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The Fall - Series 3 on BBC 2.


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Old 29-10-2016, 00:39
Menime123
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The 3rd series wasn't what I wanted it to be, but that hasn't made it any less compelling.

I am surprised Paul is dead to be honest. I'm not surprised he tried to kill himself, because after Gibson told him she wanted him alive for real justice, I was sure he'd try to kill himself in an attempt to have the final win in the cat and mouse game they've played. What I'm surprised at is that he succeeded.

They'd be fools not to introduce a new killer for Stella to find. Gibson is such a fascinating character that I think The Fall could survive without Spector. We see Gibson back in London, so I'd like to see her working there trying to find someone.

So was he lying or was his amnesia real? I think it's left up to the viewer, but I do think attacking Stella heavily indicates he was making it all up - she got to 'the him' we watched in the first 2 series and that guy's ego got the better of this new, almost innocent version.
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Old 29-10-2016, 00:47
Miss T Eye
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...............As soon as Gibson said she'd wanted him to survive to see him brought to justice, and he looked back at her with the merest hint of a smile, I knew then he was going to kill himself ... both to avoid jail and to spite her.
Yes, I came to the same conclusion.

Spector's hint of a smile was almost creepy. He really hated her being able to control him and analyse him during the police interrogations. The final straw for him was Stella's refusal to believe he had lost his memory therefore scuppering his 'get out of jail' card.

A small part of me wanted Spector's nurse (the one who seemed to lust after him) to see what he had done to Stella. Unfortunately, it appears she eventually got a day off after working all the hours round the clock looking after the Belfast Strangler!
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Old 29-10-2016, 00:48
sunhillpc1
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Absolutely wonderful season finale.

I found it to be a rather heartbreaking irony that spectors daughter ended up in the system

Jamie was truly chilling
She's in a much better place than Spector was in when he was a child. Foster care is better than being in a "children's home", i.e. Gortnacaul, where Fr Jensen and other members of staff sexually abused boys.
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Old 29-10-2016, 00:48
ffa1
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Just glad its all over. Very poor third series. Glad the scumbag is brown bread!
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Old 29-10-2016, 00:51
Dimsie
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So we never did find out if he was faking the amnesia?

Are we supposed to make our own mind up?
I think on balance it looks like he was faking it, he knew Stella knew he was faking and that's why he attacked her. I really wasn't prepared for that, a very brutal attack though she seemed little the worse for it.

I didn't see the first series and had to read the background before watching the second, but really enjoyed both it and this last one. Some excellent acting from many people and some truly scary moments, but I also enjoyed the slower pace of this series as we got to learn about Spector's past and how it led to him becoming a killer. We also saw the effect his crimes had on his family and on Katie (weird girl) and how determined Stella was to bring him to justice. I wonder how it must feel to almost get a killer into court, but then he escapes justice, I imagine it would be devastating and Stella certainly looked shattered.

Overall an excellent series and I'll miss it. It was different from the usual murder stories, more thought provoking.
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Old 29-10-2016, 00:53
sunhillpc1
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I was so gullible I thought Paul was just on the old escape attempt He seemed to making a good go of tying everyone up in the building, so sure why not? :P
I think he knew he wouldn't get far if he left the building - the security guard at the gatehouse would have seen him on CCTV and called the police and - even after that - the world knew who he was at that point. Therefore, he would have been cornered eventually.
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Old 29-10-2016, 00:57
mgns
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So we never did find out if he was faking the amnesia?

Are we supposed to make our own mind up?
I've not watched the first 2 series so I don't know the whole background to Spector and could be totally misguided.

My guess or interpretation is that, the 3rd series started with Spector deciding not to accept death/the bright light on account of his children. I guess he faked the amnesia in an attempt to get away with everything and be a good dad.

After Spector realises the police have finally trapped him using the London murder, the 3rd series ends with Spector accepting death and his evil/perverse side. He does this by strangling the other inmate and then getting his jollies with a plastic bag etc.

I'm still wondering about the significance of the “He that loves not abides in death,” quote. Maybe, Spector accepted evil and death whilst Gibson (using her chat with Katie Benedetto) accepted love and life.
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Old 29-10-2016, 00:57
tgabber
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Thoroughly enjoyed the whole series, very well written, acted and produced. I choose to believe that a good deal of the amnesia was real to begin with but gradually enough of the memories came back that he exploded the way he did.

Killing himself may have been more about him not being able to live with what he had done rather than the ultimate game of one-upmanship on Stella. Also interesting that at the end he also chose to kill another killer.
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Old 29-10-2016, 01:12
Corwin
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So .. Gibson was beaten by a very strong man and is at work the next day .. Really!
It was a week later not a day.

Between the scene of Stella in the hospital and her back at work we had a scene where we were told Spector had been behaving himself in the week since the attack.
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Old 29-10-2016, 01:24
amanda soap fan
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Would they put him back there after that? I'd have thought a padded cell would be in order.
just finished watching it all too violent for me tonight getting back to your point you would he would be in a padded cell or at less handcuffs but no
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Old 29-10-2016, 01:25
fiagomez
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Wow! Just watched both episodes and thought it was brilliant.

Entirely satisfied with the ending as glad it had a decent conclusion.

I would watch actually watch all 3 again series again knowing what I know now.
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Old 29-10-2016, 02:02
Scorpio2
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I was deeply saddened that the children where put in foster care. Couldn't Sally Ann's parents have taken them in since they're blood related?
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Old 29-10-2016, 04:04
spaceygal
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Not as great as the first two series and I did find it dragging quite a lot but there where still very well acted scenes, with great dialogue. The scene where Spector attacked Stella was shocking, as was when he attacked the psychatrist. I don't know why but, at the end when Stella was in her London flat, drinking her wine and opening her mail I thought she would find a letter from Spector, sent some time ago, which, for her, would be like him taunting her from 'beyond the grave'. I thought it was going to end like that but it didn't. Btw, I'm surprised to read several people on here never watched the first series, some not even the second! For me I find it hard to just jump into a show halfway through, that has a complex ongoing storyline where you've missed so much if you haven't seen it from the start! I like to see something from the very beginning or just wait until its repeated from series 1 again. What draws people to only tune into the show for the 2nd or even just the final season? Just curious.
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Old 29-10-2016, 06:02
snafu65
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So we never did find out if he was faking the amnesia?

Are we supposed to make our own mind up?

I think it was clear he was faking the memory loss, otherwise why attack Gibson as he claimed he didn't even know her. He knew she wasn't falling for it and they had him bang to rights for the earlier murder somebody else was serving time for, he wasn't expecting that.

Anyway I enjoyed the finale and the ending was satisfactory as it was fitting Spector lost his life. Jail was too good for him and there was a slim chance his slimy lawyer might have got him off had he gone to trial. The only thing I didn't get was how, after he attacked Gibson, he was just taken back to the clinic, handcuffs taken off and allowed into the recreation room like nothing had happened. He'd had been put under lock and key surely in max security surely?
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Old 29-10-2016, 08:04
bahbah
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! I begrudgingly watched this series after the fiasco of series 2. Anyway really enjoyed it (apart from nurse and spector hospital scenes- too dull and not revealing).
RIdiculous that he was free to roam after attacking Stella but hey its not real. In the interview scene, as soon as she got up before him I knew something was going to happen (as normally do not show her leaving with her back to him) but didn't expect such a brutal attack - did suddenly exciten the pace of events!


Her end scene in her house lingered on way too long but I was relieved that it's over and not inconclusive lead to another series!

Edited to add I don't think his abuse led him to become the psycho killer, that info was added for the london murder connection rather than the reason he does is....
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Old 29-10-2016, 08:33
Whoopie Doo
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Yes, I came to the same conclusion.

Spector's hint of a smile was almost creepy. He really hated her being able to control him and analyse him during the police interrogations. The final straw for him was Stella's refusal to believe he had lost his memory therefore scuppering his 'get out of jail' card.
This was my take too. Spector wanted to be in control and as soon as Gibson said what she did he knew how to get that control back. He then attacked her as he knew he had nothing left to lose.

I think this was the purpose of the long end scene. Stella knew she ****ed up by revealing what she did. Spector basically outplayed her.
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Old 29-10-2016, 08:42
Elvisfan4eva
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Well if it did come back in a few years time it would be a new case.
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Old 29-10-2016, 09:08
Artygill
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Small annoyances aside, I really enjoyed the finale to this series and thought Jamie Dornan's performance was excellent.

Was Spector's amnesia faked? I think it was. To fake total amnesia must surely be easier than just blocking out a few years. That takes a quick mind and Spector had the high IQ needed to carry that off.

The way that Spector suddenly became so violent was shocking. His crimes had been so measured and controlled that to reveal this new side to him was very clever and unexpected, even for a serial killer!

By the way, shouldn't Stella have had at least one black eye?
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Old 29-10-2016, 09:27
holly berry
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Thank God it's over.

The writing has been on the wall since the bodged ending of the first series which was clearly meant to be a self-contained story until it became a (for BBC2) ratings success. Since then it has been downhill all the way with soap style plots and all round implausibility.

On a plus side this series wasn't as lol as series two but a down side has been the drawn out plot and the pretentious, mind numbing cod psychology that never gets called to account except briefly where the hard evidence of scans, presentation and motives for malingering is contrasted with the kind of Psychobabble 101 being spouted by the 'lead clinician'. He certainly reaped what he sowed in last night's episode.

There weren't any surprises in the final episode. In fact there haven't been any since the final episode of the first series. All and all this has been an opportunity wasted to set a detective series in Belfast with a strong lead and a strong cast to explore the range of issues that crazy city throws up across the criminological and psychological piste.
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Old 29-10-2016, 09:58
iprod
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Well I'm sorry..... the real Spector emerging last night was totally my fault! I only said to my husband yesterday afternoon how his character through this whole series (until last night!) had been portrayed so differently from series 1 and 2.... he had been quiet, obliging and friendly, even. So last night I ate humble pie - a LARGE portion!! Yes, us who have watched every episode from the start have been viewing that face and reading things into his expressions but to any newbie who has only watched S3, they were probably wondering what all the fuss was about!

A very fitting finale, I think. I'm not sure whether I wanted him to die or not.... but it has wrapped it all up neatly, I suppose. I do think that they could have ended the episode perhaps 5 minutes sooner..... maybe after Burns had made his announcement. The sad scenes of Stella returning to her flat with the dead flowers, etc weren't entirely necessary IMHO, we already have our mental image of the kind of life she lives back in London.

I do hope Stella gets another case some time in the future.......
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Old 29-10-2016, 10:39
welshfoxy
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Anyone who has only dipped into series 3 or 2 and 3, I still highly recommend watching series 1 even if you know the gist of it. Smashing TV.
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Old 29-10-2016, 11:22
JT Effect
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Anyone who has only dipped into series 3 or 2 and 3, I still highly recommend watching series 1 even if you know the gist of it. Smashing TV.
Yes, series 1 was very unnerving and creepy.
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Old 29-10-2016, 11:28
Flukie
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The 3rd series wasn't what I wanted it to be, but that hasn't made it any less compelling.

I am surprised Paul is dead to be honest. I'm not surprised he tried to kill himself, because after Gibson told him she wanted him alive for real justice, I was sure he'd try to kill himself in an attempt to have the final win in the cat and mouse game they've played. What I'm surprised at is that he succeeded.

They'd be fools not to introduce a new killer for Stella to find. Gibson is such a fascinating character that I think The Fall could survive without Spector. We see Gibson back in London, so I'd like to see her working there trying to find someone.

So was he lying or was his amnesia real? I think it's left up to the viewer, but I do think attacking Stella heavily indicates he was making it all up - she got to 'the him' we watched in the first 2 series and that guy's ego got the better of this new, almost innocent version.
Agree with this bit completely.

I'd love Stella to come back for another case, cos like I said previously, I thought that was what they were originally going to do for the 2nd series because I assumed the end of this particular case was the end of series 1!

Possibly the fact they DID stretch it over 3 series shows this was only ever going to be a Stella v Spector series. Hope that's not the case. I love watching Gillian but I thought this stretched too far.. The first series was brilliant. The rest has been a bit of a trial for me. When I have to resort to fast forwarding through scenes to get through it quicker, that's not a good thing!
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Old 29-10-2016, 11:30
Flukie
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Well I'm sorry..... the real Spector emerging last night was totally my fault! I only said to my husband yesterday afternoon how his character through this whole series (until last night!) had been portrayed so differently from series 1 and 2.... he had been quiet, obliging and friendly, even. So last night I ate humble pie - a LARGE portion!! Yes, us who have watched every episode from the start have been viewing that face and reading things into his expressions but to any newbie who has only watched S3, they were probably wondering what all the fuss was about!

A very fitting finale, I think. I'm not sure whether I wanted him to die or not.... but it has wrapped it all up neatly, I suppose. I do think that they could have ended the episode perhaps 5 minutes sooner..... maybe after Burns had made his announcement. The sad scenes of Stella returning to her flat with the dead flowers, etc weren't entirely necessary IMHO, we already have our mental image of the kind of life she lives back in London.

I do hope Stella gets another case some time in the future.......
There was definitely a touch of Scully in that 'lone life' picture! Though Stella definitely gets more sex than Scully ever did! lol
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Old 29-10-2016, 11:34
Flukie
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Thank God it's over.

The writing has been on the wall since the bodged ending of the first series which was clearly meant to be a self-contained story until it became a (for BBC2) ratings success. Since then it has been downhill all the way with soap style plots and all round implausibility.

On a plus side this series wasn't as lol as series two but a down side has been the drawn out plot and the pretentious, mind numbing cod psychology that never gets called to account except briefly where the hard evidence of scans, presentation and motives for malingering is contrasted with the kind of Psychobabble 101 being spouted by the 'lead clinician'. He certainly reaped what he sowed in last night's episode.

There weren't any surprises in the final episode. In fact there haven't been any since the final episode of the first series. All and all this has been an opportunity wasted to set a detective series in Belfast with a strong lead and a strong cast to explore the range of issues that crazy city throws up across the criminological and psychological piste.
It's like the first series was a straightforward - but brilliant and tense - crime drama and the next 2 series was all psychological and slow!

i might buy the first series on DVD but I'm certainly not buying the next 2.
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