Fox's 'Gracepoint' Finale Spoilers: Is David Tennant, Anna Gunn's Killer "Different' From 'Broadchurch?'
The murder mystery has officially been solved on Fox's Gracepoint. Because this is a re-imagination of BBC's Broadchurch, was the "killer's identity" that detectives Emmett Carter (David Tennant) and Ellie Miller (Anna Gunn) uncovered different from the original source material?
As we previously mentioned, both TV shows follow an ensemble drama exploring how a shocking death might affect a small community. Chris Chibnall, who wrote Doctor Who's Dinosaurs on a Spaceship, the creator of both series, returned to penn the pilot and executive produce. The Tenth Doctor reunites with the scribe playing the lead role of Carver, a variation of his previous alter-ego, Alec Hardy.
Gracepoint follows the tragedy that struck a small and once quiet town in Northern California. When a young boy, Danny, is found dead on a beach, everyone is a suspect when Ellie and Emmett declare the death a homicide. The clock was ticking for the detectives to find the culprit before the town became caught in its own web of lies and deceit.
According to Variety, who analyzed both endings in their recap, Danny was killed by Joe (Josh Hamilton), the husband of the detective (Gunn). With the case settled though, Ellie suddenly discovered Joe was lying about what happened. Danny's death actually be caused by an accidental blow inflicted by the detective's son.
At the end of the episode, Ellie continues with the lie, covering for her son. The parents will do anything to protect their son. The episode closes with Emmett discovering he doesn't have the right culprit behind bars.
In an interview with Hitflix, co-showrunner Dan Futterman explains the changes, "I think we wanted to complicate his situation to force him and Ellie into a very, very uncomfortable pact, given what she now knows about him, that he has done something horrible to betray her and the family, but yet they are in it together, in a way, to protect their son."
Check out this interrogation scene:
As we reported here, Gracepoint hasn't been stellar in ratings, but if Fox wants to grant the series a second season, plans have already been made.
Futterman adds, "So ending in a different place with this last episode felt like a great jumping off point for a potential second season where then things would be very, very different from Broadchurch Season 2, just as a matter of necessity, because of the situation between Carver and Ellie."
The mystery has been solved on Gracepoint. Readers, what did you think of the ending?