When a young boy is found dead on an idyllic beach by a jutting cliff-face, a major police investigation gets underway in the northern California seaside town where the tragedy occurred. Soon deemed a homicide, the case turns neighbor against neighbor and sparks a media frenzy, which not only throws the boy's family into further turmoil, but also threatens to upend the lives of all of the town's residents.
Welcome to GRACEPOINT, a new event series based on "Broadchurch," the U.K.'s critically acclaimed and wildly popular crime drama.
Leading the murder investigation is Detective EMMETT CARVER (David Tennant, "Broadchurch," "Dr. Who") a by-the-book cop who has just arrived in Gracepoint to fill a high position in the town's police force. That job previously had been promised to Detective ELLIE MILLER (Anna Gunn, "Breaking Bad") who, in light of the tragedy, must put any resentment aside and work the case with her prickly new boss.
Danny is survived by his grieving parents, BETH (Virginia Kull, "Boardwalk Empire") and MARK SOLANO (Michael Pena, "End of Watch"), who are devastated by the loss of their young son. Mark, a native of Gracepoint, is a well-liked local plumber and family man. Beth, who married Mark after getting pregnant in high school, is hungry to discover the truth behind Danny's murder. Their daughter, CHLOE (newcomer Madalyn Horcher), is hit hard by her little brother's death. Rebellious and wise beyond her years, Chloe has an older boyfriend, DEAN IVERSON (Kendrick Sampson, "The Vampire Diaries"), whom she hides from her parents.
The entire town of Gracepoint is pulled into the chaos of the investigation, including JACK REINHOLD (Nick Nolte, "Luck"), a private and stubborn man who runs the kayak rental service on the beach, as well as the local wildlife observation program, for which Danny used to volunteer. SUSAN WRIGHT (Jacki Weaver, "Silver Linings Playbook"), a glowering, mysterious woman, lives in the RV park near the coast, alone with her dog. She works various cleaning and odd jobs and prefers to remain anonymous. The town's minister, PAUL COATES (Kevin Rankin, "Justified"), becomes a de facto spokesperson for the community as the media descends on Gracepoint. Well-intentioned but inexperienced, Coates seizes the opportunity to be in the spotlight and finds himself leading the most attentive congregation he's ever had.
The investigation is followed closely by the town's local newspaper reporter OWEN BURKE (Kevin Zegers, "Gossip Girl"), who is Det. Miller's nephew. Eager to help catch Danny's killer, Owen is unaccustomed to covering the murder beat. But when San Francisco Globe reporter RENEE CLEMONS (Jessica Lucas, "Cloverfield") sets up camp in Gracepoint, she fuels Owen's ambition. What's more, having followed Detective Carver on a similar murder case that went unsolved, she is determined to hold him accountable for the case's outcome.
Danny's death and the subsequent investigation also impacts tourism, Gracepoint's leading source of revenue. The decline in visitors to the town is felt most harshly by hotel owner GEMMA FISHER (Sarah-Jane Potts, "Kinky Boots," "Felicity"), a vivacious Brit with secrets of her own. Also touched by Danny's death is Mark's apprentice at the plumbing company, VINCE NOVIK (Stephen Louis Grush, "Lucky 7"), whose loyalty to his employer becomes increasingly fierce.
