Was it just us or did most of that seem to come from nowhere?
Broadchurch finished its third and (probably) final series with a conclusion of its 'whodunit' storyline, revealing that Leo (or 'the twine fella' as we call him) was behind Trish's attack.
It turns out that he was actually a bit of a psychopath who had raped several other women in the past, and had now groomed taximan Clive's stepson Michael - forcing him into a random attack while attending Cath's 50th party. Trish was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Aside from Michael's use of porn thanks to his stepdad and his friendship with Ellie's son Tom (we were convinced he would have had something to do with it earlier in the series), the idea that Leo was a sadistic serial rapist came out of nowhere. Sure, he's always seemed like a bit of a prick, but there's no way you could have guessed that was going on.
Technically, all the episodes and clues that came before were 100% red herrings and kinda pointless. You could have just tuned in to this week's episode and it wouldn't have made much of a difference. That's usually the case with procedural dramas, but you can't help but feel a bit short-changed here.
You want to feel like you could have worked it out, even if you didn't. You want to feel you could watch it all back and realise they definitely knew what they were doing from the start. Here, it feels like they could have filmed five different storylines and just chosen one at random.
But then again, the same could be said for the show's excellent first series. Joe Miller also came out of nowhere with zero warning that he could be the killer. But then, it worked as the shock it was meant to be, as he had the Ellie connection and there was some emotion behind it. Here, it's just a bit of a 'oh him? Meh'.
After there were rumours that a long-standing character could have been involved, it would have been interesting to have seen Broadchurch end with some balls and have a truly shocking end - imagine if it was actually the vicar or even Tom. Yes, we know that makes us sound sadistic, but it would have made a far more interesting story (but only if it made sense).
Even with the 'deus ex machina' ending, it shone a light on the potential effects of porn on young and impressionable people, and how dangerous some people can be - especially when it comes to grooming. Hearing Leo explain how he felt "proud" when watching back his attacks will not be easy to forget.
Meanwhile, the episode generally felt flat for other reasons. Trish herself hardly appeared. Cath and Jim didn't feature at all. And it didn't exactly feel like this was the final ever episode. David Tennant's Hardy and Olivia Colman's Miller simply parted ways by saying they'd see each other tomorrow. No grand exit, not even a symbolic cheesy turning off of a lightswitch. You'd be forgiven for thinking this was simply an end to a regular season and that it was coming back in a couple of months. It all just kinda... ended.
Broadchurch suffered in its second series because writer Chris Chibnall made the decision to focus far too much time into the private lives of the characters from the first series and the aftermath of Joe Miller's guilt. Chibnall didn't realise that it was actually the whodunnit element that kept us coming back. Yes, we liked all the characters, but aside from Hardy and Miller, we didn't need them to keep coming back.
In a way, this personal element is what separated Broadchurch from other crime dramas, but it also hampered it. Even in tonight's finale, far too much screen time was taken up with the Latimers, Arthur Darvill's vicar and even the ex-newspaper editor Maggie (ooh, Maggie's starting a YouTube channel - said no-one ever). By this point, it all felt far too shoehorned in.
Broadchurch at its best was one of the best crime dramas the UK has ever produced. But conversely, it can also be one of the most frustrating. Series 3 was much better than its disappointing predecessor, but it never quite caught the public's imagination like its first run.
What is absolutely true is that we would never get enough of Hardy and Miller. Chibnall has said that Broadchurch is definitely not returning for a fourth series, but can we request a spin-off starring the duo solving crimes somewhere else? We're not ready to say goodbye to them just yet.
Charities that worked closely with Broadchurch series 3 were Rape Crisis England & Wales, and The Survivors Trust.
Rape Crisis England and Wales works towards the elimination of sexual violence. If you've been affected by the issues raised in this story, you can access more information on their website or by calling the National Rape Crisis Helpline on 0808 802 9999. Rape Crisis Scotland's helpline number is 08088 01 03 02.
Readers in the US are encouraged to contact RAINN, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800-656-4673.
