How Fatal Attraction Sets Up Season 2
Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Season 1 of Fatal AttractionParamount+ landed a fun surprise in its first season of Fatal Attraction. The series, which stars Joshua Jackson as Dan Gallagher and Lizzy Caplan as Alex Forrest, kind of snuck up with its release as some of the other streamers and networks were in the midst of some major series like Ted Lasso, Succession, and Yellowjackets. That being said, Fatal Attraction really delivered a riveting eight-episode Season 1 that added its own spin on the 1987 movie of the same name. Similar to the film, the premise of the first season centers on Dan and Alex’s affair and her ensuing murder. The similarities in story structure mostly end there as the TV series brings its own twists and turns that surely set up an enticing Season 2.
Before looking at what’s ahead for a potential second season, what Fatal Attraction sought to accomplish over its first eight episodes was to establish its two main characters and create a mystery around Alex’s death. The added intrigue around Dan being released from jail and attempting to clear his name also was a major point in the first season. Fatal Attraction Season 1 explains who killed Alex, but there are even more questions posed by the end of Episode 8 that give us hope for a thrilling Season 2.
‘Fatal Attraction’ Puts Ellen’s Story Front and Center for Season 2
While everything was going on with Dan and Alex and the ramifications it had on Dan’s wife, Beth (Amanda Peet), Season 1 continued to show present-day Ellen (Alyssa Jirrels) as she conversed with her professor and a fellow student. There was never a clear point as to why this was being shown, other than the belief that it was for a reason and setting something up. Boy, did Fatal Attraction do exactly that by the end of Episode 8. There were two big reveals in the finale, the second of which painted Ellen in a completely different light. Seeing her cozying up in the apartment of Richard Macksey (David Meunier), her psychology professor, was a shock as the camera panned out to show her surroundings. What she was doing with the audio clips to snip them and shuffle them around to make it so Macksey’s voice was telling her what she wanted to hear was disturbing. (“We could be together forever.”) This is all a lead-up to their confrontation. When he comes back home, she asks him whether he’s mad at her or not, making Ellen a character we thought we knew, but now realize we know nothing about.
Fatal Attraction showrunner Alexandra Cunningham plans to expand Ellen's story, which would make a lot of sense for Season 2. That’s where a Season 2 arc would likely focus on. There’s a reason Fatal Attraction kept this scene as the capstone of its finale. There’s so much to dive into here. How did Ellen become this dark? Was it really all from one brief interaction with Alex when she was younger? There has to be so much more here with Ellen, and Season 2 is set up to take us much deeper into her backstory.
Dan Will Continue to Clear His Name in Season 2
There’s always something entertaining as a viewer when we know the answer to something that the characters are unaware of. We learned in the finale that Dan was telling the truth (he didn’t kill Alex) and that the killer was actually Arthur Tomlinson (Brian Goodman) who took her life after breaking into her apartment, strangling her, and eventually hitting her over the head. Arthur didn't really have anything left to lose in his eyes, only gain. His wife just died from cancer, and he and Beth had a good friendship (which we see becomes more than in the present day), so when Beth explains the trauma that Alex was causing her family, he saw an opportunity to take fate into his own hands. It was an unexpected and vicious turn, but one that makes some sense when seeing it from his perspective.
That being said, Dan has no idea about this. We can assume that neither Beth nor Ellen or anyone for that matter. Just the viewer and Arthur are privy to this information (and that one lawyer he talked to about the situation), which means Season 2 will likely see this truth slowly come out. It appeared that this was eating up Arthur as he watched everyone hanging around at his house, feeling as though his actions took something away from all of them. There’s more to explore in a second season with Arthur, but the more interesting thing will be what the reactions are when this information comes out. Will Beth be turned off? Will Dan be glad the truth is out or enraged that it was someone close to them who withheld the truth? Season 2 will likely give us our answers to these questions.
Could Arthur Finally Face His Punishment?
As Dan seeks to clear his name, whenever the truth comes out, Arthur will be in serious trouble. Whether that trouble reaches law enforcement or remains in-house will be the storyline here. With Arthur having a tight bond with Beth as the two have become partners after his wife’s passing and Dan’s imprisonment, it’s not going to be easy for Beth to lose him. When Dan finds out, will he do what Arthur did to him and end another family? There’s a chance the truth comes out and Dan, having served his time, doesn’t feel the need to hurt his ex-wife by having Arthur go to jail. Likewise, if Beth finds out first, she could encourage Arthur to keep this a secret forever so that everyone can just move on from the Alex ordeal.
There are a lot of storylines that are now in play if and when Fatal Attraction makes its return to Paramount+. All eight episodes of Season 1 are now available to stream, and for anyone looking to watch Michael Douglas and Glenn Close's original movie to see how the TV series improves certain elements, that's also available on Paramount+.
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