Gerard Butler's Has Fallen Action Series Has A TV Spin-Off Fans Need To Watch

If you are looking for proof as to why Gerard Butler is the undisputed king of modern trash cinema, look no further than the "Has Fallen" franchise. The films — "Olympus Has Fallen, "London Has Fallen," and "Angel Has Fallen" — are modern-day throwbacks to the politically incorrect action fare of yesteryear, with Butler's Secret Service agent, Mike Banning, blasting and stabbing his way through terrorists while protecting the President of the United States. A fourth film, "Night Has Fallen," is currently in the works, but the franchise has also expanded into the world of small-screen entertainment with a spin-off set in France.

"Paris Has Fallen" doesn't feature Butler's one-man army, but it's still an entertaining, violent thriller that will appeal to fans of the film saga. The story follows Vincent Taleb (Tewfik Jallab), a protection officer to France's Defense Minister, and Zara Taylor (Ritu Arya), an MI6 agent, as they team up to stop a rogue soldier who is targeting the politicians they serve. However, the people in power aren't exactly innocent of crimes, either.

"Paris Has Fallen" is a combination of the things that define the franchise's cinematic offerings, but it also stands tall in its own right. The terrorist plot is reminiscent of the first two films, but the series also touches on the conspiracy elements that inform "Angel Has Fallen," a movie that sees Butler's character get wrongfully accused of trying to assassinate the President and having to go on the run as a result. That said, "Paris Has Fallen" is more nuanced than its cinematic counterparts, and it boasts the best villain in the entire franchise.

The "Has Fallen" movies are action-packed shoot-em-ups that see Mike Banning blast through swarms of villains. While "Angel Has Fallen" is more of a chase movie that sees him go on the run, the saga is mainly dedicated to delivering action-packed mayhem. By contrast, "Paris Has Fallen" is more of a political thriller reminiscent of shows like "24" and "Strike Back" — and it's way more distrustful of the government.

The villain at the heart of "Paris Has Fallen," Jacob Pearce (Sean Harris), is out to destroy government officials because someone at the top sold him out to the Taliban while he was serving in Afghanistan. He has understandable motivations for wanting to get revenge, making him more morally grey than the clear-cut, generic, bad guys who cause carnage in the movies. This aspect of the character was also key to getting Harris to starring in the series, as creator Howard Overman explained in an interview with SBS:

"Sean's one of those actors who has very strong opinions about making things feel real. One of the things that Sean's very keen to do is really drill down into the character, make sure his motivations are consistent. The one thing that Sean will never do is play a clichéd villain."

"Paris Has Fallen" complements the cinematic franchise while telling a more grounded and thought-provoking story. There is still plenty of action, but it's less outlandish and over-the-top. That's not to say that the show is better than the movies, per se, but it's a different kind of flavor that's tasty in its own right. What's more, a sequel series, "Apollo Has Fallen," is currently in production, which will see Vincent and Zara team up to protect Europe from a deadly virus — and it should be enough to keep fans entertained while they wait for Mike Banning to return.