The Fall

[Euan Uzami]

What?!  It didn't end!  THat's weak. We were disappointed 

At first we were similarly disappointed, though I think it is actually pretty good. There would have had to have been a hefty slice of Hollywood Policing for them to find at catch the killer.

Mmm... The trouble is the longer they string it out the better the ending has to be! It's got to be something less obvious than they find him through good old fashioned detective work and catch him.

(click to show/hide)

Maybe Gillian Anderson continues baiting him but in having got herself addicted to the thrill of baiting him for its own sake, doesn't catch him when she has the chance.

(click to show/hide)

We did think he was going to get killed by those gangsters that clamped his car. Otherwise what's the purpose of that storyline?

[Mr Larrington]

I'm not normally the sharpest at predicting storylines etc, but i did feel the
"To be continued" was a pretty strong message.

 

It was late, and Strong Drink had been Taken

[Jacomus]

What?!  It didn't end!  THat's weak. We were disappointed 

At first we were similarly disappointed, though I think it is actually pretty good. There would have had to have been a hefty slice of Hollywood Policing for them to find at catch the killer.

Mmm... The trouble is the longer they string it out the better the ending has to be! It's got to be something less obvious than they find him through good old fashioned detective work and catch him.

(click to show/hide)

Maybe Gillian Anderson continues baiting him but in having got herself addicted to the thrill of baiting him for its own sake, doesn't catch him when she has the chance.

(click to show/hide)

We did think he was going to get killed by those gangsters that clamped his car. Otherwise what's the purpose of that storyline?

(click to show/hide)

I saw the meeting of the bad boys and the subsequent clamping as happenstance - an aside that shows the viewer that this killer is not superhuman and a dose of bad luck can impact him.

What I haven't figured out is how he managed to ditch his Peugeot without his wife noticing.

[andyoxon]

I'm not normally the sharpest at predicting storylines etc, but i did feel the
"To be continued" was a pretty strong message.

 

Though if one watched on iplayer it cut off before the 'to be cont'd' caption, apparently - according to a wk colleague.

Thought the series was good; will watch the next one.

[mattc]

Series2 is going very well indeed.

If you haven't seen this week's, it's a must. Some proper action  - except of course in The Fall,  it's not ... 

[lisat]

Loving Gillian Anderson, but the ending had better be good as they are stringing it out a bit. Surely they would have pulled that teenager in straight after she broke into the house?

[Andrew]

I'm going off it. They're stringing it out. As mentioned above, there seems to 'oddities' in the plot line that just make you think 'nah, wouldn't happen'. When you start feeling that then the programme's lost it's direction/tension.

And as I mentioned in another thread, Gilliam Anderson's accent/vocal mannerisms have done for me. I find it irritating.

And that police chief bloke, is that a Groucho false beard/nose combo he's wearing!

But the baddie bloke, he's worth watching I reckon.

[clarion]

OK, who else thought this was about Mark E Smith and his somewhat acquired taste in music?

Every time I see this thread.. :\

[citoyen]

And as I mentioned in another thread, Gilliam Anderson's accent/vocal mannerisms have done for me. I find it irritating.

I didn't realise until this week's episode that she was supposed to be English!

It is getting a bit daft, but I suspect we'd be more indulgent of that if they all spoke Swedish and Gillian Anderson wore nice jumpers. I'm just suspending my disbelief and enjoying being taken along for the ride.

Can't help thinking it's all going to end badly for the babysitter.

[Mr Larrington]

A recent RT article reckoned that Gillian Anderson has done for silk blouses what Sofie Gråbøl did for woolly jumpers.

I have yet to see any evidence of this.

[Andrew]

I nearly remarked on Stella Gibson's (?) wardrobe of silk blouses. It was deliberately shown, as if there was some point to it; either character or plot related, probably the former. We may find that Stella herself, her personality or sexuality, form part of the motivation for Paul whatshisname's (the killer) actions. It's been hinted at, and Paul killer does seem attracted to her. My money's on a face-to-face showdown at some point, either kidnap/abduction or by chance.

[mattc]

A recent RT article reckoned that Gillian Anderson has done for silk blouses what Sofie Gråbøl did for woolly jumpers.

I have yet to see any evidence of this.

Have you been carefully monitoring sales of silk blouses?

[Andrew]

Who doesn't

[lisat]

Silk blouses, much nicer than a scratchy jumper.

[mattc]

Loving Gillian Anderson, but the ending had better be good as they are stringing it out a bit. Surely they would have pulled that teenager in straight after she broke into the house?

I can't remember the exact details now - but I'd guess it's in the hope she will lead them to Peter/paul?

I have to say I haven't noticed any significant plot holes/"oddities".

[lisat]

Had enough of it now. Despite the lovely Gillian looking fabulous it is fairly ludicrous that she is seconding officers to her team just because she fancies them. No wonder she hasn't pulled Spector in yet.

[Euan Uzami]

Well she can't yet can she - there's at least one more  episode  to go...
I'm sort of preparing for the possibility that they might leave it open for yet another series. I don't think anybody would accept him just not being caught again, but he might get ""killed"" , i.e. not "killed" as in resulting in actually being dead, but "killed" as in she (and everybody) thinks he's dead, but actually, oh what a surprise, he's survived. Could happen!? I think Rose Stagg could top him.

[lisat]

I think Rose Stagg could top him.

I like that idea.  He's playing her and could push it just a tad too far!

[Andrew]

I'm only half watching; doing sudoku whilst my wife watches SO I'm not really paying attention BUT...

...PS has changed. This change hasn't been explained. How is he motivated? He's no longer a serial killer and I don't get where he's at at the moment. We're to belief he enjoys causing and watching pain. But he kind of just skulks around, looking moody and being secretive.

There's a big dark secret being dangled, his dark world, that will presumably explain why he hasn't killed RS. Why he's developed an interest in Scully. Why he's spending his time grooming (an unbelievably) obsessed, silly teenager. At the moment, it doesn't add up for me and there's been insufficient tension (other than an illusory, faux and purported) to maintain my interest.

Why didn't they pull PS? Question him as a 'person of interest'? They have video footage of him breaking into Scully's hotel room, pull him over that. They could have had a face-to-face interview scene; teasing, ambigous, I know that you know, I know that you know that I know. Done before, yes, but a chance for actors to shine and always interesting.

I reckon they've had to impose a new trajectory after season 1 and they can't quite make it stick. Or they've no idea where they're going. Or, as succinctly stated earlier, they're stringing it out. There are some good performances, and it's well shot, but sadly the whole thing just doesn't stack up for me.

[Euan Uzami]

I'm only half watching; doing sudoku whilst my wife watches SO I'm not really paying attention BUT...

...PS has changed. This change hasn't been explained. How is he motivated? He's no longer a serial killer and I don't get where he's at at the moment. We're to belief he enjoys causing and watching pain. But he kind of just skulks around, looking moody and being secretive.

There's a big dark secret being dangled, his dark world, that will presumably explain why he hasn't killed RS. Why he's developed an interest in Scully. Why he's spending his time grooming (an unbelievably) obsessed, silly teenager. At the moment, it doesn't add up for me and there's been insufficient tension (other than an illusory, faux and purported) to maintain my interest.

Why didn't they pull PS? Question him as a 'person of interest'? They have video footage of him breaking into Scully's hotel room, pull him over that. They could have had a face-to-face interview scene; teasing, ambigous, I know that you know, I know that you know that I know. Done before, yes, but a chance for actors to shine and always interesting.

I reckon they've had to impose a new trajectory after season 1 and they can't quite make it stick. Or they've no idea where they're going. Or, as succinctly stated earlier, they're stringing it out. There are some good performances, and it's well shot, but sadly the whole thing just doesn't stack up for me.

Well, ostensibly, they haven't pulled him because they haven't got enough evidence (yet) to charge him, and he hasn't continued his killing spree 'cos it's too risky at the moment for him 'cos he knows they're onto him. And/or he hasn't murdered Rose Stagg 'cos he used to go out with her.
I sometimes get the impression he's only doing any of it to get close to Scully. I think he probably ultimately wants to be murdered by her, or something like that. So he's trying to make her angry enough and/or scared enough so that she will.
Why he's developed an interest in Scully? I think it's the other way round - that comes first. Might be something to do with why he only murders brunettes.

[Pickled Onion]

Surely it's simpler than that: they have to assume Rose is alive, which is likely as all the murders were discovered very quickly. If they bring him in or even let him know he's being followed, she'll be killed.

[Andrew]

My comments are primarily with regard to 'The Fall' as television. We all have differing opinions on the why's and wherefores of plot, so a 'believable' plot doesn't overly concern me. I put myself in the hands of the program makers in that respect. I let them take me on a journey. It's when that journey ceases being fun, that the questions begin.

For me, when you start picking holes in plot or character motivation then that is a sign that the program has lost its way. A well made film/program will carry you to the end regardless - that's if it knows what it's doing.

As I say, I reckon after season one they tried to change direction. Perhaps in response to audience response, don't know. Whyever, they've gotten lost. I'm not sure the directors/writers know what they are trying to say.

[Pickled Onion]

That's a good point - it was only commissioned as a single series, with the second series added because of the initial reception when it was broadcast.

[Euan Uzami]

Surely it's simpler than that: they have to assume Rose is alive, which is likely as all the murders were discovered very quickly. If they bring him in or even let him know he's being followed, she'll be killed.

I wonder if they've already let him know he's being followed, if nothing else, by crashing through the ceiling while trying to install a camera in his house.
They know he's reasonably intelligent, they'd have to be fools to think he doesn't know they're onto him.

I think part of him wants to kill Rose, to satisfy his evil perverted lust, but part of him doesn't because he feels sympathy for/a connection to her because they were in a relationship in a past life.

[Andrew]

I wonder if they've already let him know he's being followed, if nothing else, by crashing through the ceiling while trying to install a camera in his house.

 

And a window, in an uninsulated loft space, not boarded out either... I mean, I'd be on to the housing dept about that