The Fall Restores What The X‑Files Reboot Lost

Many viewers felt The X-Files revival reduced Dana Scully to her trauma, replacing the sharp, skeptical intellect that had defined her. Gillian Anderson said she wasn't pleased with Seasons 10 and 11 and declined to return for a 12th outing, adding, "It was more like Scully's trajectory was no longer one of strength and agency.

It felt like it was beholden to an old idea of what a woman is." In The Fall, Anderson plays Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson, brought to Belfast to investigate a stalled murder case. When a serial killer, Paul Spector, emerges, the series becomes a relentless cat-and-mouse between the two leads.

Gibson is written as a commanding intellect who dissects situations, connects with survivors, calls out misbehavior from superiors, and maintains sexual autonomy without being punished for it. Created by Allan Cubitt, The Fall has been described as a three-part crime thriller set in Northern Ireland and also spans 17 episodes, shaping itself into an unconventional psychological thriller.

Northern Ireland, Belfast

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