According to an article originally published in Entertainment Weekly, FOX’s Gracepoint will not see a second season. Plagued by low ratings and a middling critical response, the limited series failed to distinguish itself enough from its critically acclaimed British predecessor, Broadchurch.
I managed to stick with it through half the season after becoming intrigued by its promising and well-directed pilot episode. Plus, it made for a nice Breaking Bad follow-up vehicle for Anna Gunn. There was also interest around British actor David Tennant playing the same role in both productions.
Good acting, however, wasn’t enough to sustain the American version, overextended to a 10-episode run over Broadchurch’s leaner 8-episode arc. A twisty ending – the American series identified a dramatically different murderer – wasn’t enough to salvage the season or generate enough interest to justify a second outing, ironic given the series’ much more open-ended conclusion that lent itself to further exploration of the central characters.
Broadchurch begins its second season on BBC America February 4, 2015.