It’s taken over the past two months of our lives, 16 beautiful hours of tears, whodunnits, high drama and Tennant’s melting chocolate Labrador eyes… So, did the finale go out with the promised bang? Hmmm, we think so.
Joe Miller was INNOCENT!
It wasn't actually that much of a surprise when, in the opening minutes, Killer Joe was found Not Guilty by a majority verdict. It didn’t go down well – Miller marched straight out, Mark sat in open-mouthed horror, Beth took it out on the toilet door – and Hardy promptly nicked Dodgy Claire.
Joe ended up being sent to Coventry by the townsfolk – well, Sheffield actually – but rather than being run out with pitchforks, he was, er, escorted to a waiting taxi. The verdict had been coming ever since episode one, and leaves a chink open for an “It REALLY wasn’t him – so who was it?” storyline in Series 3.
It was all about Sandbrook
With nowhere left to go with the Poor Dead Danny storyline, we spent most of the ep walking through what happened in Sandbrook. And boy, was it DARK! Lee had sex with Missing Lisa, Angry Ricky got so angry he killed her, then Dodgy Claire and Lee did in Poor Dead Pippa. It was an unsavoury tale of Bad Neighbours – and brilliant drama.
Claire was dodgier than ever
After putting herself in the frame for murder, Claire channeled that kid from The Exorcist, yelling things like ‘c*ck in your wife’s mouth’ at Alec and accusing him of locking her up and having sex with her.
Miller believed her there for a minute until Hardy masterfully yelled “SIT DOWN, MILLER” and we all cheered as one. Eve Myles has played a blinder as the shifty, creepy Claire who kept us all guessing right to the end.
Tennant acted his socks off
Fully motorised since that pacemaker, Tennant put in one of the performances of his life as Hardy finally solved Sandbrook. All burning anger and indignation, he yelled at 'No Comment' Ricky, “I couldn’t let you down, that's what I told myself. Two years of never letting go. I nearly killed myself”. Angry Ricky couldn’t look in those melty eyes anymore and copped to the lot, before we watched Hardy break down in tears. Watch and learn, Colman! Although, of course, she was every bit as tremendous.
Hardy and Miller will be back
Even though Rottweiler Shaz tried to convince the court Hardy and Miller were having an affair, we had to give up this idea – they have as much sexual chemistry as real-life Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson. But we got a lump in our throats at their final goodbye, as Miller announced, “Don’t be nice to me – it doesn’t work like that”. It took us straight back to when The Doctor said goodbye to Rose on that beach…
So that was it - we loved every minute and won't know what to do with ourselves on a Monday night for the next 52 weeks, or however long it takes to get Broadchurch 3 on our screens. We will miss you!