The Fall, Series 1 DVD Review

 ***Complimentary copy received in exchange for an honest review***

 

A taut and suspenseful thriller starring Emmy® and Golden Globe winner Gillian Anderson (The X-Files, Bleak House, The Crimson Petal and the White), THE FALL, SERIES 1 makes its North American DVD debut on October 15, 2013 from Acorn, an RLJ Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: RLJE) brand. Written by Allan Cubitt (Murphy’s Law, Prime Suspect 2), the series follows DSI Stella Gibson, a steely detective on the trail of a serial killer stalking the streets of Belfast. When it debuted on the BBC in May 2013, The Fall was the highest-rated drama premiere in eight years for BBC Two. The DVD 2-Disc set features five episodes of the suspenseful and critically acclaimed series, plus bonus behind-the-scenes featurette (12 min.) ($39.99, AcornOnline.com).

Gillian Anderson smolders as a British detective summoned to Belfast to solve a high-profile murder. She quickly recognizes the signs of a serial killer, but the culprit (Jamie Dornan, Once Upon a Time, Marie Antoinette) has already targeted his next victim. Over five engrossing episodes, this psychological thriller follows both the hunter and the hunted as they attempt to outmaneuver each other in “an intriguing game of cat and mouse” (The Sunday Times).

Heralded as “one of the best BBC dramas in years” (The Guardian), The Fall proves as riveting as it is unsettling, granting rare insight into the mind of a sociopath. Critics rave that “Anderson is sublime, almost otherworldly, while Dornan…matches her for icy charisma” (Daily Mail). The stellar cast also features Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife, Bend It Like Beckham) John Lynch (Hard Times, In the Name of the Father), Laura Donnelly (Merlin), and Michael McElhatton (Game of Thrones).

Bonus: Behind-the-scenes featurette (12 min.)

Street: Oct. 15, 2013                         SRP: $39.99              

DVD 2-Disc Set – 5 episodes – Approx. 306 min., plus bonus – SDH subtitles – UPC 0-54961211890

ISBN 9781621721185

Contains nudity, disturbing images, and sexual situations 

My Thoughts

I was a huge fan of Gillian Anderson when she was on X-files so I was excited to see her on the small screen again. The Fall was not disappointing. The Fall is a five part psychological thriller ripe with intrigue. Anderson plays a female detective in London's Metropolitan Police Service who visits Belfast to assist with a murder case. A woman in a man's world, she dives into the gruesome murder investigations with gusto and has no qualms about getting her hands dirty as she hunts down a serial killer. 

One interesting aspect of this series is that its not just about the police looking or the killer. The scenes are divided pretty evenly between the detective and the murderer, giving you a disturbing look inside a deranged mind. Jamie Dornon does an outstanding job of bringing his vile character to life in true Hannibal Lector style.  Its chilling watching him go from a mild mannered family man to a cold-blooded killer.  In fact, there are a lot of comparisons between this series and Silence of the Lambs, including the connection between the cop and the serial killer. Throughout the show, the detective is striving to outwit the killer before he takes another victim. While it isn't particularly past-faced, what it lacks in action it makes up for in tenseness.  This sometimes gruesome series is a must watch for lovers or crime drama and thrillers alike.

 ***Please note that I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. The opinions expressed in the review are my own and were not influenced in any way.***