The Fall (TV series)

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The Fall is a crime drama and thriller TV series set in Northern Ireland. It stars Gillian Anderson as Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson and Jamie Dornan as serial killer Paul Spector. Created and written by Allan Cubitt, the show was produced by Artists Studio and aired on BBC Two in the UK, RTÉ One in Ireland, and ZDFneo in Germany. It ran for three series, totaling 17 episodes, from 2013 to 2016.

Plot in simple terms: Stella Gibson is a senior investigator who is brought to the Police Service of Northern Ireland to review a murder case that has dragged on for weeks. A serial killer is stalking Belfast, targeting young professional women. Gibson teams up with local detectives to find and stop the killer, Paul Spector, while facing challenges inside and outside the police.

Development and style: Cubitt was inspired by the BTK killer, Dennis Rader, and designed the show so the killer is identified early. This lets the story focus on motives, psychology, and the impact of the crimes. The first five-episode series was ordered by BBC Two in 2012. The show received funding from Northern Ireland Screen and the European Regional Development Fund. Jakob Verbruggen directed the first series; Gillian Anderson was cast first, followed by Jamie Dornan. For the second series, Cubitt directed and Anderson became an executive producer. The third series aired in 2016, with Dornan’s role concluding in that run. There were discussions about future seasons.

Cast highlights: In addition to Anderson and Dornan, the cast includes Archie Panjabi, Bronagh Waugh, Niamh McGrady, John Lynch, Colin Morgan, Aisling Bea, Ruth Bradley, and others. The series developed a strong following for its mood, tension, and slow-burn storytelling.

Reception and availability: The Fall received positive reviews, especially for its first season, with critics praising its tension and performances. The third season drew more mixed reactions. The show appeared on Netflix in the United States and Canada during its run, and the complete series was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the United States in 2017. In 2016, France began a remake called Insoupçonnable (Unsuspected) with a new cast.