COVER STORY Town is full of strange people

American version of British mystery is done right

There's nothing better on TV than a good murder mystery.

And nobody does murder mystery better than the Brits. Everything sounds more mysterious with a British accent.

The next best thing (when done right) is an American adaptation of a British murder mystery. That's what we have with Fox's new limited series Gracepoint. It's done right.

The 10-part series, based on the hit British series Broadchurch, debuts at 8 p.m. Wednesday and has the further distinction of starring the same lead actor -- David Tennant of Doctor Who fame.

For British mystery fans who've already seen Broadchurch, never fear. The producers of Gracepoint promise some significant differences. In fact, Gracepoint is an expansion of the original series. There will be new characters, new suspects and new storylines threaded throughout the narrative.

"Small town; big secrets," Fox says. So, if you think you already know whodunit, you're probably wrong.

For Gracepoint, the setting moves from the southwest coast of England to Northern California. The series was filmed in spring in Oak Bay, British Columbia, and the Greater Victoria area. The idyllic views are stunning, which is all the more shocking given the subject deals with the murder of a child.

"Our story begins early one morning," Tennant explains in a Fox preview video, "when the body of a 12-year-old boy is found on the beach. [Gracepoint] is the story of the investigation of that boy's murder, alongside the story of that boy's family and the story of the entire community, really.

"The ending is going to be different. As long as it doesn't turn out that I did it, I feel quite liberated."

As we might expect in any small town where everybody knows one another, everyone is a suspect. The case turns neighbor against neighbor. It also sparks a media frenzy, "which throws the boy's family into further turmoil and upends the lives of the town's residents."

Tennant portrays lead investigator Detective Emmett Carver, who is newly arrived in Gracepoint to fill that high position in the town's police force.

The job previously had been promised to Detective Ellie Miller, played by back-to-back Emmy winner Anna Gunn from Breaking Bad.

In light of the murder and the subsequent reporter inundation, Ellie must put aside any resentment she feels toward Emmett and work the case under her new boss -- a detective wholly lacking in social skills and with secrets of his own.

It's up to Ellie to break the news of the murder to her loving husband, Joe (Josh Hamilton, American Horror Story), and their son, Tom (newcomer Jack Irvine), who was the best friend of the murder victim, Danny Solano (Nikolas Filipovic, Falling Skies).

Mark and Beth Solano (Michael Pena, American Hustle; Virginia Kull, Boardwalk Empire) are Danny's devastated parents. Danny had a rebellious teen sister, Chloe (newcomer Madalyn Horcher), who has an older boyfriend, Dean Iverson (Kendrick Sampson, The Vampire Diaries).

Naturally, Chloe hasn't told her folks about Dean. There's a good reason.

Also acting suspiciously is crusty Susan Wright (Jacki Weaver, Silver Linings Playbook), a mysterious woman who lives in the RV park with her dog.

Kevin Rankin (Justified) plays the town's minister, Paul Coates, who had a thing for Beth back in their high school days. Paul also becomes the de facto spokesman for the community as the media descends on Gracepoint.

Naturally, the murder has affected the tourist industry so important to the town. Feeling the pinch most is hotel owner Gemma Fisher (Sarah-Jane Potts, Kinky Boots), a fetching Brit with a few juicy secrets of her own.

Also touched by Danny's death is Mark's plumbing apprentice, Vince Novik (Stephen Louis Grush, Lucky 7). And just where was Mark on the night Danny was murdered?

Following all this closely is the town's newspaper reporter, Owen Burke (Kevin Zegers, Transamerica), who happens to be Ellie's nephew. And complicating Owen's life is San Francisco Globe reporter Renee Clemons (Jessica Lucas, Cloverfield), who is very good at her job and has a history with Emmett in his previous life.

Finally, the venerable Nick Nolte stars as Jack Reinhold, a very private man who runs the local kayak rental service on the beach, as well as the local wildlife observation program, for which Danny volunteered. Jack also has a dark, dark secret.

I've previewed seven of the 10 episodes and this is one of the best dramas you'll see all season. How do I know? I have no idea who the culprit is. With a typical hour cop show, I'll have it figured out in 10 minutes.

Remember, as Emmett says, "Given the right circumstances, anybody's capable of murder." This one will keep you guessing.

TV Week on 09/28/2014

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