The Killing

[dave1606]

Posted: 7/15/13 at 12:42pm

Is anyone else still watching this? I know many people dropped off in Season two, but last night's episode was a fantastic piece of television. Mireille Enos is my girl.

Updated On: 7/15/13 at 12:42 PM

[Wynbish]

Posted: 7/15/13 at 12:46pm

I think this season has been so much better. The serial killer mystery seems more interesting than Who Killed Rosie. I like how we are getting to know the victims/potential victims, like Kallie, Bullet, and Lyric. We never knew Rosie.

Peter Sarsgaard is putting in some great performances, as are Mireille and Joel per usual.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 7/15/13 at 1:06pm

Plus, actually honoring the formula of solving a crime in a season is giving this show a lot of energy. The languid, almost Chekhovian pace of the Rosie Larsen murder became unbearable. I think I would have been fine if they wrapped it up in 13 (or however many) episodes.

The actress who plays Bullet (Bex Taylor-Klaus) is creating one of the more interesting characters I've seen on TV in quite some time.

[dave1606]

Posted: 7/15/13 at 1:46pm

I totally agree, though Peter Sarsgaard's storyline is not grabbing me as much.

That said, I feel like we are actually finding out info each week as opposed to just treading water each episode.

Its really great to see Mireille and Joel back together. I hope this show finds the audience it deserves this time.

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 7/15/13 at 1:56pm

i'm watching... i love this show mainly because of the wonderful chemistry between Joel and Mereille... those two have just wonderful interactions together... i love the mystery this season more than the Rosie Larsen... and i'm with you dave on the Peter Sargaard storyline... it's not really holding my attention... although he's giving a great performance

[HorseTears]

Posted: 7/19/13 at 1:21am

I'm sad to say I have to disagree with you lot. I was an ardent fan of seasons 1 and 2 of this much maligned show, but I am finding this third season far less compelling. The secondary characters are no where near as interesting to me as those from the Larsen case. At least Mireille Enos and Joel Kinnaman are still giving fantastic performances. But now it certainly feels more like a conventional police procedural. We have enough of those, I was really hoping that Veena Sud (the showrunner) would stick to her gut and not get swayed by the ridiculous level of hate leveled at her when she let this show travel at an appropriately glacial pace (remember, the entire season was representative of, what, just a month or two?) and took the viewers to unexpected places.

The sense of outrange that people had when the rug was pulled out from us at the end of season 1 always puzzled me. Where does that sense of entitlement come from? I LOVE that Veena Sud and her writers took us by surprise there. I also enjoyed the slow burn of those two seasons.

The season finale of season 2, which closed the Rosie Larsen case was a total knock-out. Indulge me and let me defend it and all those red herrings that people found frustrating. I think those red herrings were necessary to give us the emotional impact of the finale.

Those red herrings painted a false portrait of Rosie. Throughout the show Rosie was supposedly a sexually compulsive bad girl (early Jasper storyline), possibly sleeping with her high school boyfriend’s father (Ames), working as a prostitute (the Beau Soleil/Polish mafia connection), involved in an inappropriate relationship with an older male teacher who may have had ties to Islamic terrorists, a hardened and bitter extortionist who had no issues bribing people (Michael Ames via text, possibly Stan in an unseen moment), and lastly a cold-hearted girl who had no problem abandoning her family and running away from home without saying a word. After each red herring was explored as a possible lead, her family and those closest to her were forced to consider that they had no idea who this girl really was.

BUT, then in the end, it turned out that all of those leads were completely false. She was just a sweet, somewhat naive girl who wanted to see the world. I think that’s what made the reveal of Rosie’s true character so devastating in the finale. She was just a sweet kid in the wrong place at the wrong time. And she DID say goodbye to her family. If, as the viewers, we hadn't been forced to consider that she may be a home-wrecker, prostitute, extortion artist or a cold-hearted runaway, that final reveal of her true character wouldn't have had the same impact it did.

I'll be shocked if, the way this show is going, they're going to be able to match that kind of coup at the end of this season. I'll still tune in, though.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 7/22/13 at 12:26pm

Such an emotional episode. Powerful performances from Joel and Mireille.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 7/22/13 at 12:50pm

I'm in mourning for Bullet. And yes...fabulous performances...that almost kiss was something.

OK...so...am I looking too hard for plot twists in that the other detective knew Bullet was looking for Holder and where she'd be...and he managed to be the one to find the ring trophies?

[Wynbish]

Posted: 7/22/13 at 1:00pm

Good point about the other detective. There are still two episodes left and some questions still unanswered.

It was a surprise but it also made sense that we had already seen the last of Bullet last week and didn't really know it at the time. The audience gets to share that with Holder. I loved how Linden ran to get to Holder before he opened the trunk, then told him to get away from it. They're such great friends and partners.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 7/23/13 at 11:50am

Great episode last night. This is definitely the best season by far. I'm wondering what will happen now that the killer has been supposedly caught and there's still two episodes left. It's like the polar opposite of the Rosie Larson case.

Apologies if this is a stupid question but I was dozing in and out last night. Who was that kid and who did he shoot? I gathered it was his dad but wasn't sure why or who.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 7/23/13 at 12:11pm

He's the kid of the head guard (?) in the death row wing where Saargard's character is kept. I'm not sure exactly why his character is important. I hope we find out.

WAIT! How about that turn around from the other prisoner who was 'counseling' Saarsgard. Holy F*CKing SH*Tballs, was that unsettling.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 7/23/13 at 1:37pm

I was in and out during that part too. It was confusing and also very ****ed up. Did the guards work that out?

[suestorm]

Posted: 7/23/13 at 3:51pm

i find this season to be very compelling, but much darker and disturbing

I agree with Robbie, i think Holders ex partner is involved.

1) he tried to discourage Holder from investigating from the beginning
2) he didnt pass along any of the messages
3) he found the trophy box, presumably when he was alone prob had it all along

so glad holder and Linden didnt get busy. it wouldve been so cliche

[strummergirl]

Posted: 7/23/13 at 8:49pm

This is why they really should've stuck with the original series formula a new case a season. This is so much fresher. I think because we see the seedy parts more than just red herrings and also young people (I liked The Killing where it focused on the seedy HS stuff Rosie might've been involved with- during the Muhummad red herring and Indian casinos I was beginning to feel like this show was over-stretching).

Lodge Kerrigan (seek out his astonishing but under-seen Clean, Shaven) has directed 2 episodes this season and Jonathan Demme directed the most recent episode. At least appreciate the craftsmanship.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 7/24/13 at 1:16am

I agree that the young people make the show fresher. We really got to know and love Bullet, which made losing her more important and more dramatic than losing a teenage girl like Rosie who we only saw in flashbacks.

I somewhat think Skinner knows more than he lets on about what happened to Adrian's mom. Mills was not in Washington. I don't think Seward did it. I'm not completely certain that Skinner did it (even though three years ago, he may have looked more like that picture of Mills Adrian identified), but there's something he's hiding from Linden.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 7/29/13 at 11:52am

Wow. A very, very strong episode. A realistic way to end that storyline, and with such power, too.
An interview with Sud and Sarsgaard

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 7/29/13 at 12:05pm

I found that episode almost unbearable. Saarsgard is doing Emmy-level work (as are Enos and Kinnaman, of course). I've always been anti-death penalty, but Christ...how hideous. Those last few seconds were terrifying in a brutal, realistic and heartbreaking way.

But how much new information can come out in the final episode??? Ugh...I'm feeling such anxiety.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 7/29/13 at 12:18pm

The creator (with confirmation from Enos) has said that it will definitely be resolved this season. So, the big question still remains about who killed Adrian's mother? Also, where is Kallie? Are we 100% sure Mills did everything the "Piper" did?

It seems that, judging from the preview, Linden and Holder start looking at their fellow officers (Reddick? Skinner?)

I thought the hanging scene was so well done. Seward keeping a strong facade until the bag is over his head. Becker freezing during the very moments he has drooled over all season. The realistic consequence of not having a sudden death. Linden's reaction to it.

The Newsroom this season reminded me of the Troy Davis execution in 2011, and I thought of that a lot during this episode.

Holder, in his little time, had a strong episode, as well. He's clearly still reeling from Bullet. Also, and I admit that this is very reaching and too analytical, I feel that watching Linden's failure in saving Seward and for charging him in the first place was weighing heavy on his failures this season. He could have easily become sergeant, but took a difficult case he has not solved. He couldn't save Bullet and still remembers all the calls he ignored himself that night. He has tried to be on the straight and narrow (stay clean, get a good girlfriend), and that is shaking. So, he has Linden. His partner and mentor when he got into Homicide work. If she can fail, he knows he can just as easily, if not more so.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 7/29/13 at 1:24pm

Woooooow. That was one of the best episodes of television I have seen in some time. It was gut-wrenching, heartbreaking and many other adjectives. I'm so glad that I suffered through the first two seasons and AMC took another chance on the show because wow.

Everyone was acting the HELL out of it last night. Peter Sarsgaard went through a range of emotions that made you want to hate him one minute and cry for him the next. Mireille Enos was KILLING (no pun intended) it in the final scenes. I'm glad that they had an episode that was contained within the prison to give you a real sense of what goes on.

I thought Veena Sud was horrible at first with everything that happened with Rosie Larson but if she can write like that then please give me more.

And Wynbish, I hope you were crying at that if the True Blood episode made you bawl.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 7/29/13 at 1:30pm

What? No! I wasn't crying. My eyes were just sweaty. Summertime, ya know... Yes, this episode got the tears, too.

Usually, I watch True Blood as it airs, then watch The Killing on Monday night. For some reason, I decided to watch The Killing right after True Blood. A one-two punch, if there ever was one.

Next week will be 2 hours.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 7/29/13 at 1:33pm

I'm surprised you've lived to tell about it, Wyn.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 7/29/13 at 1:35pm

By the grace of the Swedish gods (Alex and Joel)

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 7/29/13 at 2:06pm

STOP TALKING ABOUT TRUE BLOOD IN THIS THREAD! I need to watch it tonight!

I would have had no problem with the Rosie Larsen case if they kept it to one season. Because they decided to extend it to two, there was so much dead air and so many red herrings. It was way too much. The mayoral election was just so who cares! This season has made everything count. We weren't treated to extended episodes involving Linden and her adorable young puppy dog of a boyfriend. It was quick and brutal and told us all a great deal about both characters without wheel-spinning.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 7/30/13 at 9:55pm

I've said this before, but I'll continue to defend seasons 1 and 2. Loved the menacing, glacial pace and those red herrings weren't just diversions and distractions, they helped make the conclusion of the case that more impactful. We were forced to consider that Rosie might have been a prostitute or having an affair with her teacher or involved with organized crime or a cynical extortion artist or a cold-hearted selfish girl who purposefully planned to leave her family without a word. But at the end, none of that was true. Just a sweet girl in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Anyway, back to the current season. Not sure what to make of that last episode. Wonderful performances, no doubt. Especially Sarsgard and Enos, but the writing was questionable at times -- the "Salisbury steak" line at the end? "Salisbury Steak is not steak, it's ground meat. Now let's get this show on the road!" Seriously?? And perhaps this is just because I'm already adamantly opposed to the death penalty, but I don't feel like I need yet another polemic against capital punishment.

As for the case, I'm thinking it has to be Reddick. I've deleted the ep now, but I'm pretty sure that I saw Reddick wearing a bandaid in the prior ep -- right before Holder punched him in the face for not telling him Bullet had called the precinct. Unless the creators are incredibly sloppy, the placement of that bandaid was very intentional. Bullet fought back against her attacker rather ferociously as I recall the coroner saying. Reddick tried to kill her, she clawed him as she fought back.

I hope there's a bigger twist than this, but everything does seem to be pointing to him.

Updated On: 7/30/13 at 09:55 PM

[HorseTears]

Posted: 8/6/13 at 4:08am

Spoilers for the Season 3 finale below...

Well, now I feel dumb for not suspecting Skinner. Looking back on it, I guess it would have been odd for Elias Koteas to have been cast in a moderately interesting inconsequential role.

I never found this season as involving as the first case in seasons 1 and 2, but still, thought that was one hell of an ending. I love that they didn't go soft on us. Such a harsh, brutal way to end the season. Hope they have one more.