A Potpourri of Vestiges Feature
By Marie Miguel
By Marie Miguel
Television from the British Isles has a somewhat deserved
reputation for being bland, boring or simply difficult for foreigners to
understand. The 2013 - 2016 series The Fall, however, is none of those
things, and manages to entertain while exploring themes many of us would rather
not think about.
Obsession, Longing and Unrestrained Impulses
Many modern classics are based on the idea that modern
society is, in a fundamental sense, not in good health. In The Fall,
this is illustrated through a battle of wits between a detective (played by
Gillian Anderson) and a mentally disturbed serial killer portrayed by Jamie
Dornan.
If this series had been produced in Hollywood, you would
expect overblown characters, car chases, explosions and frankly improbable plot
twists. The Fall has none of those. Instead, the cinematography tends
towards the slow, meaningful development of a complex story through gradual
exposition. If you have to hear a song or see a fight to know that a dramatic
point is being made, this show is not for you. If, however, you find pleasure
in seeing how every gesture and every facial expression contributes to telling
what is a great – if troubling – story, you will not regret spending a few
hours watching it.
Few Recognizable Faces but Fantastic Characterization
While Gillian Anderson will struggle to ever live down
the X Files, she simply shines in the lead role here. She plays a
self-assured, competent yet somewhat insecure police inspector called from
London to investigate a murder in Belfast. The yang to her yin
is Paul Spector, a complicated character who may have benefited from having
access to a therapist or therapy earlier in his life.
There is little whodunit-style mystery involved: it's
clear from the start that Spector is the killer. He is, however, not a social
recluse who delights in torturing cats: he's handsome, works as a grief counselor, is (apparently) happily married and has two young children. He
could literally be the person living next door to you, which adds rather than
detracts from the psychological tension this series induces.
Why to Watch It
You would not watch The Fall for simple
entertainment. It is, however, intellectual without being obnoxious,
intelligent without being stilted and moral without being preachy. In many
ways, watching this series is more like reading a book.
Women, in particular, will enjoy seeing a strong female
lead portrayed in a meaningful way. Too many television series either neglect
the idea that women can do “masculine” jobs completely, or seem to select their
characters from a very small pool of cookie-cutter archetypes. Without giving
away too much of the plot, I can reasonably say that all characters in The
Fall are flawed in real ways – not to make them seem more endearing, just
as real people have their faults.
Why Not to Watch It
This show is not intended for children, or even most
adults. Although the main focus is psychological, the scenes of torture and
violence it contains are likely to offend many people. Some pretty dark
philosophy is referenced – the killer, Spector, reads Nietsche, while the title
of the show is derived from the poem The Hollow Men by T. S. Eliot.
Still, if you have the stomach for it, The Fall, while
controversial, stands nearly alone in how it treats mental illness and
violence. It isn't Psych, it isn't Midsomer Murders: but if you
need a break from vapid, purposeless television, The Fall is exactly
what you need to see.
About Author -
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade; covering a variety of health related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.
Readers, please feel free to share your opinion by leaving your comments. As always your valuable thoughts are highly appreciated!
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