I feel like it's time for an update, because The Fall season 3 actually started to turn around near the end.
The Hell Within Him
Spector is still at the hospital and getting ready to be transferred to the psychiatric ward, while Stella's diary might be used as evidence against Spector (Diary again?) and Rose tells more about her relationship with Spector.
I, uhm...
Yup, sorry. Another pretty average episode. Is it as bad as the previous three however? I wouldn't really say so, since they finally seem to at least be moving somewhere. That being said, it's still very slow. The dialogue varies from pretty good to kinda dry, while Paul still unfortunately has memory loss. I did really like one scene actingwise however when he's shown videos and audio recordings where he describe his crimes. The sheer horror and unbelievable shock knowing this is the kind of person he really is was excellently captured by Jamie Dornan, especially when he starts shaking and slapping himself, trying to pretend he didn't really hear or see all that.
Jim Burns (who has been growing more vulnerable all the time) is once again portrayed with great sublety and care by John Lynch, making him a flawed but likable character. Stella's conversation with Rose near the end is decent, even if it did drag on for a little too long. It's well-done scriptwise.
The most notable part of the episode is definitely Sally Ann Spector almost killing herself and the kids, showing once again just how much Spector's ruined others' lives. It later inspires Stella's speech where she talks about what a plague he is to everyone around him even when he's in the hospital and barely is conscious. Paul is finally moved out of that ******* hospital, which thank God since I was getting tired of every episode spending time there. At the end I expected however that Paul would start to remember at least slightly what he's done, but nothing unfortunately.
Katie appears, but as with every freaking episode this season she has no impact on the plot whatsoever. Seriously, why do they keep using her if she serves no purpose anymore? This time we just saw her trying to visit Paul, and for the third time at least getting stopped. Do something with her, I'm begging you!
Yeah, it's... fine. On technicality the best of the season so far, but I wasn't moved or anything.
Wounds Of Deadly Hate
Paul is at the psychiatric ward and can still not remember the last 6 years. But that doesn't mean it's impossible to find conclusive evidence against him. Dr. Larson questions Peter about his life before the amnesia, especially his childhood years. After some shocking information, David Alvarez is brought into questioning at the police station, and old friend of Paul's who was convicted of a murder in 2002.
Wow. Where do I start? The Fall is back! The real Fall is back!
Not only did this not bore me, but they actually made some progress in the storyline. Instead of Paul being bumblingly confused they actually get him to open up important information which can help convict Paul for murder. Some of the twists revealed in this episode are quite shocking, and keep you on the edge of your seat. The dialogue is considerably better as well, where you really care about what all the characters are talking about. It's also nice to see the antagonistic Healy (Paul Spector's lawyer) starting to lose it as Stella's team manage to finally dig up enough dirt that there's a strong chance that Paul will end up getting punished for his crimes. Oddly enough however Stella doesn't play a big part in the episode, but in the next one she will most likely get much more to do. We actually seem to be reaching towards a proper conclusion right now, and it's made me very hopeful towards the finale.
A great amount of tension, captivating character development and the story is better written than the other four episodes.
Their Solitary Way
Paul still claims he has amnesia, but confesses to the murder he committed 2 years before he supposedly would have forgotten everything. But when Stella says that David Alvarez took the sentence for him as gratitude from saving him from sexual abuse, he violently attacks Stella and it taken back to the mental institute. But it doesn't stop there...
I can't believe this is is the end. Wow.
And what an ending it is. It keeps up the momentum from the previous episode and we see Spector's defense advocates split apart over a difference of opinion regarding Paul's violent behavior. Mrs. Wallace feels immoral going on with the case after seeing him attack someone before her very eyes, while Healy is stubborn and wants to press insanity as a reason to let him off lightly. I wrote in my review of Wounds Of Deadly Hate Healy is starting to lose it, and it's relieving to see him completely lose the case. It also gets slowly more and more intense as Paul now is back to his old self, the sex-obsessed killer. This makes the show feel more like it was in season 1, where he probably was the scariest out of all the seasons. We get some good closure with Katie Benedetto, who has gotten increasingly obsessed with her desire for Paul. Which, as it turns out, is really reflective of her mourning and anger over her father's death, having loved him at the same time as he blames him for getting into a dangerous profession. It's by far the most satisfying use of Katie in the season, and surprisingly, we even get an explanation over why she sprayed one of her friends in the eyes! It wasn't just a random spastic reaction, subconsciously she wanted to show Paul that she is the perfect fit for him, they are both outcast rebels who see society in its true lens. Stella convinces her that Paul only tries to cover up his own wounds by means of hate. Hate, as much hate as possible as soon as he doesn't have to be reminded of his tragic childhood.(edited)
The story doesn't end the way you might expect. It's not conventionally conclusive in that you feel good about yourself, that you get your happy ending. And initially, it might invoke a feeling of disappointment, but it's also the perfect kind of ending for The Fall. Sometimes things don't go as you expect, and even when you think you're very close to closure, it can still escape your hands.
The only thing I didn't like was someone reading a storybook over the last minutes, which I think kinda cheapened the effect and made it a little unneccessarily pretentious. What really would have brought it home was relying on the characters' silence, which almost spoke volumes in itself. Or maybe have Stella snap it, as she's been close to a breaking point just like Jim Burns. But other than that, it's exceptionally executed.
There have been talks of a fourth season, but as it is right now, do we really need it? Sometimes you can end a show just in the right place.
(9.7/10)
Disappointing last season? Absolutely. But the last two episodes still made up for that by presenting us with some really powerful last 2 hours.
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