Why the creator of The Fall named his characters after famous guitar brands
In short: Allan Cubitt, the creator of the crime drama The Fall, found inspiration in an unlikely place: guitar manufacturing. By naming his characters after brands like Gibson, Spector, and Martin, he built a unique signature into the show. But the series is more than just a clever naming game for music enthusiasts.
The Fall, a crime drama set in Northern Ireland, follows Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson as she tracks serial killer Paul Spector. Created by Allan Cubitt, the series intentionally avoids the traditional whodunit structure. Instead, Cubitt was inspired by a book about the BTK killer, Dennis Rader, which detailed the forensic evidence and testimony gathered from crime scenes. By identifying the killer immediately, the show shifts its focus toward the psychology of a supposedly normal, functioning person who leads a double life.
The series premiered in 2013, starring Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan. While it received critical acclaim for its slow-building tension and performances, it also faced scrutiny. Critics like Rachel Cooke and actress Doon Mackichan argued that the show’s portrayal of violence against women bordered on misogyny, labeling it as entertainment fodder. Despite these debates, academics Jonathan A. Grubb and Chad Posick noted that the show provides a convincing, solid understanding of a psychopathic killer's mindset.
The production history of The Fall is marked by international reach and adaptation. It has been broadcast globally, from the UK and Ireland to Latin America and Estonia, and even spawned a French remake titled Insoupçonnable. While the third series, which aired in 2016, saw a decline in critical reception compared to the first, the show’s cultural footprint remains significant. It even inspired the title of Fiona Apple’s 2020 album, Fetch the Bolt Cutters, which was taken directly from a line in the series.
Cubitt has expressed interest in revisiting the world of The Fall in the future, though no immediate plans for a fourth series exist. Anderson has also shared her enthusiasm for potentially returning to the character of Stella Gibson. For now, the show stands as a complex, if controversial, exploration of psychological thriller tropes that prioritizes character study over sensationalism.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: The Fall (TV series)
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