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LOS ANGELES, April 25 (UPI) -- Fatal Attraction, premiering Sunday on Paramount+, immediately presents a compelling new take for fans of the 1987 thriller. By doing so, it justifies remaking a classic. Dan Gallagher (Joshua Jackson) makes his case to the parole board after serving 15 years for the murder of Alex Forrest (Lizzy Caplan). This was the original ending to the Michael Douglas-Glenn Close movie before reshoots had Dan's wife kill Alex in the final cut.
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Flashbacks tell the story that is familiar in the movie Fatal Attraction.
In the past, Dan was a successful lawyer, husband and father. In one moment, he made the bad decision to have an affair with Alex. When he tried to end it, Alex stalked Dan and his family.
That story remains relevant. The additional time granted to an eight-episode streaming series allows the show to explore the motivations for Dan and Alex's actions in greater depth.
But the post-parole story is essentially the Fatal Attraction 2 they never made. Dan's daughter, Ellen (Alyssa Jirrels) is now in college, transcribing true-crime lectures as a way to cope.
Dan apparently has not made contact until now, which creates new challenges for Ellen moving on with her life. Reflecting on Alex's death addresses victim blaming, and shows the toll the relationship took on the entire Gallagher family.
Perhaps confirming that Ellen, as well as Dan's wife, Beth (Amanda Peet), still are alive 15 years later spoils some of the suspense. They did survive the movie, though, so it's faithful to the film. The film's iconic rabbit is presented in a new context.
The establishing of Dan's world before meeting Alex explores a world of toxic masculinity that good men like Dan have to navigate. His friends and colleagues drop F bombs as they brag or complain about their romantic relationships.
Some colleagues make lascivious comments about Alex that should get them reported for sexual harassment, let alone basic decency. Dan keeps quiet in those situations, though he doesn't tell anyone to stop, either.
Dan is up for a judge position, and as a prosecutor believes in consequences. As such he takes a hard line on DUI cases and won't make a deal with the defense. This will challenge him when he is the one facing consequences for his choices.
Yet, Dan is compassionate with the clients in his cases, helping them through difficult trials and coaching them when it's OK to show the court their emotions. Alex works for Victim Services, so they already have met.
It's a bit easier to see why Dan would slip in his marriage because Alex sees him when he's struggling. She asks, "Are you OK?" which is more than his friends or even his wife notice.
To be fair to the friends and Beth, Dan is putting on a powerful front, but Alex is perceptive to see he needs someone to listen. Later episodes suggest she may have orchestrated scenarios to put herself in that position with Dan.
Alex and Dan connect in a way that's more than just a primal seduction. They speak about family trauma and disapproving parents in a very modern understanding of family dynamics that's more sophisticated than their banter was in 1987.
Some plot points play out differently in the show. For example, Alex's suicide attempt to convince Dan to stay with her requires a hospital visit in the show, which raises more questions than the attempt in her home in the movie.
Since streaming services are committed to expanding books or movies into long-running series, Fatal Attraction shows there can be valid narrative ground in the endeavor. And, if Fatal Attraction fans are waiting for it, Alex says she won't be ignored in Episode 3.
New episodes of Fatal Attraction premiere Sundays on Paramount+.
Fred Topel, who attended film school at Ithaca College, is a UPI entertainment writer based in Los Angeles. He has been a professional film critic since 1999, a Rotten Tomatoes critic since 2001 a member of the Television Critics Association since 2012 and the Critics Choice Association since 2023. Read more of his work in Entertainment.
