The Fall, series 2, episode 2, review: Harrowing yet riveting

The strength of the writing keeps viewers glued to their seats even when they are confronted with the hard-hitting scenes

Babysitter Katie and Paul have terse words in the park (BBC)

In a scene that will leave you sick to the stomach tonight, school girl Katie (Aisling Franciosi) is tied to a bed by Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan) with her ripped tights and his tie. The uncertainty of whether he will kill or rape her is horrifying.

There are likely to be complaints about this 50 Shades of Grey-esque scene but this is nothing new for The Fall. It’s just as unsettling as ever and yet at the same time the protracted cat and mouse game between Stella Gibson and Paul Spector is riveting.

It’s a strange paradox that sits uneasily. There is a difficulty to reconcile one with the other - but that’s the strength of Allan Cubitt’s writing. He takes his viewers to a place they never dreamed they would go.

The disturbing parallels between Spector and the enigmatic Christian Grey from 50 Shades of Grey are becoming more apparent than ever. From his stalking tendencies to the need for sexual domination through bondage, it’s no wonder that Dornan ended up getting the role for E.L. James’ hero after playing Spector in series 1.

But Dornan is hypnotising as Spector - not only is the character rich but his portrayal is unnerving.

There are no light moments in The Fall. This is just the beginning and viewers are going to descend even further into the void before this series is done.

Episode two finds Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson) moving a step closer to catching her man – or does it? This is long form storytelling at its finest. There is no inkling yet of how this series will conclude – there’s all to play for.

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