Pratik Handore
Paramount+’s ‘Fatal Attraction’ revolves around the torrid affair between Dan Gallagher and Alex Forrest, based on the 1987 film of the same name. However, the narrative differs from the original film as it greatly expands on the characters’ backstories, personalities, and eventual fates. As a result, viewers can expect several twists as Alex and Dan’s relationship deteriorates, leading to their downfall. Alex’s death poses several problems for Dan, and he must resolve the mystery of her murder. Hence, viewers must be wondering who killed Alex in ‘Fatal Attraction.’ SPOILERS AHEAD!
Is Alex Dead?
Alexandra “Alex” Forrest is the female protagonist of the ‘Fatal Attraction’ television series. In the series, actress Lizzy Caplan (‘Party Down‘) plays the role of Alex Forrest, based on the character of the same name from the 1987 film. Unlike the film, Alex works in the Victims Service Bureau at the District Court in Los Angeles. She manipulates events that lead to her interaction with District Attorney Dan Gallagher. Alex and Dan hook up despite the latter being married and having a daughter. Dan and Alex’s affair lasts only a short while, as Dan cuts ties with Alex when she starts becoming obsessed with him. Moreover, Alex also tries to meddle with Dan’s personal and professional life as she enters his house and sabotages one of Dan’s cases.
Meanwhile, the series also unfolds in a present-day timeline where we learn about Dan’s life years after his affair with Alex ended. The opening scene reveals that Dan has been in prison for nearly ten years on murder charges. Furthermore, Dan was found guilty of killing Alex. As a result, Alex’s fate is confirmed before we see the character on the screen. Meanwhile, the past timeline depicts how Alex’s obsession with Dan grew with time, leading to drastic consequences for them both. Alex constantly tries to threaten and sabotage Dan’s personal and professional life. However, the exact details and circumstances surrounding Alex’s death remain a mystery for the time being.
Who Is Responsible For Alex’s Death? Theories
Alex’s death is confirmed at the show’s very start, and Dan is convicted of her murder. However, we have yet to see the incident that caused Alex’s death. Furthermore, we know next to nothing about the nature of her supposed murder, as the cause of death and murder methods are also unknown to the viewers. Given Dan’s brief affair with Alex and his conviction, it is implied that he killed Alex. However, Dan admits to his daughter Ellen that he did not kill Alex and is confident that a re-trial will be crucial in proving his innocence. Nontheless, Dan must unravel the mystery of Alex’s death first and find the real perpetrator.
In the show’s fourth episode, Dan learns of Alex’s connection to Dr. Paul. Alex lived next door to Paul, and they had a friendly relationship. However, Paul had started ignoring Alex, and she started showing strange behavioral patterns. Later, Dan finds Paul’s fingerprints in Alex’s apartments, leading him to suspect Paul killed Alex. Paul was running an illegal drug operation in his apartment and was arrested after it was exposed. However, Paul admits he and Alex were not lovers. Since Alex’s murder was likely a crime of passion, Paul is unlikely to be the killer.
On the other hand, Dan learns from Alex’s former boss, Conchita Lewis, about a complaint filed against Alex for inappropriate behavior. Gabriel Ibarra, a courthouse bailiff, filed the complaint. He and Alex were involved with each other, but Alex started harassing Ibarra after their relationship ended. Hence, it is possible that Ibarra killed Alex after growing tired of facing harassment from her. However, there is little evidence to suggest that Ibarra killed Alex.
The last and most likely possibility is that Alex killed herself and framed Dan for her murder. Alex killing herself was the planned original ending for the 1987 film that inspired the movie. Hence, it is likely that the television series explores this alternate possibility. Moreover, Alex killing herself to torment Dan would be a natural escalation for her character and truly showcase the peak of her obsessive behavior. Consequently, it would make Dan’s job much more difficult since finding evidence to prove his innocence would be a herculean task.
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