden cliffs — since the show aired, the area has become a popular filming-location tourist destination.

Dorset, England
At a Glance
TownWest Bay
CountyDorset

Watch the Trailer

More Trailers on British TV Hub — Trailers & Previews →


Frequently Asked Questions

Origins

Is Broadchurch based on a true story?

No. Broadchurch is an original story by creator Chris Chibnall, who began developing it in 2002. It's not based on or connected to the Danish drama The Killing, despite frequent comparisons — Chibnall's script actually predates The Killing.

Quick Answer
Based onOriginal story
Status

Will there be a Broadchurch Season 4?

No. Broadchurch concluded after three series, and no fourth series has been announced. Chris Chibnall has since created another Dorset-set mystery, Death at the White Hart, but it follows DI Nicola Bridge and is not a continuation of Hardy and Miller's story.

Quick Answer
StatusComplete
More seasons?No
Episode Count

How many episodes of Broadchurch are there?

24 episodes across 3 series, 8 episodes per series.

Quick Answer
Episodes24
Series3
Streaming

Where can I watch Broadchurch in the US?

All 3 series stream free on Tubi, supported by ads, with no subscription required.

Quick Answer
PlatformTubi (free)
Filming Location

Where is Broadchurch filmed?

The fictional town of Broadchurch is largely filmed in and around West Bay, a real seaside town on the Dorset coast.

Quick Answer
LocationWest Bay, Dorset
Related Shows

Is Broadchurch connected to Gracepoint?

Gracepoint is an American remake of Broadchurch, also created by Chris Chibnall and starring David Tennant in the same lead role, but it tells its own version of the story with a different resolution.

Quick Answer
GracepointUS remake

Fact-checked and streaming availability checked September 2026. Spot an error or an outdated streaming link? Let us know via the contact page.


Related Guides