The Killing is a four season TV series produced by AMC in 2011. Officially declared as a ‘drama’, I’d place this as either a crime thriller, or a slow burn crime drama. Alternatively, I’d say the first two seasons of the show is a tale of heartbreak and gut-wrenching despair.
Set in Seattle, the story follows the murder of a high school student named Rosie Larsen. What typifies the murder investigation is the strange circumstance in which Rosie’s body was found — submerged in the trunk of a car at the bottom of a lake. The investigation is lead by Detective Stephen Holder and Detective Sarah Linden. In the following sections I’ll speak about what season 1 and season 2 brings to the table, drawbacks if any, as well as the relationship between the two lead detectives. No spoilers are mentioned in this post.
The first half of Season 1’s primary focus was to enable suspect elimination via alibi’s. The transition towards a more fundamental, well accentuated story-line involving other aspects such as the personal lives of the victim’s family, the mayoral disputes between the two candidates contesting for mayoral elections in Seattle, underscores and sets the narrative hinting at a deeper layer to Rosie’s death rather than a straightforward ‘grudge’ killing. The first season also makes sure to highlight character flaws and personalities of each and every character, adding to the mystery. Interwoven narratives makes this season top notch except for the last two episodes. I found that the last two episodes were rushed, not a lot of attention to detail was provided, and certain aspects of what the climax was reaching to, was forced upon the viewers. It could have been more meticulously written and executed in a slower fashion, to make sure that the show’s slow burn theme was satisfied.
Season 2 was noticeably faster-paced, which was essential for plot development. Maintaining the slow burn pace from Season 1 would not have worked, especially given the cliffhanger ending of the first season. No complaints here, The writing in season 2, particularly in terms of how the detectives navigate through internal politics, conduct investigations and deal with their own graveyard of secrets — was blended into each episode exceptionally well. There are multiple twists in season 2, which encourages the viewers to try and connect the dots. Season 2 is an archetype of how crime thrillers should be written and directed. The dark, brooding atmosphere, the eerie sense of hidden motives, the portrayal of grief and heartbreak, and the depiction of how people process different emotions during a crisis is immaculately handled by the writers.
Detective Sarah Linden and Detective Stephen Holder (in the picture above) have some of the best written personality traits one could ask for, considering their experience in the force (even though Holder was initially part of a different task force). Their relationship starts off hostile, as Linden prefers to work alone and does not trust Holder’s abilities. One of the best subplots in the entire series is the character progression and how they realize that they are each other’s ‘Ride or Die’ — a journey brilliantly depicted. Subtle emotional moments, behind-the-back actions, and the growing mutual respect between them enhance the narrative. Their evolving partnership is not only compelling but also adds depth to the story-line, making their bond one of the highlights of the series. Actually thinking back on this, I would place my bets on the show’s success to be derailed if not for the partnership between Linden and Holder — based on the points mentioned above. To me, this was the reason for 70% of it’s acclaim.
Overall, I would suggest going into this show deeply invested, appreciating the top-quality acting, and progression towards one of the best climaxes you could ever expect in a who-dun-it type of slow burn thriller. The final moments of the last episode in season 2 left me broken — primarily because of the profound impact of the characters’ journeys and the emotional weight carried throughout the series, and finally — the revelation of how and why Rosie was killed, which is unlike anything you would have ever seen before.
