'The Fall' Episode 5 Final Review - Unsatisfying Conclusion For Gillian Anderson And Jamie Dornan

'The Fall' Episode 5 Final Review - An Unsatisfying Conclusion

''The Fall's final instalment found both detective and killer losing their cool.

Paul Spector was having to improvise furiously after his most recent spree went horribly awry, and he finished off his intended victim's brother. Things were no smoother on the domestic front, where one lie led to another. Actress Bronagh Waugh came into her own as wronged wifey, but you know things have gone a bit pear-shaped when telling your wife you've been having an affair - when you haven't - seems like the safer option.

Meanwhile, sanguine Stella was finally revealing her human side as she battled with hospital authorities to get some forensics out of Spector's latest victim.. Was that a flicker of emotion we saw cross her face? Nope, must have been dreaming - especially as 5 minutes later, she was giving her colleague short shrift for "judging" - so back to normal Stella. Phew.

Finally, two worlds converge

Solid detective work and surveillance footage forced Spector into the police station, where his world converged with Stella's for the first time this series. It was a mark of how far we've come in five episodes that this moment was so highly anticipated, and so thrilling, without a word being said.

Were you satisfied by 'The Fall' finale, or left hanging? Let us know below...

The best set piece of the night was Spector's phone call to her, his calm description of his killings, while we saw him being as nondescript as it's possible to be. As Gibson said, "Even a multiple murderer can have his share of good qualities, or a pretty face." Or indeed walking around a shopping mall looking like everyone else. Chilling.

But the ultimate face-off we wanted was never to be. Stella gave her uniquely calm version of a rant against his "age-old violence against women" and made clear just how much she knew about him, in as classy a bit of dialogue as anything writer Alan Cubitt's come up with during this consistently compelling tale.

And yet Spector still managed to sneak away, family and life intact. While the good news is the fruits are all there for a cracking second series, it was beyond frustrating that Stella didn't get her man. Oh well, there's always next time...

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