Article first published as THE KILLING Season 3 Premiere Review on Seat42F.
Grade: 93%
Grade: 93%
About a year after its cancellation, THE
KILLING returns to AMC with the two-hour opener of season three. Titled
“The Jungle; That You Fear the Most,” the story picks up a year after
the events of the Rosie Larsen case, with Holder (Joel Kinnaman) seeking
out a reclusive Linden (Mireille Enos) when his current murder
investigation seems to tie into her former career.
As someone who loves THE KILLING, I am
thrilled that it has been rescued from the TV graveyard for another
year. The first two hours of the new season, despite the things that
have changed in the main characters’ lives, and the absence of many
familiar faces, feels like a return to form. In the same bleary, dark
setting, the depressing tone of murder hangs in the air.
Similarly, Linden and Holder are able to
pick up right where they leave off. The chemistry between the pair in
their first meeting, having not seen each other in quite awhile,
immediately reminds me of what was so good about the first two seasons.
There is genuine affection there, but also a want to avoid the things
that they dislike in themselves when glimpsed in each other. Even a
little lie about a dropped smoking habit demonstrates this beautifully,
and says a lot about the two.
Like the first two years, season three
takes awhile to get started. We see a dead body early in “The Jungle;
That You Fear the Most,” but I would not claim that the investigation
gets off on the right track. There are plenty of details that will
likely eventually be clues, and we are introduced to a great many people
who will be suspects. But THE KILLING is a slow burn and will not be
rushed into getting the leads to where they need to be.
Unfortunately, they won’t be able to
drag their feet too long. Unlike seasons one and two, which spent
twenty-six hours solving one murder in a very intriguing fashion, really
dwelling on the pain and suffering and toil that goes into such a
venture, season three promises to catch the killer in twelve hours. This
makes sense to keep eyes glued to the screen, given the legions of
so-called “fans” who abandoned ship after season one failed to wrap
things up and got THE KILLING canceled in the first place, but it’s
disappointing to those who would like the show to take its time and do
what it does best.
Unlike the Larsen case, in which a
family grieves, the victims (plural because we’re dealing with a serial
killer) in season three appear to be homeless teenagers. It’s a very
bleak scene, kids living on the street, and a number of them are in the
central cast. This contingent includes: Bullet (Bex Taylor-Klaus), a
tough, butch lesbian; Kallie (Cate Sproule), Bullet’s best friend who
has been kicked out by her mother, Danette (Amy Seimetz, Family Tree);
and Lyric (Julia Sarah Stone, Vampire Dog), Bullet’s crush who is with a
wannabe model named Twitch (Max Fowler, Mayday), who is just using
Lyric. Some of these kids may care about one another, but it’s not the
same thing.
Which is good. THE KILLING doesn’t want
to repeat itself, and it doesn’t. It moves forward in a new direction
that continues the personal journey of the two leads of the show, and
introduces another group of people living in Seattle. The homeless kids
are not something that has really been explored on a weekly basis in
series television before, and they raise awareness of a real-life issue,
while creating a rich, fresh tapestry for the story.
But sometimes to move forward, one must
go back. Linden is stuck in a low-wage job, her son, Jack (Liam James,
no longer a main character), lives half a country away, and she is still
haunted by a previous murder, especially when she learns that the
killer she put away, Ray Seward (Peter Sarsgaard, Jarhead), may be
innocent of the crime. Jack asks Linden what she’s still doing in
Seattle, and this premiere tells us: she has unresolved issues that she
must deal with before she can move forward. Newlywed Regi (Annie Corley)
may disagree, but from a narrative perspective, Linden needs to get
back into the police game.
Holder, on the other hand, seems to be
doing well. He’s close to a promotion, dressing in suits, and is
definitely the more competent part of his professional partnership with
Carl Reddick (Gregg Henry, Scandal). He also seems happily in a
relationship. So his tale might just be to realize his calling, which he
may have already found, rather than advancing solely for the sake of
advancement.
On a side note, Jewel Staite (The L.A.
Complex, Firefly, Stargate: Atlantis) plays Holder’s love interest, and
is introduced with an instant Serenity reference. Joss Whedon fans owe
THE KILLING a debt of gratitude.
Besides Holder and Linden, the most
compelling character this year will probably be Ray. Sarsgaard gives us a
man who may be innocent, but who sure doesn’t seem like he is, and is
not making any friends on Death Row. Does this mentality stem from
trauma in his past? A coping mechanism? Is he feeling guilty for
something? Is he just a jerk? Sarsgaard makes me want to find out.
Two wonderful hours, and it’s like THE
KILLING never left. With a great story, fantastic set up, and a group of
new players every bit as interesting as those of the first two seasons,
I look forward very much to watching this latest mystery unfold. Even
if I’m still hoping for a Mayor Richmond (Billy Campbell) cameo at some
point.
THE KILLING premieres Sunday, June 2nd at 8 p.m. ET on AMC.
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