"Collapse" / The Fall. Gillian Anderson catches a serial killer

The third season of one of the most successful British film series

At the end of September, BBC Two began to show the third season “The Fall” - one of the most popular British series of recent years. On October 29, the show will appear entirely in the Netflix online service available in Russia. According to the plot, the investigator performed by Gillian Anderson catches a serial Belfast killer played by Jamie Dornan - the actor became famous thanks to the picture “50 shades of gray”. At the request of Medusa, the film critic Yegor Moskvitin looked at half the third season of the “collapse” - and explains why now is the time to start - or continue - watch it.

In Northern Ireland, whose police are defiantly ignored by Scotland Yard calls, there is a murder. The victim is a wealthy woman, a brunette, age - about 30. Local detectives cannot find the killer for four weeks, and according to the law, in such cases, the metropolitan police intervene. The superintendent from London is Stella Gibson performed by Gillian Anderson. Male colleagues are not happy to do this. But Stella is of interest to a local psychologist with Russian roots Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan). In the afternoon, he is an honest family man with a good wife and two children, and at night - a killer. Victims - wealthy women, brunettes, age - about 30.

The “collapse” (or “fall” - in Russia still cannot give an accurate assessment of what is happening on the screen) began three years ago at the BBC Two at a very necessary time. In the career of Gillian Anderson there was a lull, she played inconspicuous roles in the adaptations of Dickens and Melville. The new “secret materials” and “war and peace” were still far away, and a short but bright appearance in Hannibal looked more like a distress signal. Meanwhile, already in the film “The desire for revenge” (in which the intelligent woman, sophisticatedly takes revenge on the rascal rays), it became clear that the crown character of Anderson, as one hero of the “brigade”, “by nature is not a Tolstoye” said. Over the years of separation from the viewer, the softly outwardly, but the cold inside the Scully agent has finally turned into a powerful woman, capable of replaying men on any field - and enjoy this game. The "crash" suggested the actress just such a role.

As for Jamie Dornan, in 2013 he had not yet become a gear called “50 shades of gray”. Let us imagine that this BDSM fanphus does not exist (by the way, the second part is released in February 2017). Now we have an actor’s product: courageous and beautiful, but avoiding template roles. Irish is gloomy and aggressive, but for some reason not in the “Game of Thrones”. The screen appearing on the screen is so rare that in every selected role I want to see some kind of personal strategy. In 2013, the two most charming series “Werewolf” were retired - two double -life characters - Dexter Morgan from Dexter and Walter White from “To the Great”. And at least one of them the hero “collapse” was able to replace without loss. Dornan is a rare actor who can hypnotize the audience with his inaction.

Actually, the whole “collapse” of the same is the fascinating properties of the void. In the series, almost nothing happens. The personality of the killer, contrary to the British canons, is revealed at the very beginning. The heroine Anderson skillfully distributes her time: in search of a maniac and corporate wars with men, he goes exactly as much as on cucumber masks and random sex. And the hero of Dornan, as befits a practicing psychologist, is sitting in a chair half the first season, looking at either patients or the BBC audience. Belfast around these two also froze-a kind of ghost city, devastated by the fear and hatred of the two peoples. The blue tones in which the series is designed evoke the same longing as the Scandinavian noir of recent years.

Because of this penetrating cold, the story, which from afar, seemed the next retelling of “Silence of the Yagnit”, became the main television thriller of Great Britain. The first two seasons retain one hundred percent rating on the Rottingomatoes website. And the third begins viscously and exhausted, but by the middle suddenly acquires its former power. Only now it is not clear how to tell about it without betraying a common plot.

Therefore, just believe me that in the third of the six episodes there was an event that: a) fully justifies the coma in which the characters spend the first half of the season; b) famously turns the perception of reality by one of the heroes - and inevitably changes the second; c) allows the actors to play in full force; d) once again makes the viewer get confused in his sympathies; e) adds, finally, intrigue to the detective.

The basis of all the most successful series of modernity is some compliment to the viewer, which turns into outright flattery or indulgence. “Californication” is a colorfully illustrated encyclopedia of male fantasies. It only seems that the hero has a nightmare; We already know-his alliance with his wife is perfect. “Dexter” and “Ray Donovan” forgive the viewer of household lies and resourcefulness, inventing a beautiful excuse - a double life, a great responsibility. “Walking dead” allow to be with a misanthrope and distract from the routine. And the "madmen" teach beautifully to suffer with a glass in their hand.

Which compliment hides “collapse”, it is more difficult to figure it out. There is a very decisive woman here - she takes what she wants (and those he wants), and subjugates any circumstances. But the imperious Queen Mother is a vagabond serial plot, especially on British TV. There is a male psychologist who helps others, but cannot help himself-but, to be honest, the professional storyline for Jamie Dornan was written weaker than others. And the fact that the handsome hero is a hostage of early marriage is not at all interesting. The psychological similarity of the detective and maniac is also not news: all the confrontations of Hollywood are built on this.

Perhaps the magnetism of this drama is in those tips to learn the environment that his heroes gradually give. By imitating them, it is quite easy to find beauty in apathy, nobility in despair and power in fear. The “collapse” seems to have been conceived as a terrible lullaby for adults: hence all these insinuating intonations, a sleepy rhythm of a measured plot, vile weather outside the window and cold colors (it is known that bright colors interfere with falling asleep).

But it is still impossible to endure “collapse” for a long time, and the authors understand this. Jamie Dornan has already stated that the third season will be the last for his character. And Gillian Anderson agreed to continue, but asked her and her heroine for a couple of years of rest. This means that a slow fight of a maniac and a detective goes to the finish line. The question is who of them who.

Egor Moskvitin

Moscow