Tuesday, November 1, 2016

“Obscurities and Irish Coppers: The Show You Haven’t Been Watching on NETFLIX”


“Obscurities and Irish Coppers: The Show You Haven’t Been Watching on NETFLIX”

NEW ARRIVALS
DRAMA/NETFLIX ORIGINALS


THE FALL
(2013-2016, Approx. 60 minutes per episode, 18 ep., BBC NORTHERN IRELAND)

I hate using the words “atmospheric” and “moody” when it comes to foreign shows about killers and cops. But if you are looking for a visual definition of both of those over-used adjectives, look no further than BBC’s THE FALL.

Starring Gillian Anderson as Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson and Jamie Dornan as serial killer Paul Spector, this is a tale of what drives us, what consumes us, and what we do to save ourselves when things start to fall apart. It’s also about protecting ourselves from our own destructive behavior, and how we can never outrun our demons. This is a smart, thoughtful show—even more so in its third (and what looks to be final) season. It focuses on the little things that make us human, and exploits them in such a way as to show that it’s all the little parts of the psyche that can drive you mad or make you desperate for utter control.

The newly posted third season picks up within minutes of that “what the hell did she just do?!?” finale of the choppy second season. And if the frenetic energy of the first episode doesn’t grab you, you need to go back to watching sitcoms with laugh-tracks and old episodes of “Murder, She Wrote.” There is not really a weak episode in this final act, but that first one (not to mention the shocking finale) may change what you expect from your TV.


If the first season focused on the crime, and the second on the capture, this one centers on the strengthening of the case against Spector, and the aftermath of the events of the previous storylines. Allowing Dorner to explore a different side of the totally mental killer makes for smart television; if you find yourself sympathizing with the psychopath, the writer/director has done his job right. And Allan Cubitt does his job exceedingly well. The acting, as usual is superb. Anderson shows the same depth she did in the previous arcs, and it never gets tiring. Her Gibson is achingly human; watching how easily she connects with victims yet struggles so internally with her colleagues is heartbreaking at times.


And Dorner…oh, Dorner. You sexy, violent beast, you. The surprises he has in store for you this time around are even viler than before, because it’s no longer just a matter of the serial killer at large. Now, it’s a matter of do they really have the animal caged? And what kind of animal is it, exactly?

Surprisingly, this show has yet to be recognized by any American awards shows; it has yet to win an Emmy, which is a shame that needs to be corrected. Again, that first episode… it is poetic, violent in its realistic ballet of doctors saving lives, and brutal in its honest portrayal of normal people caught up in horrible circumstances. If only every show you watch this year showed the same painstaking care that this one does when it comes to dealing with its characters and subject matter…

And if none of that makes you want to watch the show, remember: Irish people have really cool accents. You’re welcome.


Series Grade: A-
Season Three Grade: A


-- T.S. Kummelman

You guys have been a little slow, lately…no challenges?!? This is a lot easier than it sounds, kids; Netflix always throws some stupid sounding queues together for you (Quirky Bollywood Movies, Foreign Horror Comedies, etc), so think of something creative and make me hunt this stuff down! Otherwise, I’m binge watching “Stranger Things” as many times as I can over the next few weeks…

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