The Fall 2013

Spreading and sprawling over 17 episodes this is a compelling disturbing thriller about a serial killer who murders and plays sadistic games with his victims who are young pretty professional women who have some things in common including their dark hair. Set in Belfast that city of troubles, we immediately know who the killer is and most of the series is taken up with catching him. This big job falls on Stella Gibson a police superintendent based in London who is called up to take charge of the investigation that is a tough and dangerous assignment.

This role is played by the great actress Gillian Anderson who gives a superb performance, that is nuanced, complex and brilliant to watch. She is a small person in height, I always thought of her as being tall I guess because of her soaring performances but she is small and commanding as she walks in heels down drab police station corridors in her elegant but simple silk blouses and skirts. Matching her in giving a great performance is Jamie Dornan in his big breakthrough role as the killer. Casting him was a clever move on the part of the creative team as he is very good looking which is one of the top most features of this role, how can someone who is so beautiful be so horrible. He is also married and a father to two children who he is adoring and loving to, which also complicates our feelings for him. How can he be such a monster I found myself asking over and over. He works as a grief counselor for abused and troubled women and their families, and his compassion for them is genuine, but is also troubling and twisted. This is one sick dude.

There are the generally favored and somewhat overused plot devices that one finds in these police criminal thrillers, the troubled childhood full of abuse and anger is on the top of the list, but the series written and created by Allan Cubitt is so well done and acted that we can accept some of the cliches that usually come with this kind of story. It is also violent in many parts which is also common in these dramas, but I think most of us can handle it.