After a two-year long wait, fans of The Fall finally got to see the opening episode of the much anticipated third season last night, and while we knew that Jamie Dornan was going to be in it, it was still left up in the air just how long the 'sexy serial killer' would survive, given that Paul Spector was shot twice in the season two finale.
The mere fact that we were all rooting for his survival has forced all of us to ask some rather tough questions of ourselves, but whatever, we'll just tell each other what Gillian Anderson did in that there would have been no justice in that kind of ending for Paul Spector. It's definitely got nothing to do with the fact that he's a really, really, ridiculously good looking serial killer. Definitely.
Back to the matter at hand though, and Spector wasn't looking in good shape at all throughout this opening episode, and for some reason we don't fully understand, we were told every single medical procedure he would have to go through in precise detail in what seemed like Belfast's answer to an episode of ER. Just tell us if he is going to survive already before we pull a Katie (Aisling Franciosi) on it and completely lose our sh*t. That chick is terrifying by the way. See how she was smirking away when reading about the murders? DARK.
We also got to see how Paul's latest victim Rose was doing, with it looking like she will pull through after being left to die by Spector. One of the standout moments of the entire episode came near the end, when Stella advised Rose's husband how to cope in the aftermath of her ordeal, and how he could help his wife get through it. It was a powerful moment, incredibly well-written, and reminded us that there is a depth to Detective Stella Gibson she rarely lets anyone see.
Up and coming Kildare comedian and actress Aisling Bea has also joined the cast as the nurse in charge of Spector. Although given that she fits his type a little all too well, we fear that things may not be looking too good for poor Aisling.
Overall the episode seemed to linger far too long on details that nobody really cared about and it didn't feel like it gave us any progression to the narrative whatsoever. Everyone now knows, including his own daughter, that Spector is the Belfast Strangler, so other than some elaborate escape (perhaps with the help of Florence Nightingale Aisling?), it's hard to see how much more gripping drama we could have ahead over the next five episodes. Saying that though, in an interview with entertainment.ie last week, Dornan did promise that there were 'some major twists and turns that happen early in the series that really change the course of events', so who knows what The Fall may have in store for us yet.
Spector had better not go dying on us in the next episode though, but his Jon Snow-esque eye opening moment seems to point in the direction that Spector could well be sitting up in bed eyeballing Aisling Bea by next Sunday. Oh Jamie, you pesky psychotic serial killer you.
The Fall continues next Sunday on RTE1 at 9.30pm.