BBC's 'Broadchurch' sets standard for mysteries.

• Author: Wiegand, David
• Position: Living

Byline: David Wiegand

It almost feels like a slight to call BBC America's new series ''Broadchurch'' a mystery, because as you watch it, you're likely to realize how many other television mysteries come up short.

"Broadchurch'' is both great and excruciating, in a way -- you will feel the agony not only felt by the family of a murdered boy, but seemingly by the entire population of the English town where the boy's body is discovered one morning beneath the cliffs. Written and created by Chris Chibnall, ''Broadchurch'' kicks off its eight-episode season Wednesday on BBC America and should not be missed.

What sets ''Broadchurch'' apart from other mysteries, even great ones, is that it's a complex, carefully thought-through drama first and almost a mystery second. The murder of 11-year-old Danny Latimer becomes a catalyst that leads to the revelation of secret lives, desires and past histories that roil beneath the surface of the sleepy coastal town where everyone knows each other.

The one outsider in the town is Detective Inspector Alec Hardy (David Tennant, ''The Spies of Warsaw,'' "Doctor Who''), who is hired by the local constabulary to fill a job long promised to Detective Sgt. Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman, ''The Iron Lady''). Returning from vacation to find herself working for a moody, unshaven stranger, Ellie does her best to get along with her new boss as they try to solve the murder of Danny, whose parents, Beth (Jodie Whittaker, ''One Day'') and Mark (Andrew Buchan, ''Bones'') woke up that morning and went about their daily routine thinking Danny had left the house early to complete his paper route.

It's impossible not to liken ''Broadchurch'' to ''The Killing'' as the mismatched cops try to retrace Danny's steps and figure out where other people in the town were, including Danny's parents and older sister Chloe (Charlotte Beaumont, ''EastEnders''). The boy's murder puts everyone on edge, leading some to suspect local misfits, like Jack Marshall (David Bradley, ''Game of Thrones''), an older, single man who runs the town newspaper shop and oversees a kind of sea scouting program for local boys.

Other potential suspects include Susan Wright (Pauline Quirke, ''Birds of a Feather''), a taciturn woman who lives in a trailer with her dog Vince and manages a rental cabin not far from where Danny's body was found, and the local vicar, Paul Coates (Arthur Darville, ''Doctor Who''), who seems a little too chummy with some of the local boys.

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