Broadchurch finale. Roll up, Roll up.

[fruitstick]

Eyes down for a full house on Monday.

Hopefully we can combine both threads.

In advance, why don't we each post ONE theory, then we can all gloat afterwards about how clever we are

[Thurlow]

Right. Thurlow's theory almost certainly not going to be correct

Tom and Danny fell out because Tom didn't like some of the things Danny was doing - poaching, possibly selling on drugs. The emails and texts Tom deleted where all about how they had fallen out. The two boys had a fight and Tom did something that hurt Danny but didn't kill him, though he possibly thinks that he did kill him. Joe, Tom's dad, saw this happen and when he thought that Tom would get in to trouble because he had really hurt Danny, he killed Danny (finished the job).

Joe's the one guy who would look like Nige from a distance. Also there was that line from Ellie to PQ's character last week - "in your own home, how did you not know?"

However, I would love to be completely surprised. I'd also quite like DT to die of a heart attack right at the end, because he is far to scrummy to die.

[fruitstick]

My theory is that 'something' happened on the paintballing trip which caused the boys to fall out.

I don't think it's a child abuse thing as it's too cliched a storyline.

I think Ollie has been paying Danny to spy on the poaching/drugs ring which has gone wrong. I think there is more to Ellie's sister's story too, possibly about why her husband left.

[MadBusLady]

My theory collection of ramblings:

This is all about something that happened in the past, that Danny (and Tom?) somehow were involved with or got wind of; a murder, an accident, something dodgy, involving most of the men in the town - perhaps to do with Olly's deadbeat dad, perhaps involving Nige's crossbow.
Everybody in Broadchurch is out and about at night up to various nefarious doings. This thing either happened, or Danny found out about it, in late March around the time of the paintballing outing. The vicar knows about it too, though isn't involved, and at some point in the past took the decision to "stand by" his parishioners and not let on; he can see everything from the church at night. This put him in a spot when Danny died, obviously, because he knows of a likely motive. But after Jack Marshall's suicide he decided he wasn't going to trust the police to do the right thing, and in his service after Danny's death he tried to let the town know that he ("God") would not "abandon" them. Now, with the handing over of the computer, he has decided he can no longer keep silent.

The "postman" Danny was fighting with was Mark, and he was involved in doing something that morning to cover up whatever the incident was. The boy on the cliff in the opening sequence is Danny, and he is looking stunned and scared because he is witnessing someone (the footprints on the beach below) doing something that clinches the proof of whatever the incident was.

As a sidenote, Psychic Steve is a practised con artist, who broke into the car in the Sambrook case, and quite possibly burnt the boat. The boat may be a total red herring and PQ may have been lying or mistaken about what she saw, not sure about that bit.

[WishIdbeenatigermum]

Team thurlow here.
I will be absolutely livid if its a child abuse 'big reveal'. Such a cheap cliché.

[Fiderer]

Good idea re threads, fruitstick.

I haven't got a theory yet. I have too many questions so I'd be useless at the old "assemble-all-suspects-in-the-drawing-room-accuse-them-then-declare-them-innocent-Because-then-FINALLY-round-on-The-Killer" lark.

Another q - do Royal Mail vans still have a logo? I re-watched the scene with Danny fighting the "postman" and it was just a red van without markings. Was that just seen through Jack's eyes? I.e. he assumed it was a postman. He didn't have a bag that I could see.

The postman's name is Kevin, that I learned.

[blindworm]

I looked up Royal Mail vans on google images, and the ones that match the shape and size of the 'postman's' van do have a logo. Yellow stripes along the side.

[RedPencils]

I'm in.
Not got a confirmed theory yet but I might rematch the first one again in preparation.

[RedPencils]

googling post office vans? I salute your commitment to the cause!

[PersonalClown]

I haven't the foggiest who killed Danny but I have a an idea on the end of DT.
I think that it will all come out about his wife's affair and how she buggered up the previous investigation.
Daughter will find out and realise that she has been angry at DT for all the wrong reasons and ring him. (Notice how every time he's called her, it's gone to voicemail)
I think he'll then have a heart attack and die just as he is reconciled with his daughter and the killer is revealed/arrested.

I hope not as I loving moody unkempt DT!

[ohforfoxsake]

Signing in. Those pesky kids had better not mess me around on Monday night!

[somedayillbesaturdaynite]

it feels SO wrong to be wishing for Monday at the weekend!!

[somedayillbesaturdaynite]

would it be wrong to spend a rare saturday night without dc watching the previous episodes all over again?

[ohforfoxsake]

Hmm maybe Danny saw Joe and Beth on the beach when he was out poaching with Nige and Tom. The baby is actually Joe's, Joe said he'd talk to Danny and sort it. Danny flipped, Joe lost control and in a panic strangled him.

Beth is in denial that Joe could have had anything to do with it, but is protecting him because if the baby and Ellie.

Probably. Maybe. Perhaps.

Not sure what Ellie's sister knows but she's going to feature in the last episode with key clues.

[DonkeysDontRideBicycles]

Thanks for starting this fruitstick.

Beth and Joe - yes feasible. I thought she was sincere about only having slept with Mark. Would she have gone off the deep end about Mark and Becca?

Ollie paying Danny to snoop is an interesting idea.

Shall have to think of a theory before Monday eve.

[Fiderer]

somedayillbesaturdaynite not at all. If I could I would - and I'll probably watch them all again next week for the "Red herring" vs "Clue" spreadsheet

[landrover]

I think that joe has been messing with his son Tom (sorry), Tom confided in Danny and his dad found out! Joe made tom arrange a middle of the night meeting with Danny except Joe turned up and murdered Danny to shut him up!
Then goes back home, Tom didnt know what had happened but when he finds out Danny was killed he deletes all messages from Danny and the hardrive on his computer.

Alternatively, Joe doesnt find Danny so comes home (somebody else murders him) but Tom still thinks his dad has done the deed, so covers up for him!!!!! Thats to add to all other theories!!!!!!

[WreckfestAtTiffanys]

I can't make a theory out of it (lame) but I think Ollie did it.

[ItsOkayItsJustMyBreath]

Signing in

I am too busy working through my list of questions to have a final theory but will try to come to a conclusion before Mon 9pm.

It's ridiculous, I have re-watched episodes up to number 5 and will watch more soon. I have a piece of paper with a plan of who's related to whom, motives, important details etc

What are we going to do when this finishes? It feels like when you're coming to the final pages of a book and you're already mourning it.

I completely agree with the theory about Steve being the one that broke into the car, he is a convicted criminal as mentioned in episode 3 (?). That would explain a lot!

My big questions are:

Why did Ellie text Tom at the time of the murder (if it was her and not Joe borrowing her phone)?

Why did Danny text Tom at the time of his murder (does this put Tom off the scene?)?

Who is the man that Jack thought was a postman (but isn't, looks a bit like a cross between Mark and Paul)?

Why did Danny have £500 (I think this is payment from the non-postman but not sure what for)?

Why do I still think Paul is guilty?

So many questions so little life

[UpTheFRIGGinDuff]

Signing in

[Fiderer]

I like all the questions

What was the row between Post/NotPostman and Danny about?

Tom is worrying about someone - who? himself, his dad?

Danny had a life his parents knew nothing about - the poaching, paintballing and what else?

What happened on the paintballing trip?

Why did who ever has Danny's phone use it to contact the police about the break-in at the hut?

What was hidden in the hut?

[Blondeshavemorefun]

hmm i have spent 7hrs getting totally lost watching this but i can tell you that the killer is

def someone we have seen

erm

weird that the two boys are not friends anymore - something to do with their dads maybe??

hopefully DT didnt do it :(


so i think either the vicar paul or jo the dad

blondes sits blonde butt firmly on the fence

'pulls out splinters from said butt'

[givemeaclue]

You lot are wasted, WASTED, I tell you, in your day jobs. You are googling royal mail vans! you all are hired as Alex's replacement when he next keels over

[Ooopsadaisy]

Can't wait for Monday!

I don't want a predictable ending like dodgy photos or drug dealing. A good complex mix-up of co-incidences and accidents would be good.

I don't want to be Joe for Ellie's sake (I do know she's not real but she's so lovely).

I don't want it to be Paul because he's Rory from Dr Who.

I don't want it to be Mark because I rather like him (oh,dear).

Olly is dodgy - oily Olly. Don't like him. Could cope with it being him.

Nige gives me the creeps. PQ could still have done it and trying to pin on Nige, which means she could have been involved in the nasty stuff in her own family (although her story was acted in such a heartbreaking way in the police station that I don't want that either).

Steve also gives me the creeps - probably because the actor always does, whatever he's in - don't know why.

I reckon there is a link to Sandbrook otherwise it wouldn't keep coming up in the story.

All acting is brilliant, by the way. Not a single unbelieveable character which I find is very rare.

[DuelingFanjo]

I will be here for final but not sure I will post much as I don't want to miss a second!

[HomeEcoGnomist]

I have no idea
But I like madbuslady's idea, so going with that