The critically acclaimed BBC crime drama The Fall, which holds a 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, is now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. The series, which ran for three seasons, is set and shot in Northern Ireland.
Plot and Cast
The drama centres on Gillian Anderson's character, Metropolitan Police Superintendent Stella Gibson, who is deployed to Belfast to reassess a stagnant murder inquiry. Opposite her is Jamie Dornan as Paul Spector, the serial murderer she has been assigned to track down.
First broadcast on BBC Two in 2013, The Fall ran for three series before concluding in 2016. It earned widespread acclaim for subverting conventional whodunnit conventions by revealing the killer's identity from the beginning.
Critical Reception
Rather than hiding the killer, the episodes focus on Stella's meticulous investigation alongside Spector's chilling double life as a seemingly ordinary husband and father who secretly preys upon young professional women. The critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes called the series "unapologetically sexy with pressure-building tension driven by plausible characters and motifs."
On IMDb, one fan described it as an absorbing, "spine-tingling" experience, praising both leads. Another reviewer noted the intrigue surrounding Spector's character stemmed from the disturbing normality he projects, saying it was unsettling to see "someone who has such an ordinary life (wife, kids, job) being such an evil person on the inside."
Viewer Praise and Legacy
Anderson's portrayal earned significant admiration, with one viewer describing her as "an excellent choice as lead detective." Additional critics applauded the atmosphere of menace, with one declaring the programme "interesting, dark and detailed with real people and real issues."
One reviewer wrote: "Well written, excellent cinematography, keeps you hooked and on the edge of your seat. Characters are complex and not predictable, and also develop as the plot develops." The show's influence has stretched beyond the UK and Ireland, particularly following its French adaptation titled Insoupçonnable.
All three seasons of The Fall are currently available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
