Agent Dana Scully was one of the best things aboutThe X-Files, and Gillian Anderson followed up on her most iconic character with a starring role in the critically acclaimed British crime thriller,The Fall. With its premiere in 1993,The X-Filesintroduced the world to FBI Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully. Throughout the show’s original nine seasons, Mulder and Scully investigated paranormal crimes, government conspiracies, and cases spanning from the grotesque to the truly bizarre.
The X-Filesperfected the art of combining standalone stories with season-long mystery arcs and remains one of themost influential sci-fi shows of all time.Fox Mulder and Dana Scully became one of television’s best will-they, won’t-they couples,and both David Duchovny and Anderson went on to have incredibly successful careers. Several years afterThe X-Filescame to an end (but before it was rebooted in 2016), Anderson starred as Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson inThe Fall, anunderrated British crime drama.
Gillian Anderson Plays Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson In The Fall
The Fall Originally Aired On The BBC From 2013 To 2016
Filmed and set in Northern Ireland,The Fallcenters on Stella Gibson’s investigation into a series of brutal murdersthat turn out to be the work of a serial killer. The series reveals Jamie Dornan’s Paul Spector as the killer from the very beginning and centers on Gibson’s search for answers and eventual pursuit of him. As Gibson gets closer and closer to the truth, Spector’s double life as a family man moonlighting as a serial killer begins to unravel.
Although the seriesended with season 3 in 2016, there has long been speculation about a potentialseason 4 ofThe Fall. Gillian Anderson and creator Allan Cubitt have both expressed an interest in returning, but it remains to be seen if Stella Gibson’s story will ever continue.
With only three seasons and a total of 17 episodes,The Fallis perfect for binge-watching. However,X-Filesfans should be warned thatThe Fallhas a much darker tone than the beloved sci-fi show.Although Stella Gibson has the same confidence andno-nonsense attitude as Dana Scully, she can be driven to the point of obsession, and she curses like a sailor. ThroughoutThe Fall’sthree seasons, Gibson expertly navigates a world dominated by men as she hunts a serial killer who preys on young professional women.
Jamie Dornan Portrays A Terrifying Serial Killer In The Fall
LikeThe X-Files, The Fallcenters on two characters and the complex relationship between them. The similarities end there, however, asStella Gibson and Paul Spector have little in common withThe X-Files’Scully and Mulder. Still, Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan are undoubtedly the best things aboutThe Fall,as both actors deliver incredibly captivating performances.Dornan is suitably creepy as Spector,and it’s fascinating watching him plan and even outsmart the authorities, until Gibson eventually catches up to him.
After Spector sees Gibson on television during a press conference, he develops a fascination with her and finds ways to taunt her during the investigation.Dornan holds his own opposite Anderson,as Spector and Gibson circle one another in a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Spector is an intelligent and complex killer, unlike any Gibson has ever faced, but he’s also manipulative and unhinged. Jamie Dornan captures all of these traits well, making Spector a formidable foe for Gibson to take down.
Why Anderson Fans Will Love Her In The Fall
Gillian Anderson Truly Steals The Show In The Fall
Gillian Anderson is magnetic inThe Fall,radiating a confidence not only in her job but also in her sexuality and her status as a woman surrounded by men. Scully, too, held her own against powerful men inThe X-Filesand groundedMulder’s more outlandish conspiracy theories.InThe Fall,Anderson’s Stella Gibson refuses to bow to misogynyand stands up for the women who have suffered at the hands of men. She’s assertive and blunt, but isn’t afraid to use her femininity when necessary.
Gillian Anderson fans should also check out Bryan Fuller’sHannibalseries, in which she portrays Bedelia Du Maurier, the psychiatrist of Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen).
Detective Gibson is the one who first connects Spector’s murders, as she confronts sexism and double standards in the police force. Despite Gibson’s stoic exterior, Anderson imbues her with quiet emotion, and she commands every scene she’s in. The creator ofThe Fall,Allan Cubitt, originally had Anderson in mind for the role, and it’s difficult to imagine anyone else truly doing the character justice. Gillian Anderson makesThe Falla must-watch for anyone who loved Dana Scully onThe X-Files.
