25 Days of Crime-mas Day 16: The Fall is a must-watch

While sadly no longer on Netflix, The Fall is a TV crime drama that you need to check out. Here’s what makes this so spectacular.

You’ve seen Jamie Dornan in 50 Shades of Grey, but now it’s time to watch him in a series that will show off his acting skills spectacularly. The Fall is a must-watch for everyone and is our suggestion for Day 16 of the 25 Days of Crime-mas.

This British drama puts Dornan on-screen with the brilliant Gillian Anderson. Here’s a look at all about this spectacular crime drama.

Three seasons of pure genius

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The drama isn’t a long one. Right now, there are just three seasons of the series. Dornan won’t return if the show does return, but Anderson is interested. However, it’s going to take some time to bring the show back.

This BBC Two drama tells the tale of Superintendent Stella Gibson, a senior investigating officer who has to review investigations. It starts with her assessing the investigation into a murder that’s been active for more than 28 days. It’s clear there’s a serial killer on the loose, and Stella must catch him.

We enter this cat and mouse game between Stella and the suspect, Paul Spector. Can Stella get him before he kills any more professional women?

Allan Cubitt developed the series while reading a book about Dennis Rader. He was supposed to be researching for another show but ended up developing this one based on the book and inspiration from the research. At no point was this show a whodunnit, but focused on the cat and mouse game, as we watched Paul in action and Stella attempt to stop him.

The cast of The Fall

Anderson and Dornan take on the two lead roles, Stella and Paul. However, there are many more that make up the cast.

John Lynch, Bronagh Waugh, Stuart Graham, and Niamh McGrady take on important roles in the development of the main characters and the story. Waugh is one of the most important as Sally Ann Spector, wife of Paul. The story for her is focused on a woman who sees one side to her husband but eventually learns the truth about his actions.

As the series was set in Belfast, it was essential to have Irish and Norther Irish actors. Dornan was the first to join the cast, but the show also landed the likes of Star Wars‘ Genevieve O’Reilly, Outlander‘s Laura Donnelly, and Finding Joy‘s Aisling Bea.

Why you need to watch The Fall

This is one of those shows that offers much more than a whodunnit storyline. You’re told who the murderer is. This is something that you know from almost the beginning. The story is all about why he’s doing it.

Fans of Criminal Minds will adore The Fall. It’s a story that brings out the psychological behaviors of Paul Spector. How can a man with a wife and children decide to kill people? What drives him to do such a thing.

Then with that comes the psychological element for Stella. She needs to find Paul before he attacks again. Her job is to protect the innocent people in the world from Paul. What does the job do to her mental state?

Which episodes to watch?

British dramas have this serialized format to them. It makes it near impossible to watch individual episodes for the fun of it. The Fall is like that. You need to watch from the beginning and catch each episode in turn.

The benefit is that there are five or six episodes per season. Sadly, the show is no longer on Netflix, but it’s worth buying through Amazon Prime until it’s clear where it’s heading to stream.

What do you think of The Fall? What are you watching in the run-up to Christmas? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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