Is Gracepoint the same as Broadchurch? Everything you need to know about the David Tennant dramas

Gracepoint is a 2014 series led by David Tennant and Anna Gunn, but is it the same as the ITV series Broadchurch?

When it comes to the best British crime dramas, Broadchurch is one of the key series that has shocked and enthralled fans since it was first released in 2014. While fans were completely obsessed with the series that ran from 2013 to 2017, many have been surprised to find that there is a very similar American series called Gracepoint, that stars David Tennant in a role that's almost identical to his character Detective Inspector Alec Hardy in Broadchurch. 

But is Gracepoint the same as Broadchurch? Here's what you need to know about the two series, plus where you can watch both shows in the UK...

Is Gracepoint the same as Broadchurch? 

Gracepoint is the American remake of Broadchurch. Like many successful British shows such as The Office, The Inbetweeners and Gavin and Stacey, producers wanted to remake a show for a US audience in order to replicate the success of a British show with a UK audience.

The series was commissioned following the success of the ITV series and was written by the same creator Chris Chinball for an American audience. Like the original show, the show focuses on the same murder and is set in a seaside town but instead of Dorset, the town is based in California.

Apart from changing David Tennant's accent and his character name from DI Alec Hardy to Detective Emmett Carter, many of the characters in the show have the same name, or similar first names and the plot is very similar to the main narrative of the first season. 

In place of Olivia Colman, Breaking Bad's Anna Gunn plays Detective Ellie Miller and some key changes were made to the ending of the series, namely the person responsible for Danny's death. While the show was not as successful as Broadchurch and was critically panned by reviewers, many critics agreed that the ending of Gracepoint was slightly more satisfying than the shocking ending of Broadchurch, but that it was still no where near as enjoyable as the original series.  

Where to watch Gracepoint

All 10 episodes of season one of Gracepoint are available to watch on Amazon Prime in the UK. The show was created by Fox as a limited series with the option to be picked up for more seasons if successful. The series was never further developed into a season two or three, unlike Broadchurch.

Where to watch Broadchurch

All three seasons of Broadchurch are available to view for free for UK viewers on ITVX. All three seasons consist of eight episodes and each season focuses on a different criminal case with some recurring cast members from the first season.