TV on DVD

British crime drama retains its alluring grip in Season 2

DVD cover for season 2 of The Fall
DVD cover for season 2 of The Fall

What is it? The Fall, Season 2, six episodes on two discs from Acorn Media

How much? $39.99

When? Now

Fall of what? A serial killer. This is Season 2 for the acclaimed British crime drama.

The brunettes of Belfast, Ireland, are living in fear. A sadistic serial killer is stalking and killing young professional women.

But the perpetrator isn't your typical psychotic monster with crazy eyes and an anti-social personality. He's the seemingly respectable, normal Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan). Spector is a family man and works as a grief counselor, sympathetically helping people through their problems.

Of course, that's during the day. At night he's busy stalking his next victim.

Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson) is in Belfast, sent by Scotland Yard to try to find and stop the killer. She's smart, determined and work-obsessed. She's also got some demons, and doesn't shy away from messy romantic entanglements with co-workers.

Season 2 picks up a few days after Season 1 left off. Spector is on the run as the police get closer and closer to discovering his true identity, and his relationship with his wife begins to unravel. His children's baby sitter (Aisling Franciosi) also gets (willingly) drawn deeper into his web.

Meanwhile, Gibson deals with mounting pressure from the press and her superiors to bring the case to a satisfactory close. When another woman disappears, the situation becomes even more critical.

And now that Gibson is getting more certain that Spector is her man and Spector knows she's on his trail, things get more personal.

How is it? Slow-moving, but engrossing. This is a series that takes its time. But the acting and characters are compelling enough that it doesn't feel plodding.

The Fall really delves deeply into the characters, showing all their dimensions. Gibson is far from being a simplistic warrior for good. Is she good? Yes. But she's also complicated and makes very human mistakes.

Similarly, Spector, while an inhuman monster in many ways, also has a caring, compassionate side, particularly when it comes to his young daughter (Sarah Beattie). But that aspect of his personality, in a way, makes him seem even more terrifying.

And a word of warning: the ending is sort of a cliffhanger, though a third season is in the works.

Who would like this? Fans of the Prime Suspect series starring Helen Mirren might find this an acceptable substitute. Strong, flawed female lead? Check. Complicated mystery? Check. Ambiguity all around? Check.

One word of advice, though: Watch Season 1 first. Season 2 picks up midstream so if you haven't seen the first part, you'll be pretty lost.

Extras? There are some deleted scenes and a 12-minute behind-the-scenes featurette with the usual cast and crew interviews.

New this week: Jack Irish, Season 1; Mystery Science Theater 3000, XXXVI.

Next week: The Blacklist, Season 3; Blindspot, Season 1; Cashmere Mafia, complete series; Dennis the Menace, complete series; The Girlfriend Experience, Season 1; Key and Peele, complete series; The Knick, Season 2; Murdoch Mysteries, Season 9; Silent Witness, Season 3; Titanic, miniseries; World War II: When the Lions Roared, miniseries.

Style on 07/24/2016

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