This week on Broadchurch we see a new side to Trish, which in turn makes the Trish we know currently even more heartbreaking. At the halfway point through it’s final season, the series is going to have to start tying up some loose ends before long. The only thing I think we can say for certain, is that the men of Broadchurch are sleezy jerks. Yes this last season focuses on Trish Winterman’s rape as the main bulk of the story, but there is so much more to it than that. Interlaced through the story are hints of online porn (and how easily accessible it is, including for kids), women’s bodies being objectified, teen sexting (my thought about what’s going on with Daisy), dating apps, and adultery. So yes, Trish’s rape case is the center of attention here for season three, but the show runner has also done an amazing job at tactfully bringing in some harsh realities about today’s society and rape culture in general.
Image Credit: BBC America
This fourth episode brings to life a new Trish, one we haven’t yet met. Set against a series of flashbacks from the night of the party, we get to be a fly on the wall and study each party guest to our hearts content, kind of. Trish, Beth and the Golden Duo head back to the scene of the party, to see if that might jog anything in her memories about that night. The flashback also shows us who Trish used to be: fun, cheeky, smiling and full of life. She was rocking it at that party and was a completely different woman than who we see now. Sad, despondent, traumatized, and subdued. Though I’m not always a fan of the flashback, this was I think a brilliant and the most moving way to show us the effects that this has had on Trish and her mental stability.
Image Credit: BBC America
Though I don’t think we are any closer to finding Trish’s attacker yet, I do have to say that the men of Broadchurch really should be ashamed of themselves. We’ve got married men sleeping around, young boys watching and sharing porn at school, hidden and secret files on their laptops, it really seems like the men this season are having a rough go of it. Ian Winterman is definately up to something with the laptop. A few weeks back he made it seem like something on his own laptop could be questionable, but after pressuring his daughter to get Trish’s laptop and let him do some repairs on it for a couple of hours. It’s pretty clear now he did something to her laptop that he wants undone. Throw in the fact that his new girlfriend is the one who was sending threatening and anonymous texts to Trish afterwards, they both clearly need to be looked into a little further. What is Ian hiding?
Image Credit: BBC America
We meet a new potential suspect today, and though he’s too perfect to actually be the culprit, he’s still very creepy in his own right. Aaron Mayford is the newest suspect added to the list and he comes across as even more vile than serial cheater, the taxi driver Clive. Aaron has recently been released from prison, serving time for rape. Though he claims the sex was consensual, the jury saw it differently, and he bluntly points out to Miller, that juries sometimes get it wrong, clearly throwing in a dig about her husband. Of course Aaron likes to go fishing and was alone on the beach the night of the attack, with not a soul who really can vouch for his whereabouts. Fishing also would include having twine, possibly like the twine used to tie up Trish. In his “man-cave” we see more pictures of scantly clad dressed women. While Broadchurch isn’t coming right out and saying that objectifying women in this way is directly tied to sexually violent crimes, it definitely makes you pause for a moment and draw your own conclusions.
From the flashback, we learn that Ed Burnett (Trish’s boss) isn’t much of a social butterfly, and generally tends to stick to just a few people at social gatherings like that. He’s been sober for awhile now, and Trish remembers the smell of alcohol on her attackers breath, so it’s possible he can be ruled out. Though Trish remembers talking with him outside, he isn’t too high on my suspect list as of right now.
We also learn that the light Trish remembers seeing a light the night of the attack. In a truly horrible scene to watch, we see Trish lie down on the ground where they believe the attack to have taken place. She is overwhelmed very very quickly and ends up getting sick all over the ground. It’s another example of just how brilliant she is and how uncomfortable and cringe worthy this topic can and should be. She remembers the light being pretty bright in her face, could it be possible that her attacker filmed everything and it was from the light on a camera phone? With how accessible porn seems to be for young men, wouldn’t that be a terrible but convenient tie in to the overall reaching problem that Broadchurch is going for?
Beth and Mark have another discussion, and it’s clear that Mark is still so in love with Beth. But if he can’t get over this burning desire to bring retribution to Joe Miller he really will end up losing what family he has left for good. Mark hired a private detective and has found a possible address for Joe, nobody is willing to take this trip with him, so he’s about to go it alone. Let’s hope that he has an epiphany or two on this trip and doesn’t push Beth away forever.
Image Credit: BBC America
Two stunners from tonight’s episode come in the form of a possible weapon used in the attack and some DNA evidence. Seems that Jim, Cath’s husband, is a DNA match from Trish’s medical exam. He tells the detectives that he did have sex with Trish, but it was consensual sex the morning of the party. Makes sense now why Trish didn’t want to tell them who it was. They verify that information with Trish, who can’t believe that she slept with her friends husband. And both parties do not want that particular piece of information spreading about. As for the potential weapon, there is a cricket type bat that was found out on the grounds since the party. The owner of the house didn’t bother to tell the investigators that it was found, that there should be two of them, or that the second one is missing. Not that it’s helpful it the one with blood on it is missing, but it’s at least a start on something else they need to be looking for. This really is becoming more and more of a needle in a haystack every time they turn around.
But the largest shock of the night comes in the form of anonymous call to the police station. It looks like our attacker is already a serial rapist. A new victim has come forward after the press release about the attack was printed. She was attacked years ago, in a field and tied up in the same manner. How much longer until this attacker strikes again?
Image Credit: BBC America
Think you know who done it? Leave me a comment or find me on Twitter and tell me who/why!
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