The Fall reaches its final episode, following immediately on from last week's as Spector botches the murder of his next victim and Gibson begins to close in on his profile.
Leaving his victim alive after being interrupted by her boyfriend, Spector (Jamie Dornan) flees the scene but the for the first time, leaves evidence behind. Gibson (Gillian Anderson) becomes even more determined to catch the killer and doggedly begins to pursue all leads, becoming increasingly focused. Spector finds himself going to the police when CCTV footage crops up of him and his daughter at the park near the third victim Sarah Kay and he goes in to 'rule himself out' of the investigation. Oh the irony. Elsewhere, the investigations into the police corruption closes in on the Munro family, but the Chief Constable (John Lynch) finds himself possibly implicated after the suspect flees the country.
First of all, the good points, of which there were many. Technically speaking, this was one of the more interesting episodes for the use of sound. Often non-existent apart from generic background noise, sound has been something not wholly utilised throughout the series in favour of creating a quieter, more suspenseful atmosphere. In this episode on the other, the soundscape was ramped up; Spector's murder attempt here was loud, noisy and chaotic, completely contrasting with his earlier, almost entirely silent killings. Whilst the action on the screen naturally showcased the difference, it was the sound that emphasised it. We're not used to hearing Spector make quite so much noise.
The thematic symbolism was once again present across the episode and with all the analysing I've done of the references across these reviews, there was one gaping hole that I'd missed. Once again, there were plenty of references to light and dark throughout the episode, often contrasted visually with the brightly lit world of Gibson with the shadowy world of Spector. And that's what I'd missed. Throughout each episode, I'd not noticed his name; he's a spectre, a ghost, a shadow that is yet to be caught. I'm slightly ashamed of myself.
Dornan has been the breakout star of this series, not only portraying the underlying psychosis in Spector brilliantly, but also making the other side of his character, the mostly mild-mannered Paul, equally compelling. He's also handled the blending of the two well and it was in this episode that the crossovers became more apparent. Dealing with his wife (Bronagh Waugh) was a tense moment as it was never exactly clear whether she would survive the 'revelation' that he's supposedly been having an affair with the 15 year old babysitter. Speaking of which, his encounter with the babysitter just left me shouting 'Run!' at the screen. Again, another scene in which the outcome was uncertain because Dornan brought both aspects of Spector to the fore.
The idea of the doubling became one of the more overt themes in the episode through a conversation between Gibson and the pathologist. It's not been mentioned outright before but Gibson has since deduced that the killer has a family and therefore must be living two lives, just as she does herself. The comparisons between Spector and Gibson were made explicit by Spector in their conversation. Well-written, tense and beautifully performed by the two stars, the conversation was everything that had made this show so great; a battle of wits, drawn on the lines of both good and evil, but also of gender as Gibson declared the killings to be 'age-old misogyny'. The depiction of female characters in this show has been something to be applauded and it is always refreshing to see a female character like Gibson coming out with such emphatic feminist statements. More please.
And so we come to the ending, which I'm sure left a lot of people feeling slightly disappointed, despite knowing that a second series had been commissioned. Spector drives away with his family, moving to Scotland on a make-or-break trip to fix his broken marriage (poor Sally-Ann, she really doesn't have a clue). Gibson has been told by the killer himself that he is simply leaving, he's finished and there will be no more killings. We know he doesn't like to leave things unfinished and his latest victim is still alive, recovering in hospital from his attack. There is also the unfolding obsession with Gibson herself that may be brought out next series, likewise her obsession with him.
However, it was all a bit anti-climactic. One of the best aspects about The Fall was just how tense it was on any given moment but, apart from the outstanding phone conversation, the final scenes felt a bit flat. Had the series not been re-commissioned, the final shots of Spector driving away with his family and Gibson unsuccessful in her quest to catch the killer would have been outrageously annoying. Neat resolutions may not always happen in the real world but we expect it to in television dramas and I'm grateful The Fall is returning, otherwise that would have been a disappointing conclusion.
I'm still not entirely sure what I make of this episode, which is why this review has been delayed a little. It was good, very good in parts, but it was also quite unsatisfying in others. However, that ending proved a little unsatisfying; had The Fall not been recommissioned for a second series, it could possibly have become one of the most infuriating endings in television, but fortunately it hasn't and so the second series will continue the Spector/Gibson chase.
- Becky
You can read Becky's review of Episode Four here.
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The Fall continues to unsettle as Gibson rounds in on the killer who just happens to be closing in on his next victim.
The third episode of The Fall has possibly been the peak so far in terms of quality and the fourth episode had a tough act to follow. However, it has more than a few cards up its sleeve as everything in the grim Belfast police station we have become accustomed to seeing starts to unravel. The police corruption subplot has been an interesting addition to what many, including myself, thought was just going to be another slow-burning serial killer drama. The shooting of James Olsen (Ben Peel) as a result of his arrest of a well-known criminal was one of the more shocking moments in the series so far, particularly thanks to his dalliance with main character Gibson (Gillian Anderson). Then came the scene in which Chief of Police Rob Breedlove (Michael McElhatton) chose death before dishonour.
The claustrophobic interview between Matthew Eastwood (Stuart Graham) and Breedlove was technically brilliant, the camera getting closer and closer to McElhatton's face as he found himself increasingly hemmed in by his own corruption. The shooting itself was thankfully off-screen though no less unsettling as we observe the consequences unfold post-suicide. It was also another reminder of Gibson's cold efficiency as she has to deal with the situation, despite not being privy to the details. It tied in well with the previous scene in which she paints her nails with the same colour that was found on Spector's victim in the second episode.
Speaking of Spector, it was another fantastic performance from Dornan this week who has gone from strength to strength has the series has developed. In the first episode, Paul's two lives were kept very separate by his rigid, methodical approach to both killing and parenting (not a sentence I'd ever thought I'd write). However, as the narrative has progressed, the two have begun to slip and slide into each other as his control breaks. His interview with his superior colleagues was a great example of this as he paradoxically protected a woman from her husband whilst displaying some psychotic behaviour to his boss. The letter to his victim's father is another chilling moment; remorse not for the killing, but for the pregnancy.
There was, as is to be expected from this programme now, the intercut sequence in which we learn more information about a possible Spector attack and one actually taking place with disastrous consequences, connected to each other thematically. Unlike the previous crime, this one had the air of panic about it as Spector is caught early by his victim with someone else in the house. Alongside this, we're told about a spontaneous attack on a woman by a man she had had sex with earlier in the night, another unplanned moment lacking the methodical nature of the previous crime we were witness to. And, not to forget, this is where Spector makes his first mistake. He's not wearing gloves.
I'm also really loving how confidently cerebral this show is; last week we had Spector quoting T.S. Eliot and Gibson educating her colleagues in advanced gender studies and perception of women. This week, Spector includes a quote from Also Sprach Zarathustra by Nietzsche in his letter whilst Gibson gives a pertinent anthropology lecture. The references build into the wider themes of the show and there is a lot going on there. Moral conundrums naturally abound in a programme about a serial killer, but we also have analyses on the role of the media, particularly in the representation of women, the value of life and death, sexuality and honour all playing their own parts. It's a heady mix, but a fascinating one to discuss and untangle.
Like Broadchurch before it, The Fall has been largely successful in keeping me completely in the dark as to how the whole thing will unravel; the daughter has got to have something to do with it and of course, Spector's crime went spectacularly wrong this time. With it being renewed for another series and with reportedly all the leads signing on to reappear, I'm not entirely sure whether they will actually wrap up the Gibson/Spector storyline just yet. It's certainly an intriguing relationship and I can stand to see a little more of Dornan in the role.
- Becky
You can read Becky's review of the previous episode here.
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The Fall continues with another excellent episode, delving further into the show's themes and sliding headlong into the respective worlds of Gibson and Spector.
With the news that The Fall has been picked up for a second series, my enthusiasm for this show is at a serious high, aided in no small way by the fact that the third episode was so good, I'd quite happily sit and write an essay about it and the themes it has brought to the fore. I won't, not in this review anyway, but it has impressed me in a way that no police procedural has for quite some time. Rather than a simple whodunnit, with the twists and turns you can spot a mile away, The Fall has opted for the whydunnit approach by following both DSI Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson) and serial killer Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan) going about their businesses in all their vast differences. Far from just a gimmick, it has proved essential to individualising the show and allowing it to explore more cerebral themes in amongst the autopsies.
The episode began with a lighter atmosphere than we had seen in the previous two episodes, employing some well-pitched gallows humour to allow us to see a little bit more of Gibson. Whip-smart and ready with a handy putdown, Anderson's Gibson has been a great centre to all of the goings-on but I shall return to her shortly. Dornan has been nothing short of a revelation as Spector given that he has very little mainstream acting experience beyond a few episodes in Once Upon A Time and in Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette. He may be one of the more outwardly bland serial killers committed to celluloid (especially if you contrast him with Seven's John Doe, who he is starting to have some crossovers with), but Spector is a compelling watch and Dornan captures his two sides brilliantly, without ever losing that edge which makes the character so chilling.
Last week's episode opening was an uncomfortable intercut sequence and these are fast becoming one of the show's most used techniques to connect our two main characters. It displays an assured use of dramatic irony that treads a fine line between rolling our eyes at the obvious points, to becoming so engrossed as to shout at the television when Spector hugged his client. Or was that just me? Personally, I find myself getting worried whenever a brunette in her 30s appears on the screen. The final intercutting sequence as the detectives sat around discussing their profile of the killer whilst Spector haunts the house of his next victim proved the effectiveness of the technique. It provided us some motive exposition for Spector whilst seeing it play out with his movements.
The two intercutting sequences also highlighted one of the key themes that appears to be surfacing as the series progresses and it is one of the more visual aspects that drew my attention first. The majority of the first two episodes seemed to take place in dark, low-lit, moody locations that well befit the dark atmosphere that the series worked hard to create. However, this episode opens in broad daylight and continues to be well-lit for the majority of the action, linking in well with the more humourous aspect of the script that characterised the first few scenes, despite their dark subject matter. As Gibson got closer to working out a profile for the killer and as Spector closed in on his next victim, the scenes got darker until they took place almost entirely at night. A subtle shift, but one that really added to the mood of the third episode.
It is also a theme that appears to be cropping up in the language of the series as well. We see Spector writing in his journals dedicated to his victims about 'the shadow'. Gibson's briefing is full of light-related imagery; she again likens the killer to the dark as he works in the shadows unseen whereas the police operate under the glare of the media. Even the environments in which the two main characters operate are characterised by these differences, for example the sterile, artificially-lit police headquarters where Gibson is most likely to be found in contrast to the muted, domestic tones of Spector's home.
Other binaries were also of the order of the day in this particular episode with plenty of commentary about the way women are portrayed in the media and thought of in society. Cropping up first in the selection of operation names was 'Eden', brushed aside by Gibson because it would ensure that the women were seen to be to blame for the murders. Likewise, in the discussion about whether to call the victim innocent, Gibson observes that the media likes to slot women neatly into the categories of virgin and whore and that it is best not to encourage them. Honestly, these little moments were ones which had me punching the air with perhaps a little too much glee considering what I was watching. Nevertheless, it is this treatment of women, in particular the victims, that should be commended in The Fall.
Linking back to the last episode once again, it featured a large amount of nudity, more than we'd seen on the show so far as Spector washed and cleaned his victim. However, the female body wasn't sexualised in the same way that say, a show like Game of Thrones would have done. Spector even demurely covers her up and this episode revealed that her pregnancy has somehow tainted the murder for him. He likes his victims pure and he is categorising them at the virgin end of the female spectrum. This is clearly going to matter in the series as the religious undertones are slowly coming to the fore; the title itself is an explicit reference to Eve and the repeated mentions of Eden and Genesis cropping up. There is one character who refuses to be defined in any such terms though and in doing so, is fast becoming one of the most intriguing characters on television.
Aided by an impressive performance from Anderson, Stella Gibson is nothing short of a conundrum and I feel like I'm trying to work out her motivations just as much I am with Spector. In an era where it seems that female characters are consistently defined by their home lives (whether they want to be or not), here is a character who doesn't appear to have one. She sleeps out of a hotel or in the office, she seduces men when she feels like it and she is incredibly good at her job which confounds those around her. In one truly amazing exchange, an officer confronts her about her affair with the now-deceased James Olsen and she realises that it is her sexuality that he has a problem with: 'Woman fucks man. Woman - subject. Man - object. That's not so comfortable for you is it?'
It also becomes a wider commentary of the show itself if you remove the sexual activity of the previous quote, it simply becomes 'woman - subject. Man - object'. For Spector, it is the other way around; women are objects for his sexual gratification. However, for the series, Gibson is most definitely the subject hunting down her object which is Spector, the killer. As the police officers working the case observe, he has an issue with women in powerful positions. 'Don't we all' one character wryly observes, but The Fall seems to be reversing this balance. Gibson is the one in power and it is only a matter of time before she succeeds in possessing her object. When she comments that Spector's killing is about 'power and control and the thrill', she could almost be talking about herself. It's a fascinating way of showing this kind of character and I can't wait to see how she develops further.
I've tried not to be too hyperbolic throughout this review as that can often put people off or raise expectations to a stupidly unachievable level, but The Fall really is one of the best shows on television at the moment. I also apologise for it turning into a bit of an essay, despite what I said at the beginning. If you haven't yet caught it, I urge you to head to iPlayer and settle yourself in for the first three episodes. It's as creepy as hell and as bleak as the foggiest of Dickens, but it's something quite special.
- Becky
You can read Becky's review of Episode Two here.
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Picking up where last week's excellent first episode left off, The Fall's second instalment begins with what was arguably one of the finest, coldest and downright disturbing moments seen on television for a long time. Once again, parallels are drawn between our two leads, the forthright DSI Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson) and the methodical serial killer Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan) as they both participated in R-rated late night activities. For Gibson, it's a fling with resident attractive copper DC Olsen (Ben Peel) in a matter-of-fact and perfunctory sex scene that had all the passion of a limp trout. Then, in between, we follow Paul as he bathes and poses his victim, cleaning her bedsheets and painting her nails before quietly vacating the property.
I thought last week's final scenes were about as bad as it was going to get, but I was totally wrong. The opening was just brilliant; played out in almost complete silence, it was chilling in exactly the right way and more than once, I felt I should look away. It was just too uncomfortable. Indeed, that set the tone for the rest of the episode. Like the opener, The Fall was determined to not let you settle into it, not to get comfortable. Each time it felt like you could relax a little, it threw in another shock to jar back out of it again. It's a testament to Alan Cubitt's writing that this doesn't feel forced at all, but rather a natural progression in the show's events.
The first episode mainly concentrated on the two leads, introducing us to their own personal spheres, their ticks and their habits. The second episode then allowed for us to see the wider world in which Gibson and Spector operate, the people they interact with and the events going on in the background. Spending time with characters like Olsen and Paul's wife, Sally-Ann (Bronagh Waugh), gives other actions in the episode more meaning and consequently more impact. I also like the developing sub-plots of police corruption rumbling on and the fact that Belfast is still dealing with various troubles, though not all of the variety you would expect.
That being said, it is the two leads who continually draw us back in and a sterling job they are doing of it too. As I said last week, Gillian Anderson has the tougher task, keeping our attention as the heroine of the piece. Thankfully, Anderson's a skilled enough actress to carry off the enigma and wonderful frankness that Gibson is imbued with. Like her strangle-happy counterpart, Gibson offers no real reason why she's so determined to solve this case beyond her initial instincts. I'm also very impressed that there has been no desire to give her anything like a back story.
Dornan is just as good, if not better than Anderson, making the two sides of Spector's character entirely believable. He may be the blandest serial killer out there, but that's the point; Dornan captures the domestic dad versus the killer marvellously. The domestic scenes still prove to be just as jarring as in the first episode; washing his daughter's hair the day after killing someone still proves to be quite the shock, losing nothing in the familiarity of seeing more of these contrasts. I'm still no closer to working out Spector's motivation behind these killings, but then that just makes him all the more chilling. Nothing is more scary than a killer with no motive.
Just from the second episode, I can tell that The Fall is going to be something I watch before going on to view something incredibly cheerful that possibly involves rainbows, sparkles and a frolicking puppy or two. This is no criticism. In fact, The Fall may possibly be one of the best dramas on television at the current moment. It's just so goddamn bleak.
- Becky
You can read Becky's review of Episode One here.
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Crime dramas are the series du jour at the moment with Broadchurch standing out as one of the biggest recent successes whilst quieter affairs like Assorted Buffery favourite Scott and Bailey continue to impress. The Fall then has a lot of work to do to stand out from an already packed genre. Thankfully, it seems to be doing so through its central quirk; we already know who the killer is. In fact, we spend just as much time with the killer as we do with the investigator, a neat twist which already establishes The Fall on solid ground.
Sent to review a murder investigation in Belfast, Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson) sees a pattern between two murders and believes there is a serial killer on the loose. However, her superiors have other ideas and urge her to just do the job she was sent to do. Elsewhere in the city, we are introduced to Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan), a psychologist, happily married with two adoring children and a nice family home. He also happens to be a serial killer with a penchant for tall brunettes who strikes again over the course of the episode, stalking his victim whilst taking his daughter for a walk in the park.
It is these central juxtapositions that make the first episode of The Fall an intriguing watch. First of all, the contrast of the hunter and the hunted is established in the opening scenes; both Gibson and Spector are seen going through the motions of their own routines, one in her own home, the other in someone else's. These scenes appear throughout the episode, tying the two characters together even if they don't realise it themselves yet. It also makes for an interesting dynamic as an audience member, employing a healthy dose of dramatic irony to produce a rather unsettling effect.
The rest of the episode was no less uncomfortable, particularly in the scenes with Paul as he goes about his two lives. Returning from stalking the house of his next victim, Paul comes home to find his young son waiting for him on the stairs, worried about where his father was gone. As shocks go, it was most extreme and unexpected, hammering home that this is a drama in which the domestic is every much linked to the criminality. Dornan's performance captures the two aspects well though with a hollow-eyed link between the two. He may smile with his kids, but it never goes to his eyes. I'll be interested to see if Paul manages to keep the two lives separate successfully because it already appears as if they're beginning to bleed into each other.
As for Gillian Anderson, it's a welcome return to investigation for her (though I do still expect Mulder to show up any second - it's just habit). Arguably given the harder task of playing the hero opposite an intriguing villain, Anderson gives a solid, if not showy performance, as Gibson and it is her scenes that provide a measure of security and comfort from the unsettling nature of Spector. It is also once again great to see a lead female role in such a drama, following on from the considerable performance of Olivia Colman in Broadchurch.
Though slow-burning, The Fall's central conceit of a 'whydunnit' as opposed to a 'who' makes this a compelling watch and I'll be interested to see whether it can maintain the uncomfortable atmosphere that it has established so well in the first instalment.
- Becky
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