Radio Times names Broadchurch as the Best TV Program of 2013

British crime drama Broadchurch has been named the best TV show of 2013 by Radio Times critics. Starring David Tennant (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) and Olivia Colman (Iron Lady) at the head of an ensemble cast, the drama follows the story of a police investigation into the murder of a schoolboy in a small Dorset coastal town. Broadchurch aired on one of the most watched channels of the UK, ITV early this year. Described to ITV, by the series creator Chris Chibnall as "a labor of love", the beautifully crafted whodunit captured the imagination of the nation as almost every character became a suspect across eight rollercoaster weeks. Both a critical and popular hit, the show attracted around nine million viewers an episode on ITV - and after being shown on BBC America – is being remade for a US audience by FOX under the title Gracepoint with casting already under the way, and with Tennant reprising his role of troubled DI Alec Hardy renamed Emmett Carver. “The death of event TV has been greatly exaggerated," said Tim Glanfield, editor of RadioTimes.com & digital products. "Broadchurch drew the nation into a collective hysteria every Monday night for eight weeks, as who killed Danny Latimer became the talking point in the press, pubs, front rooms and factories up and down the country. A brilliant piece of homegrown drama with an exquisite cast of actors, Broadchurch is a fantastic example of British TV at its very best.” In second place was French chiller, The Returned, an intelligent take on the undead, which intrigued its viewers with its uniquely atmospheric story against the backdrop of the French Alps. The excellent fly-on-the-wall documentary Educating Yorkshire came third. Other shows to make it into the top ten included The Great British Bake Off and Jane Campion psychological drama Top of the Lake, as well as Homeland, Toast of London - and US cult mega-hit Breaking Bad, the only show not to have been screened in full on British TV to make the top ten. Last year the critics’ choice was won by Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman crime drama Sherlock, which returns to Indian television on 3 January on AXN. A second series of Broadchurch is expected to air on ITV sometime in 2014.