Just finished The Fall (with Gillian Anderson). I found it absolutely mesmerizing, although it’s very dark and totally unlike US shows. Don’t expect lots of action, shootings, self righteous pronouncements, special effects, etc. There’s a scene where the plot is: suspect runs into a park, police try to catch him - yet it’s very suspenseful. The police, overall, is professional and competent (except for the wiring of the suspect’s house, although the scene highlights the urgency and Stella’s quick thinking). If you liked Broadchurch, Forbrydelsen(? The original “Killing”), etc, it’s definitely a show to check out.
It’s more of a character study, like Broadchurch, with actors who command every scene they’re in. (Some people found GA’s character, Stella, icy, but I didn’t, considering it’s clear she’s professional and keeps feelings under wraps except for moments of empathy - I don’t expect real detectives emote about every aspect of the case they’re working on, nor treat their subordinates with hugs and smiles.)
Side note: I also liked that while she wears high heels at work, in the field she wears boots - I hate it how female detectives in some US shows run around after killers on their high heels.
First season is the police figuring out who the killer is, second season is catching him, third season is dealing with the aftermath and preparing for trial. The story takes place over the course of about 3 weeks in June-July 2012, in Belfast. (You get to enjoy both Gillian Anderson’s natural accent and lots of Irish accents).
Total, 17 episodes lasting about 1 hour each (one is 1h30), so relatively easy to binge watch in terms of time commitment.
I would consider it for older teens and up, not for under15’s, in part because it’s disturbing: the two main characters, a high-ranking police superintendant and a serial killer, are presented in parrallel throughout the first season. We thus see things through the eyes and mind of the serial killer (who also keeps detailed drawings of his fantasies and plans everything meticulously) and the film maker doesn’t shy away from how violent an assault feels, the surprise, the helplessness, it’s clearly on the victims’ side (there’s no gore and in terms of violence very different from what you see on American TV shows); just as disturbing is that the serial killer is, most of the time, a charming man, a dedicated professional, and a great father. For older teens it’d be a great show to watch together and talk about.
There are also useful sequences you can share with youngsters (11+): in 2.03 about consent (what to do and NOT do when somebody you like turns you down, with discussion of the latter in 2.06; also in 2.06 how a man can react to a partner who’s been assaulted. If you object to showing a same-sex kiss to tweens/younger teens you can easily show the “not to do+ explanation” part only as well as the “how to react with compassion and show empathy” part.)
