Directed by Ed Bianchi
Starring: Mireille Enos, Joel Kinnaman, Billy Campbell
I don’t need another television series that is a must see! But it looks like I have a new one….
The Series
The Killing is a bleak little show in the vein of Twin Peaks and Millennium. After the murder of Rosie Larson (Katie Findlay) police detective Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos) is put on the case. But this is Linden’s last day on the force as she is leaving Seattle to get married and start over in California. As the details to the murder start to unravel she is torn between joining her fiancé and solving the case. While investigating along with her replacement on the force Stephen Holder (Joel Kinneman) the case takes a turn for the political when Rosie’s body turns up in the trunk of a car leased to the campaign of mayoral candidate Darren Richmond (Billy Campbell).
I compared The Killing to Twin Peaks and Millennium but of course there are differences. Laura Palmer’s murder took a turn through the supernatural which The Killing stays away from. And whereas Frank Black had a new case every week here we are focused on Rosie’s murder alone and the apparent far reaching implications it may have. Another comparison to Millennium is the setting. Both are set in Seattle and the overcast atmosphere is a character in and of itself.
I also have to mention the excellent portrayals of Rosie’s parents by Brent Sexton and Michelle Forbes. The turmoil and torment that these characters go through during the investigation is heartbreaking to say the least. So many times actors go for the heartstrings in these types of roles where here both Sexton and Forbes play an understated agony that is never over the top but controlled and devastating to watch. I could feel the pain of their loss on every inch of their faces and in every small task they perform to try and get back to some kind of normal while waiting to find out what happened to their little girl.
The Killing is another hit for AMC and they have been on a roll for awhile now. With Mad Men, The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad and now The Killing AMC has cemented its place at the top of television drama.
9/10
The Video
1080p Widescreen with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The video is pretty flawless here. With such a rainy and overcast feel to the show it wouldn’t take much for the video to look grainy and the darker lit scenes to wash out. But the transfer here is excellent.
9/10
The Audio
DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. The musical score really pops in DTS. As does the dialogue and the simple ambient background noise. A higher end audio system would really sound amazing.
7/10
The Packaging and Special Features
The packaging on most of these sets is pretty standard these days. A simple clamshell case in transparent blue is the norm and here is no exception. But do we really need anything fancy? I think not.
The special features are a bit weak. There is a gag real, deleted scenes, commentaries and a featurette called “An Autopsy of The Killing.” Also included is an extended version of the season finale. I didn’t find that any of this added to what I had already watched but for the completist these might make nice supplementary material.
5/10
The Killing has enough political intrigue, heartbreak and mesmerizing characters to make anyone sit up and take notice. Now that the second season is in full swing I’m going to have to catch up and make space in my already full television watching schedule. AMC has hit another one out of the park.
Overall (Not an Average) 8/10
The Review
The Movie 9/10
The Video 9/10
The Audio 7/10
The Packaging and Special Features 5/10
Overall (Not an Average) 8/10