The Fall (TV Series) What Is in Me Dark Illumine (2014) User Reviews

Incredible acting and dialogue tainted by a poor finish

[ratpackaustin · 9/10 · 26 November 2021]

This deserved a 10/10 rating 99% percent of the way through the episode. Sure there were some unbelievable things (mainly jimmy's part), but still a great episode.

THE GOOD: The interrogation scene between Stella and Paul was everything we hoped it would be for two seasons. The dialogue between the characters is intelligent and believable. Stella tried to get the whole story while Paul tries to leave his mark in her mind. Overall an excellent scene.

THE BAD: Jimmy. Why is this still a thing in the show? I haven't cared about Jimmy or his wife's story for a long time, and yet the show still treats it as crucial plot.

THE UGLY: Did we really end the second season with Paul getting shot by Jimmy? All the while he gazes up at Stella in her arms. Just a weird ending.

Overall this is a fantastic episode even with the weak finish.

Cut short

[GameAndWatch · 8/10 · 2 January 2015]

A good ending to the series with a few great moments in the interview room (notably the dialogue).

The best part of this series is Spectre not portrayed as a one- dimensional evil character. We get to see his caring nice side both at home and at work. This is juxtaposed with his sadistic pleasures.

In the grand scheme of things justice is served. Even if Paul is falsely accused and punished for it.

The story was tied up very neatly (it felt more and more contrived towards the end).

The acting and filming were great. The story ultimately just felt lacking. And upon reflection I could have happily bypassed the lot of it . The BBC should plough their resources into intelligent drama. There were some meagre nuggets of brilliance here.

Scully cant you do the autopsy yourself ??

[nicofreezer · 7/10 · 22 March 2021]

Even if I dont like what happen with Paul, he should have remain a mystery a lot longer... I am scare for Season 3, what else to tell ? And what a stupid twist if Stella love Paul

Season 2: Engaging thanks to good forward movement in narrative, and good cold tension throughout – although the ending really didn't work for me at all

[bob the moo · 15 February 2015]

Although I enjoyed the first season, there was an element of it which seemed trying too hard to be cold and distant, and to a point there never seemed to be any doubt in the production that there would be a second season, and a lot of this seemed to be running through the first season in terms of its pace of delivery. Whether this was the case or not, the second season certainly returns with much more of a feeling of a show that is building to a conclusion. With Paul trying to stay away from trouble in Scotland, while Stella continues to hunt for the killer, things have a sudden start and it is not long till Paul is drawn back to Belfast to try to tidy up loose ends, which sees the net closing in on him.

The sense of things building is what makes this second season work better than the first for me. Where in the first we mainly had Paul acting as hunter, creating tense and horrifying murders, here we have a lot more of the investigation starting to close in on him, thus playing more to Gibson as the hunter. Although there are some aspects that don't totally work, and aspects where logic would suggest it would not play out that way, generally the narrative is engaging, tense and nicely paced. Although they do not really meet till late in the season, there is a tangible interplay between the two main characters, with each of them having flaws making them more interesting as characters. The still, cold delivery remains, but worked better for me here since it was paired with a narrative that was not so equally still as the style.

In terms of the story, I won't say anything about the ending apart from that it was pretty poor. I'm sure the aim for a third season was a big part of it ending as it did, however it was unsatisfying, a bit random, and generally didn't fit with the rest of the episode, far less the rest of the season. I do not mind the lack of closure, just the manner in which it is done – in particular the final 60 seconds feel like they had alternative versions that could have been dropped in and that this one was the "ratings are good, let's do a third" option – although perhaps this is too cynical. Performances are mostly very good. Anderson is a bit too "cold predatory" in her character, although here has some more personal background which allows her to do more than just that. Dornan is much better and he is quite chilling no matter what he is doing. Support is generally good, although not everyone gets a chance to develop a character so much as deliver on specific lines – there is nobody who is not good though.

When the second season returned, I waited till the end to see the general reception it got before I decided to return. I guess for a possible third season I would do the same again – not because I didn't enjoy the second season (I did) but just because of the disappointing nature of the ending. Despite this though the second season had a good narrative which worked well with the clinical approach, and was driven by several good performances and characters, moving around each other as the tense events played out.

Milking a show for FAR more than its worth

[billsoccer · 6/10 · 20 August 2022]

Ok, we finally see Paul giving in to the inevitable, but why not stop when all the evidence is in? Why try to get a season 3 out of it? Does Paul survive (who cares)? Are we to find that Paul is innocent? More random sexual encounters to come? Terrible ending - just to milk the audience and sponsors.

Could have been so much better, I won't bother with Series 3, I've seen the reviews!

[bonzodog-29475 · 1/10 · 2 November 2020]

I almost find myself wanting to shout at the TV. I'm just halfway through the final episode of season 2. Why does Stella always wear low cut blouses and show cleavage? People have already commented on her whispered dialogue, that's annoying enough , but she could have been dressed by wardrobe as a senior police officer. Anyway, moving on, her interview with Paul was intense, quite gripping. But almost the next scene she's in bed with DC Tom. WHAT DOES THIS SERIES SAY ABOUT MEN? They are all so weak that she only has to ask and they want to go to bed with her? She's only had one refusal in 2 series and that was a female and it was obvious that she wanted to bed her too. For one, life isn't like that. Men aren't just sexual objects that can perform like sex Gods whenever a demand is made. And how come they are always free and willing, even the married ones. It was an unnecessary addition to the script. But also going back, how come it took so long to find where the last victim Rose had been held? There were plenty of clues way back or are the NI police just useless. And when the baby sitter was lying in interview didn't they just destroy her lies by asking what had happened at the hotel , and then showing a video showing nothing had happened? Bang, job done. Incidentally, she was apparently arrested but they never said for what? Then we have Jimmy who's cut off his tag, being wanted for being involved in a shooting AND has been to a women's refuge, assaulted his ex wife and staff, brandished a gun but is still driving around in the reporters car he commandeered. Stupid and unbelievable. Let alone the rubbish non existent police procedures. As in her confession interview with Paul. ie. For the benefit of the tape xyz has entered the room. ... OK just watched to the end. Still silly, Stella sent off to go walking in the woods. Finds Rose's car. (I'd love to know how Paul got it there? Stupid) Stella still alive. Get back to Paul (Why did it take a convoy of SIX vehicles to go there incidentally, INCLUDING AN AMBULANCE NO DOUBT WITH PARAMEDIC. There's a shooting, Jimmy is there and shoots Paul and wounds Tom (who Stella has just been to bed with.) Much shouting and screaming. We need a paramedic, oh dear chopper can't land, too many trees. BUT YOU'VE GOT AN AMBULANCE AND A PARAMEDIC. And who is Stella cradling in her arms? Tom, a police officer. A guy she's had sex with. No. She's cradling Paul in her arms. A psycho killer who's gazing up into her eyes. Fade to titles.

But again, the chopper noticed the photographer and alerted officers on the ground, but didn't see the car and Jimmy either. It's just too ridiculous and stupid for words. Oh and last thing that is pathetic, the police communications. I've said enough.

It's quite engaging BUT IT'S TOTAL RUBBISH. And from reviews I've seen of season 3 not worth continuing with. IMDB suggested Homelands was a similar series. Homelands was serious and brilliant all the way back to the first series. This comes nowhere near. Sorry for the rant, I'm just wondering why I didn't quite a couple of episode back? Blame Covid, rubbish and repeats on tv?

EDIT: I just looked at season 3 on iPlayer where each episode has a summary described and believe it or not even by ep 6, the final episode, Paul has not gone to trial AND HE'S BEING PRESENTED WITH FURTHER EVIDENCE. For Christ's sake didn't they have enough at the end of series 2? Talking about dragging it out. I will not bother with series 3. THE END.

Irish joke

[dierregi · 1/10 · 11 December 2022]

Anyone familiar with police interrogation would know that the Stella-Paul "conversation" is beyond absurd. Paul gets a chance to blabber on his pseudo-philosophical gibberish and Stella is behaving like a psychiatrist rather than a police person. Pure rubbish.

Stella "crying" when Paul's silly child is being interrogated is another element that makes me despise this show. Stella is such a fake modern woman, a messed-up female who's supposed to be strong, and sexually active in a predatory way but also sensitive with children like every good woman should. She's such a feminist, bedding Jim and then metaphorically spitting on him, just like a misogynist would use a woman and then despise her. So, being a strong woman basically just means being a reverse misogynist.

And all that talk about "feelings" is so not police procedure...or maybe it is in Ireland, where police people do not seem too smart but base all their decisions on "gut feelings"... and you see how well that turns out.