Sharon Bishop

Sharon Bishop arrives in Broadchurch as the defence barrister taking on Joe Miller's case, a decision that instantly makes her the town's most hated woman. Precise, unflappable and utterly unapologetic, she treats the law as a job to be done properly, not a popularity contest, and refuses to explain herself to anyone.

Marianne Jean-Baptiste plays her with a stillness that never tips into coldness — you sense the intelligence working behind every clipped answer. The writing dares you to hate her for doing her job well, then makes you admire the discipline it takes. She's a rare courtroom character allowed to be right and unlikeable at once.