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The Fall
S1.E1
All episodesAll
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IMDbPro

Dark Descent

  • Episode aired May 28, 2013
  • TV-MA
  • 1h
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
2.8K
YOUR RATING
Simon Delaney in The Fall (2013)
CrimeDramaThriller

DSI Stella Gibson is called in to review a murder case left unsolved for 28 days.DSI Stella Gibson is called in to review a murder case left unsolved for 28 days.DSI Stella Gibson is called in to review a murder case left unsolved for 28 days.

  • Director
    • Jakob Verbruggen
  • Writer
    • Allan Cubitt
  • Stars
    • Gillian Anderson
    • Jamie Dornan
    • Laura Donnelly
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.8/10
    2.8K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Jakob Verbruggen
    • Writer
      • Allan Cubitt
    • Stars
      • Gillian Anderson
      • Jamie Dornan
      • Laura Donnelly
    • 4User reviews
    • 9Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos41

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    Top Cast26

    Edit
    Gillian Anderson
    Gillian Anderson
    • DSU Stella Gibson
    Jamie Dornan
    Jamie Dornan
    • Paul Spector
    Laura Donnelly
    Laura Donnelly
    • Sarah Kay
    Gerard McCarthy
    Gerard McCarthy
    • Kevin McSwain
    Tara Egan Langley
    Tara Egan Langley
    • Fiona
    Gerard Jordan
    Gerard Jordan
    • Brian Stone
    Niamh McGrady
    Niamh McGrady
    • PC Danielle Ferrington
    David Beattie
    • Liam Spector
    Sarah Beattie
    • Olivia Spector
    Bronagh Waugh
    Bronagh Waugh
    • Sally Ann Spector
    John Lynch
    John Lynch
    • ACC Jim Burns
    Frank McCusker
    Frank McCusker
    • DCI Garrett Brink
    Séainín Brennan
    Séainín Brennan
    • Liz Tyler
    • (as a different name)
    Brian Milligan
    Brian Milligan
    • James Tyler
    Simon Delaney
    Simon Delaney
    • Jerry McElroy
    Gemma McCorry
    • Alice Monroe
    Lisa Dwyer Hogg
    Lisa Dwyer Hogg
    • Marion Kay
    • (as Lisa Hogg)
    Joanne Crawford
    Joanne Crawford
    • Joan Jennings
    • Director
      • Jakob Verbruggen
    • Writer
      • Allan Cubitt
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews4

    7.82.8K
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    Featured reviews

    8Sleepin_Dragon

    An excellent start.

    The Fall is another of those series that I didn't get into at the time, but given the lack of new drama, and reviews I felt I should revisit.

    I was wrong, this is an impressive debut, while it doesn't have the mystery element, it is the beginning of a cracking game of cat and mouse.

    Gillian Anderson is excellent as Stella, I'd argue it's her finest acting role. It's also obvious from this why Jamie Dornan had such a good career, he is one impressive chap.

    Paul Spector is an absolute monster, he's clearly a psychopath, but one who's able to function well in the real world that makes him a very unique threat.

    Belfast is not safe from Spector. 8/10.
    6wes_harding

    So far: Drama that lacks psychological depth

    First of all, the cinematography. The camera always seems to me to be a little too close to the action, which could perhaps be due to the fact that this is a TV production. The tracking shot in the Spectors' house is an exception, in which certain cinematic ambitions are recognizable.

    Now to the character of Paul Spector. The juxtaposition of a family man with a job and a murderous shadow identity seems interesting at first. I liked the details in which Spector plays with being caught (sketch of the client; diary under the pillow). Nevertheless, I don't quite buy Jamie Dornan's role. A man who has such sexual fantasies as he does while living a normal lifestyle should, in my opinion, feel a deep conflict within himself. Dornan's portrayal has not yet convinced me in this respect. He seems like a normal man playing the serial killer without the psychological trauma that comes with it. Of course, you could say that he's just a psychopath who doesn't feel any human emotions and, while watching his daughter dance, just shows them off and doesn't really feel them. But if that were the case, I would still have liked to see a certain split in the portrayal, so that it becomes clear exactly when the actual personality - that of the murderer - is revealed.

    Nevertheless, I see a certain potential in the series and will watch at least the first season to the end. I'm curious to see whether the character of Paul Spector will develop.
    7Christmasmoviewatcher

    Hiding behind my hands

    Half way into the second episode and I'm frankly hiding behind my hands. Doran is terrifying but so good - and Anderson is excellent. I think its his casual disregard of women which scares me - and probably most women. I can see me watching all of this though - got serious potential.

    Related interests

    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime
    Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monáe, André Holland, Herman Caheej McGloun, Edson Jean, Alex R. Hibbert, and Tanisha Cidel in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      German TV cut episodes 1-11 down to 6 episodes, with a run-time of 90 minutes each.
    • Quotes

      Ned Callan: [fishing for a news story] So why bring someone in from the outside? That looks remarkably like a vote of no confidence in the PSNI and its ability to run an internal murder investigative review, don't you think? What have you found so far? Staggering levels of incompetence?

      Stella Gibson: Mister Callan, no one knows better than me how important the media is as an investigative resource. But really and truly, you should fuck off.

      Stella Gibson: Now.

    • Soundtracks
      Morning of New Joy
      (uncredited)

      Performed by Aisling Franciosi

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 28, 2013 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Northern Ireland, UK
    • Production companies
      • Artists Studio
      • Northern Ireland Screen
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h(60 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 16:9 HD

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