BBC America Picks Up David Tennant Crime Drama 'Broadchurch'

BBC America has picked up "Broadchurch," an ensemble drama starring David Tennant, Olivia Colman, Jodie Whittaker, Vicky McClure and Arthur Darvill, for a 2013 release.

Created and written by Chris Chibnail ("Torchwood," "Doctor Who") with Richard Stokes producing, the series looks at what happens to a small seaside community that becomes the focus of a major murder investigation, with the accompanying media scrutiny.

The victim is a young boy, and two inspectors are assigned to the case -- Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller (Colman), a compassionate local, and newcomer Detective Inspector Alec Hardy (Tennant), a more by-the-book type who was recently appointed as Ellie’s boss, a fact she resents. The two try to solve the crime while attempting to hold off the press and preserve the tourist industry important to the town.

"Broadchurch" will air in the network's Dramaville block. Four of the eight episodes were directed by James Strong ("Elton John: Me, Myself & I," "United"), and Chibnail will executive produce the series alongside Jane Featherstone ("The Hour," "Life on Mars"). "'Broadchurch' focuses on a small British community which finds itself at the eye of a storm. In the wake of one boy’s death, the residents of Broadchurch come under scrutiny and suspicion," said Chibnail. "It’s a story of scale and intimacy, as the lives of the characters are laid bare." "Broadchurch" is slated to premiere in the U.K. on ITV.