Inside Television with Alan Sepinwall

Review: 'The Killing' - 'I'll Let You Know When I Get There': Family men

The show's still a disappointment, but some positive signs this week

By Alan Sepinwall Sunday, May 29, 2011 11:00 PM

Linden and Holder make a discovery on "The Killing."

Credit: AMC

A review of tonight's "The Killing" coming up just as soon as I call my mom "Bev"...

"I made a mistake." -Linden

There are still many, many things that "The Killing" struggles with, like characterization(*) and compelling plot advancement. Whatever expectations I had for the show at the start of the season have long since been recalibrated, where now all I want is to not have to throw up my hands when they reveal the killer and say, "Really? That guy? Really?"

(*) This week's groaner is courtesy of Darren Richmond, who doesn't even blink, or have any kind of reaction at all to the news that Bennet Ahmed was kidnapped and beaten to within an inch of his life other than to tell Linden that he doesn't envy her job. What in the world was that? Is he a robot? Is he, in fact, a cybernetic organism sent into the past by SkyNet, because the Seattle mayoral race of 2011 will play a crucial role in allowing the machines to crush humanity?

That said, "I'll Let You Know When I Get There" did some good things - did them better than the show has done in quite some time. In the past, I've compared this series to "24," which never really had enough story to fill 24 episodes and either sagged in the middle of seasons or did an abrupt left turn halfway through the year so that Jack Bauer was essentially chasing several unrelated bad guys in the same day. "The Killing" hasn't tried the latter approach, but watching this one did make me feel like the episodes focusing on Bennet Ahmed were essentially the show's way of marking time until there were only a few weeks left and it was time to get into who actually killed Rosie. And because of that, there was more of a sense of urgency tonight than there's been in a while.

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Of course, some of that urgency came from yet another red herring in Belko. Some people objected to my use of that term a while back, noting that a murder mystery by design needs multiple suspects. The problem here is that "The Killing" has set things up in such a way that there is always one overwhelmingly obvious suspect (or, in the case of Jasper and Kris, pair of suspects) at a time. Within a particular episode (or over many episodes, with Bennet), it seems so clear to Holder and Linden that so-and-so did it that it just makes them seem gullible, and makes the show seem extra-manipulative, when those suspects are cleared one by one and our heroes move onto the next idea. Things would have been so much more interesting if the high school kids, Bennet, Belko and whomever it was Rosie met at the Indian casino (maybe Richmond? Stan slipping away from the camping trip to gamble away the family bank account?) were all being pursued and considered simultaneously. I know that an actual murder investigation can't and doesn't always work that way - that time and energy demands can at times lead cops to latch onto the most probable angle and work that exhaustively - but it's been pretty dramatically inert for this show.

And yet... the actual scenes with Belko and his mom were among the stronger the show has done in a while. In the course of this hour, Belko came alive as a person in a way that none of the other suspects, family members or political operatives really have. And I'll pay Linden and Holder's interrogation of him the highest compliment I can for such a scene and say that I could easily imagine that exact sequence being transplanted into an old episode of "Homicide."

Also, while it took far, far, far too long to happen, the show has finally put the Sonoma question behind it, with Sarah not responding to Rick's final ultimatum about getting on a plane. So at the very least, we won't have to waste much, if any, time in the final episodes on Holder or Oakes or Reggie asking Linden why she doesn't go already.

Again, my expectations have been drastically lowered. This isn't the show it could or should have been, and if it comes back next season (AMC often moves slowly on renewal decisions), it's going to need a significant creative overhaul to get me back. But I've stuck it out this long. Only a few weeks to go. Might as well see how it ends.

What did everybody else think?

Alan Sepinwall
Sr. Editor, What's Alan Watching

Alan Sepinwall has been reviewing television since the mid-'90s, first for Tony Soprano's hometown paper, The Star-Ledger, and now for HitFix. His new book, "The Revolution Was Televised," about the last 15 years of TV drama, is for sale at Amazon. He can be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com

Related Searches: The Killing, Alan Sepinwall, Mireille Enos, Billy Campbell, Brent Sexton, Michelle Forbes, Veena Sud, Joel Kinnaman

Next 138 Comments

Stef

I was glad to finally see some forward momentum tonight. I still don't have a strong feeling about who the killer is, but for the first time since the beginning Richmond is back on my list. Didn't they already say that Stan used the family savings to buy that house as a surprise?
May 29, 2011 at 11:07PM EST Reply to Comment
josh

Agreed. Still disappointing because it is not trying to do anything other than tell this mystery. Far more time needed to be spent developing the character of Rosie.

Homicide did not develop the personal lives of characters, but the writing was so much sharper and edgier and even funnier. Where is the gallows humour of cops?

This reminds me Richard Price's book, Freedomland. I had huge expectations after clockers, but damn if the ending wasnt just the final let down after a long and drawn out mystery. I fear the ending of this show will be terrible. They really, beyond the pilot, have yet to show they can really write a tight, smart and memorable episode of tv.

May 29, 2011 at 11:08PM EST Reply to Comment
- Just telling anyone reading this, there is a very large spoiler from the original series in the comment directly below this one. SPOILERS BELOW
  May 30, 2011 at 1:52AM EST
- SPOILERS BELOW
  May 30, 2011 at 1:52AM EST
- sepinwall Not anymore. That comment has been deleted.
  May 30, 2011 at 6:42AM EST
- hipo Thanks, Alan. It was toxic and a spoiler.
  May 30, 2011 at 4:27PM EST
- Kenya Actually, Homicide did quite a bit of character development--more than most post-Hill Street Blues cop shows.
  May 31, 2011 at 1:30PM EST
sajid_anwar

At this point, I've said what needed to be said about the show. It doesn't serve any purpose for me to eat cheese along with my WHINE. But one thing I found interesting is that you don't seem to think the show getting picked up for a second season is a slam dunk. Didn't it open to record ratings. I can't imagine the audience has fallen off precipitously. I would be shocked if they didn't give it a second shot. And quite frankly, I would like for it to come back.

I still believe the premise of this show can lead to a great drama series. Obviously they've botched it up badly this season. But who knows, maybe the showrunners will listen to critics and fans concern and fix the issues that we have with the show. One can only hope.
May 29, 2011 at 11:14PM EST Reply to Comment
- lucas 84 Episode 1-2 ratings: 2.72 million viewers
  3: 2.56
  4: 2.51
  5: 2.25
  6: 1.81
  7: 1.83
  8: 1.98
  9: 1.69
  
  In sum, higher than Breaking Bad`s ratings, and lower than Mad Men`s. However, they have been steadily dipping with each passing week.
  
  Worth noting that AMC recently elected not to pick up any of the 3 or 4 pilots they had ordered, which does bode well for The Killing`s renewal future. Sigh. Shiban`s VOYAGE seemed promising.
  May 30, 2011 at 1:27AM EST
- Stacy It worries me that Breaking Bad is AMC's lowest rated show. Hopefully the ratings will pick up in the summer run, but it would be nice if AMC showed some sort of trailer or at least a teaser trailer that has the actual premier date instead of sometime in July.
  
  Sorry for the unrelated rant-I just really want a Breaking Bad preview .
  May 30, 2011 at 11:15AM EST
theholyavenger

I had to rewind certain scenes probably 6 times during this episode. At this point it just can't hold on to my focus.
May 29, 2011 at 11:15PM EST Reply to Comment
RJ

I thought it was a more complete episode than the last several, there wasn't the lull in the middle, more often after a significant plot development opening and ending. Still agree that way to much time was wasted in actually forming a suspect. Also, definitely would've made sense to maybe delve more into Rosie's character herself, via flashbacks or by some other means. Still think it's a solid show but I'm in the same boat in regards to thinking it was going to be top notch after viewing the first few. That being said, has me until the end.
May 29, 2011 at 11:15PM EST Reply to Comment
- I think the time spent forming a suspect is a consequence of the format. Each episode encompasses a single day. In this case, the investigating officers are a cop who is in the process of resigning and another who's out of his element. So, they're not always consumed by the case and they make mistakes. Linden and Holder avoided what I think is a common mistake in real life. They didn't jump to immediate conclusions about anyone. When they did begin to suspect someone, they closed in on him. Now that they know they were wrong, they're sifting back through evidence. It all makes perfect sense to me. We're used to watching police procedurals wrap up in a single hour, with the police homing in on the suspect early on and then pursuing him or her in dramatic fashion. This was never advertised as a typical police procedural, so why are people surprised when it delivers on its promise?
  May 30, 2011 at 12:53PM EST
- Kenya @Nancy, the problem is that it doesn't deliver on its promise. It promised to be a thoughtful drama about the investigation of the murder of a young woman. Like most people, I didn't want it to be L&O/CSI: Seattle. I hoped for better characterization and writing. Except for a few good episodes (like the first two and this one), it has been far too simplistic and too concerned with throwing us off the scent than telling a good story.
  May 31, 2011 at 1:35PM EST
- @Kenya...I just don't see the similarity between the more formulaic shows at all. I think the acting is on a different level and I'm not having the problems with the plot that seem to bother others. I have not worked in law enforcement, but I've worked with law enforcement officers enough to believe that this is the way it's done...mistakes and all.
  
  I thinks it's interesting and ironic that so many people who are complaining about the show, while claiming to want something other than L&O/CSI; seem to be looking for the kind of slick, superficial police procedure that you see on those shows. You can't have it both ways.
  
  Another thing that's different...you don't see a female cop with a life, messy though it may be, on these shows. She's usually a tough chick who lives for her job and has a special, slightly sexy, bond with someone she works with like her married partner. The last TV cop with a husband and kids I can recall is Mary Beth Lacey on Cagney and Lacey and that was thirty years ago. Brenda on The Closer is sort of getting a life, but her life is sit-com cute as is her character. I love Kyra Sedgwick and I watch the show once in a great while, when nothing else is on, just to see her but the rest of it is almost unwatchable.
  
  As for throwing us off the scent...how would you make an extended police procedural work without a few dead ends? When we're thrown off the scent, it's because the characters have been thrown off the scent too. Again...I'm pretty sure that's how it works in real life.
  May 31, 2011 at 6:06PM EST
- Kenya @Nancy, I don't have problems with the acting at all. I loved Michelle Forbes in Homicide and liked her in Battlestar Galactica and I think she's doing a good job in The Killing. Nor am I as disturbed by the acting of the kids as others are. I think the problem is all with the writing and direction of the show.
  
  * As noted by others, the plot is very linear. Suspects are introduced in the last third of one episode and quickly cleared in the first half of the next. Lyndon J. Rosales, Kris Echols and Jasper Ames, Amber Ahmed, Bennet Ahmed, Muhammad Hamid and now
  Belko Royce. The show doesn't seem to expect enough of us as an audience to hold and consider multiple suspects in a far more nuanced manner in the same episodes. It's sort of suspect of the week (or day) and it's difficult not to feel manipulated for no good purpose. Frankly it reminds me of the L&O "twist" of putting up one strawman halfway through only to find the real culprit in the last fifteen minutes. The problem isn't that we've been thrown off the scent. It is that it occurs so routinely and so often that it has become formulaic.
  
  * There is very little character development. I don't mind a slow or even non-existent plot when we get to know the characters. From a network that greenlit Mad Men, Breaking Bad and Rubicon, this is actually what I expected. Instead, we see the characters do the same things each week, often unexplained by the plot or any other characters. It's as if the writers want the characters to be as much of a mystery as the identity of Rosie Larsen's killer.
  
  * For a show that's supposed to be smart and well-written, which is what I expected, they include a lot of somewhat silly behavior. The widely commented upon FBI stunt from last week comes to mind, but there are many others that have been listed in these comments. That is exactly the sort of trite silliness I expect of L&O and CSIS. I understand your point that policemen aren't all uber-competent. While I am not in law enforcement either, I've spent time with those who are and more importantly with administrators. In a case with this sort of profile, i.e. routinely making the nightly news and potentially involving a candidate for mayor, there is no way that it would only be assigned two officers, one of whom is new to homicide and routinely denigrated by his superior. After 3-4 days of spinning their wheels, someone else would have been assigned to assist or plain take over. I'm not expecting this to be tied up nicely with a bow in one episode.
  
  * I also don't have a problem with Linden per se. I mostly wish I knew more about her so I could better understand her behavior. I'm old enough to have watched Cagney and Lacey when it was broadcast and we knew enough about the characters to understand why they behaved as they did towards the people in their lives.
  
  A few weeks ago, I commented in one of Sepinwall's reviews of The Killing that I thought the portrayals of grief on the show were very authentic. However, it doesn't necessarily make it entertaining or compelling storytelling. I'm interested in a complex and thoughtful story told with nuance as if the audience is an adult, the novel in television form, as it were. Increasingly, I've decided that The Killing will not be that this season. It seems certain to return and it may improve in subsequent seasons. BTW, to give you a flavor of cop shows that I have liked, I liked Homicide, The Wire and, I admit it, the first two seasons of Law and Order, in that order.
  
  I've written a lot about a show that disappoints me. Why? It bothers me when shows that have the potential, and apparently the aspiration, to be really good content themselves with being really mediocre. It really bothers me when they think that no one notices the difference.
  June 1, 2011 at 10:34AM EST
- @Kenya...thanks for the truly thoughtful response. I appreciate your understanding that my intention is not to be contrary, but to really discuss the show. I'm interested in the show, but also intrigued by the negative response in some Internet forums like this one. It seems out of proportion.
  
  I guess I'm not bothered by the details you mention. I'm taking the show for what it is. I disagree, mostly, on the questions of character development as well as the structure of the investigation.
  
  I feel like I know enough about the characters at this point. I don't know every little detail of their back stories, but I know what kind of people they are as much from what they do say as from what's left unspoken. I think these characters are meant to be ordinary. Maybe that doesn't appeal to those who approached the show hoping for a new Don Draper or Omar Little and maybe that accounts for some of the negativity. There are no bigger than life characters in this one.
  
  I think the writers have presented a lot of possibilities with regard to suspects and are adding more all the time. The fact that the detectives are only following one lead at a time makes perfect sense to me. I just can't believe that a good detective would pursue multiple possibilities, none supported by evidence, if he or she had a plausible theory and evidence pointing to a particular suspect.
  
  I agree that the Seattle PD might have assigned more cops, at this point, if they wanted the crime solved. The political angle makes it high profile, but it also makes it political.
  
  Mayor Adams is the incumbent and the high level police administrators serve at his pleasure. If he loses the election, the police chief and maybe some other high level administrators, will lose their jobs. As long as Adams can continue to link the case to Richmond, he can stay ahead in the polls. If he drags it out long enough (the election must be taking place any day, now...it's already November 10th), maybe he'll win.
  
  My assumption, the first time Oakes started distancing himself from the case, was that he's dancing away from it because it's a political hot potato. To me, that was a clue to the possibility that Adams is involved with the murder.
  
  You mention that these TV series are like novels. This one is a lot like a modern murder mystery. I read a lot of murder mysteries when I was young. I've just gotten back into it. Right now, I'm reading Henning Mankell's Wallander series in its entirety and have also checked out a few other mystery writers like Henry Chang and Benjamin Black.
  
  As others have noted, The Killing feels very much like a murder mystery and is especially evocative of the Wallander books. In terms of the structure as well the succession of clues and suspects. To me, it's a familiar format but unlike anything else on TV. Even the BBC's Wallander series ties up cases in a single longish episode.
  
  In the end, it's probably a matter of taste. Liking it doesn't, necessarily, mean that those of who do like the show are overlooking its flaws or that we're content with second best. The cop shows I've liked have included Hill Street Blues, NYPD Blue and Homicide. I may also enjoy an episode of CSI or L&A now and then, but not a steady diet.
  
  I loved The Wire, but don't regard it as a cop show. It was a show about the cogs in a wheel jamming, breaking and ultimately grinding each other down. It was about the consequences of the breakdown of the governmental machine. When The Wire did deal with the police; it depicted a system that was less functional or efficient and more absurd than anything we've seen in The Killing. Would any of the administrators you know create a Hamsterdam like Bunny Colvin did on The Wire? I loved Hamsterdam, in concept and execution, but it was hardly authentic.
  June 1, 2011 at 6:28PM EST
dbick

I was under the impression their savings were spent on that house? So he couldn't gamble them away. Or am I missing something?
May 29, 2011 at 11:17PM EST Reply to Comment
- JJG I think that's right, but he was keeping the house a secret from Mitch and the kids so having no money in the account would still be a surprise for her
  May 29, 2011 at 11:25PM EST
- wonder what this misunderstanding will lead to. Last confusion laid out a guy in the hospital. Maybe kill someone this time? Anything can happen in this show. And no, that is not meant as a complimentary comment.
  May 29, 2011 at 11:29PM EST
- webdiva Yes: there is a house Stan was hoping to surprise Mitch with just as Rosie died, and now he has to pay two mortgages and can't keep up because business is slumping. That's why he had to go back to his former mob godfather for a loan. All this was shown in previous episodes, but I suppose we were (stupidly) meant to forget that until the right moment, just as we were meant to forget about the keychain found on Rosie's body that nobody (miraculously!) recognized as having the casino logo and never bothered to investigate, dispite the fact that any decent cop would have done that by day 2.
  May 30, 2011 at 12:38PM EST
- Thank you, Webdiva. I scratched my head trying to think why the cops waited until Day 10 to figure out what the logo on the key chain signified -- and that only happened by luck, not because they intended to investigate it.
  May 31, 2011 at 2:01PM EST
- Rosie had Stan's credit card. I don't know whether they checked charges. That would be a big oversight.
  June 1, 2011 at 6:30PM EST
Howard

Ok, here's my question. I started Tivo'ing this series when I heard raves about the first couple episodes. But it sounds like subsequent ones are super variable.

I have a backlog of lots of great stuff to watch, so: am I better off watching the first episodes and then bailing out, or not even get involved?
May 29, 2011 at 11:38PM EST Reply to Comment
- That's difficult to answer. While many people are frustrated with the show, there is a sizable amount of people who still likes the show. Tim Goodman is someone who I really respect, and he still likes the show. If I were you, I would watch it and make up my own mind rather than relying on input from others. Who knows, maybe you will like it.
  May 29, 2011 at 11:41PM EST
- Howard Yes, I'd actually considered the "make up my mind" strategy. I came here for other opinions.
  
  I don't want to invest time in a show that trends down. The question is whether the first few eps are worth viewing regardless of whether I continue.
  May 30, 2011 at 12:33AM EST
- hh skip it. I'm only waiting to see "who did it". I really don't care about the who, just want to see who that character is.
  May 30, 2011 at 12:45AM EST
- This week has been the first episode worth watching - barely. Delete the rest.
  May 30, 2011 at 1:15AM EST
- Remy Yes, the first couple of episodes are the best. It may work better as a show if you watch it in one or two sittings rather than waiting week to week. If you start watching and don't like it you can stop or if you find it mediocre and want to know who the killer is you don't have to wait weeks on weeks.
  May 30, 2011 at 1:20AM EST
- kinoeye 1. Find season 1 of 'Veronica Mars'
  2. Watch how a murder mystery can unfold over a longer episode arc than 'The Killing', with fascinating characters, well-written intrigue, and a satisfying conclusion
  3. ....
  4. Profit.
  May 30, 2011 at 2:58AM EST
- It's probably a matter of taste. The show has excellent performances, a strong sense of mood and atmosphere, and beautiful cinematography. The pace is slow. The style is straightforward and realistic, but not explicit. You have to read between the lines. The performances are not over the top, which I like. I think it might work much better viewed at once than it does with a week separating each episode. That's true of a lot of shows. It's flawed, and that's also true of many TV series, but I don't think it's as deeply flawed as you might believe just reading this critic and his followers. A lot of people are still watching it for whatever reason. Some critics do like it (check out today's review in The Atlantic) I like it for the strengths listed above. I was at a party last night at which three people were raving about it. Whether or not the show trends down remains to be seen. There are three episodes left and I think it's regaining strength after flagging in the middle. I think that the past three episodes have been stronger than the previous three. It isn't the Sopranos or The Wire, but neither is it Law and Order. I don't consider the time spent watching it to have been wasted.
  May 30, 2011 at 1:36PM EST
- I think it is a matter of personal taste. But if you have it TIVOed I'd give it a shot, you can always turn it off if you don't like it. The first 3 or 4 episodes are great and even though the next 4 or 5 are flawed, there are still good things in them. I agree with Nancy, it's not the Wire or the Sopranos but it is still worthwhile. I'd watch it in one or two goes over a weekend, it may play out better this way. The plot moves slowly and waiting a full week in between makes it seem even slower. Watching the full season at once may help in this.
  May 30, 2011 at 3:49PM EST
- Dezbot I just watched the last two episodes back-to-back and found I liked it more than when I was watching week-to-week. I wish now I'd waited and marathon'd it, but I hate having to avoid spoilers, too :-) Give it a shot and if you find you're not into it, you can easily bail out.
  May 30, 2011 at 4:07PM EST
Patrick

I agree with Alan's criticism of Richmond's robot-like response to Linden. I think Billy Campbell has done a terrible acting job throughout the series. I realize the writers want to make as many charaters plausible susects as they can. However, if they are going for an air of mystery with Richmond's character, I think they missed the mark badly. He just comes across as wooden and one-dimensional.
May 29, 2011 at 11:38PM EST Reply to Comment
- Sunny Well, I'd agree that Campbell's acting probably left something to be desired in that scene. But this was probably written in the script as RIchmond recognizing how much LInden is beating herself up over as soon as she walks in. It's actually a kindness then for him to react as he did, given how much political heat he took for the decision.
  
  I still think though that we might have to reassess Campbell's acting once we know whodunit.
  May 30, 2011 at 1:06AM EST
- I thought it was part of the "New Richmond" who is more cynical and has realized that he has to take the gloves off if he wants to win.
  May 30, 2011 at 3:48PM EST
sprtsfn

This was a great episode. What I realized tonight is that we are a part of a police investigation and like the police we must exhaust all leads, which is what the show is doing. The police focus on 1 suspect at a time, which is what the show is doing.
May 29, 2011 at 11:43PM EST Reply to Comment
- They aren't actually exhausting all leads. 11 days in they are just now getting around to constructing a timeline...a timeline that would have allowed them to include and exclude potential suspects. They knew when Ahmed left the dance, they knew when Rosie left. Yet they continued to connect him to the crime.
  
  The final clue reveal of what/who Adela was should have been more evident...as should have the the connection between the keychain and the casino logo. (Nevermind is was more contrived coincidence)...What I will give them tonight, was they stayed more focused on something. What I found most egregious tonight was how clumsily they reintroduced Linden's obsessiveness. She takes Jack to a motel and then stays at work until late evening? Who fed him. I already know she's not flying to Oakland, but who is caring for her son?
  May 29, 2011 at 11:54PM EST
- M.A.Peel Yes, the timeline thing is ridiculous. 11 days in! I drifted a bit, so I didn't hear how they "finally" got to the cab driver, but it just felt so deliberately delayed.
  May 30, 2011 at 6:17AM EST
- @SPRTSFN I like your take on it.
  
  @Keisha Nobody's taking care of Jack. That's the point.
  
  How could the 'Adele' connection have been more "evident" than it was? We saw the sign with the schedule and the boat. What else did you need to see in order to help you understand that Adele was a ferry? I guess I should ask the same question about the key ring and the casino logo. We saw a shot of the key ring in an evidence bag and, later, the same logo on the casino sign. This wasn't enough to help you make the connection?
  
  @M.A.PEEL You didn't hear what happened on day 11 because it hasn't been broadcast yet.
  May 30, 2011 at 1:50PM EST
joe

The episode was indeed stronger. But what we learned from it made the whole series weaker.

So the plot for the last 7 or so episodes revolved around Rosie's visit to Ahmed. And then today we learn that it was indeed an innocent visit. But wait a second, why in the world would Rosie leave the dance where Ahmed WAS to stop at his home to return his book? Nevermind a student returning a book past 10 on a Friday to a teacher's house, why didn't she just give him the book at the dance?

That is why this series is so disappointing: lots of random things happen for no other reason than stretching the point. Two girls in the same apartment the same night they go missing, same shirt, etc...

And now we learn that the reason she was there was to return a book, even though she was with him at the freaking dance!

Then, of course, she just happens to forget the piece of paper with her appointment inside the book. And Linden just happens to run by the doc of the ferry to Adela.

Wouldn't cops who have worked in the area long know that there is such a thing as an "Adela ferry?"

So now we have 11 days of investigation that has gone forward out of sheer, dumb luck (or bad luck).
May 30, 2011 at 12:07AM EST Reply to Comment
- Lindyk Joe, I so agree. No student would return a book after the dance for Gid's sake, let alone going to the teacher's house to do it - anytime. Lame.
  
  Key chain with casino logo and Adela: yes, they should know about that ferry - and then to just conveniently jog by it?
  
  We're on day 11 - and they never seem to do anything. If she's the crackerjack detective in Seattle, they must have a lot of unsolved homicides.
  May 30, 2011 at 1:34PM EST
- Maggie Q The Adela note really bothered me, starting last episode. Linden finds a note stuck in a book referencing Friday and a time, and they assume it was that Friday? Why? Who knows how long it was in the book.
  May 31, 2011 at 7:04AM EST
I thought the reaction of Richmond was interesting precisely because of the way he reacted. I think the viewer expects Richmond to yell at Linden saying, "I told you so!" I read it as Richmond realizing that Linden was racked with guilt and it wasn't going to do any good for him to get angry with her. He had already expressed his anger and displeasure to her in previous episodes. This displays his inherent kindness and part of what draws his supporters to him. He understands her burden because he has been carrying a similar burden by standing by Bennett for so long in the face of all the pressure to disavow him.

The reaction also displays Richmond's ability to coldly make political calculations. He realizes immediately that this is good news for him and he quickly moves beyond anger to ruminating on how he can exploit this news to his political benefit. I think if he truly cared for Bennett, his first act upon learning the news would have been to go to the hospital. Above everything else, Richmond is a political animal. At the end of the day, he is willing to do anything to win an election including running attack ads and leaking personal information about an opponent.

All this, to me, shows that Richmond is sort of a two-sided person. On the one hand, he is kind and genuinely wants to help less fortunate people - see his support for the Somali community and the basketball program. But he also has that dark side of him willing to take part in political dirty tricks when he has to.

Combine that with the footage of him shaking hands with Rosie, and I think you have a credible suspect.
May 30, 2011 at 12:10AM EST Reply to Comment
- I think that Richmond has been portrayed, from the beginning, as a guy lost inside his own head. He can flare up when he's angered, but the rest of the time he's depressed and preoccupied.
  
  The shot of Richmond and Rosie reminded me of the famous shot of Clinton and Monica Lewinsky.
  May 30, 2011 at 2:04PM EST
- webdiva No doubt the photo was intended to do exactly that -- but personally, I suspect that, too, is intentional misdirection. I don't think a real clue would be that blatantly obvious after all this time. Yet it is possible that Richmond's aide/girlfriend being the one looking at it is a reminder that neither of his aides is beyond suspicion.
  May 31, 2011 at 4:58AM EST
- I don't think that either aide is above suspicion. I took the shot of Gwen studying the picture as the beginning of doubt in her mind, but it could also have been a reflection of guilt. Jealousy because Rosie caught Richmond's eye, perhaps (though Gwen seems too calculating to be jealous - I suspect she's just using Richmond for some objective of her own). I think Jamie is a better suspect. He seems like the kind of guy who might explode if rejected by a girl. He gets a scary look on his face whenever Richmond ignores his advice. Any of them could have come in contact with Rosie when she was hanging out with the All Stars.
  May 31, 2011 at 6:16PM EST
Jason

The first ~5 episodes of this show established it was a brilliant neo-noir experiment, at least for American tv. Shot like The Walking Dead (that cinema feeling, long shots, every scene feels like a movie), it has struggled as of lately for me. The idea and the effort putting into showing the idea puts it ahead of Mad Men for me. Let's be honest, Mad Men's drama comes from the characters. The storylines aren't anything new (not being a smartass since it's based on history, I mean their themes) and the character relationships sure don't draw you in, but the characters make it brilliant on their own. But The Killing could be AMC's best show, if it embraces what it is.

I do disagree with your take on Sarahs 'marriage' being drawn out. The show has only been 10 days since the murder, which is more than reasonable for the steps she's taken.
May 30, 2011 at 12:19AM EST Reply to Comment
- Sorry but no. The storylines and character relationships on Mad Men don't draw you in? Please tell me that you just worded that wrong.
  May 30, 2011 at 12:30AM EST
- Yes, Mad Men is all about the character relationships: that is what addictingly draws us all in...
  May 30, 2011 at 1:29AM EST
- echos myron LOLOLOLOLOL. Yeah, American television abounds with stories about 1960s admen and their existential crises.
  May 30, 2011 at 1:41AM EST
- I think Jason's right. Mad Men is a great show that has descended into trite, clichÃ©d soap opera territory more than once. I offer the conclusion of Season 4, and the whole Megan story line for that matter, as a case in point. Can any of you really, truly defend that plot development?
  May 30, 2011 at 2:16PM EST
- I actually will not defend that because I thought the last few episodes were terrible. However, The Suitcase. That episode alone is reason enough to call Season 4 a success. It also proves Jason has no idea what he's talking about. The characters don't make that one of last years best episodes of television, it's the relationship between them that make it so great.
  May 30, 2011 at 3:28PM EST
- echos myron Ryan Powell is a fucking idiot. Anyone who thinks highly enough of the mediocre P&R to use Swanson`s dumb pyramid as an avatar has no business assessing cable drama. Stick to NBC, loser.
  May 31, 2011 at 2:47PM EST
- The Suitcase was, indeed, a masterpiece; but it doesn't excuse the final episode. Still, I love Made Men. I'm only bringing this up to illustrate the fact that even the best of the best is flawed. I think that The Wire might be as close to flawless as I've ever seen. There were a few bumps (I think McNulty's scheme with the homeless people went a little too far, but it was resolved nicely so I'll let it go), but not many.
  May 31, 2011 at 7:28PM EST
MercMatt

Finally a review and a reviewer that isn't sucking this show off just to get a hot shot in the mouth. The Killing is nowhere near as good as the nerds and geeks make it out to be.

That being said tonight ep was fairly decent, first in a while to rise about minimally acceptable and technically proficient. The interrogation scene was well handled and Belko and Bev were a great addition.
May 30, 2011 at 12:34AM EST Reply to Comment
a.e.

My favorite part of the show was at the end when they announced, "Only three episodes left..."

I've always hated the type of people that kvetch about a show, because, you know, why don't you just turn it off? Yet here I am... I feel like I've invested so much time watching the show, and I was so enthralled by the premise, and yet I'm so disappointed each week when the show fails to deliver.

I wish I could blame it on the actors (it's very easy to stop watching a poorly acted show), but really this show represents a failure to tell a compelling story, develop characters in a way that rationalizes/humanizes their behavior, or draw the audience in so that they truly care about the final outcome.

I'm reminded of the J.J. Abrams piece Bruni did over the weekend for the NYTimes, and Abrams' "magic box." Week after week, you're looking for clues to what's inside the magic box, and all you get is misdirections, a moody kid, a semi-psychotic campaign manager, almost everyone else behaving in unbelievable ways, and on and on.

And for the record, till you are arraigned, you keep your clothes as you are not officially a prisoner. I wish for once, a TV writer would get arrested so there wouldn't be a constant bastardization of the criminal justice system.

And Rick? You know who you were getting involved with. There was no bait and switch here, so stop wasting money on all these late night flights (and really? what airlines have local flights that leave that late at night?) and live with it.
May 30, 2011 at 12:48AM EST Reply to Comment
- Lindyk Yeah, it was exactly when they said three episodes left that I realized this season has gone nowhere fast.
  May 30, 2011 at 1:38PM EST
- Kenya Along with Sepinwall's comments, this brilliantly sums up my own feelings about the series. I too thought we could finally get down to business and focus on the story instead of the next red herring.
  May 31, 2011 at 1:45PM EST
iram

my suspects still are Richmond and the aunt.
May 30, 2011 at 12:51AM EST Reply to Comment
I've been disappointed in every episode of this series, thinking "Really?!" at almost every scene -- from the opening where the detective JUST HAPPENS to run across a decomposing pig on something on the day of the case...
But this week: I was literally thinking, "Hey, this has been a pretty good hour" -- right when Linden JUST HAPPENS to get the only true clue in whole case, seeing AT RANDOM that the ONLY 'suspect' is the name of a ferry line that she, a detective in the area for a decade, did not recognize before... and then, to make it all That. Much. Worse. she JUST HAPPENS to see that the ferry goes to a casino with the logo that she'd previously seen in the victim's notes.
Jeez louise... how in the world could a detective story/murder mystery be plotted any worse? HOW?
May 30, 2011 at 1:26AM EST Reply to Comment
- joe Not to repeat myself, but there is also the small fact that Rosie going to Ahmed's house to return his book, something that shaped half the season, makes absolutely 0 sense. She was with Ahmed at the dance, knew he was there, and yet went to his home to return it?
  May 30, 2011 at 2:02AM EST
- joe Not to repeat myself, but there is also the small fact that Rosie going to Ahmed's house to return his book, something that shaped half the season, makes absolutely 0 sense. She was with Ahmed at the dance, knew he was there, and yet went to his home to return it?
  May 30, 2011 at 2:02AM EST
- I nearly had the same reaction, except I wasn't ready to give them a good hour pat on the back, just that it didn't drag like previous episodes. I just finished watching the episode again and things went back to being "REALLY?!?" for me. The bank telephone call was a poor contrivance. The bank can call, tell me I am overdrawn, but not tell me how, but can tell me my savings is depleted, but not tell me how. Then why are you continuing this phone call with me then if you can only talk to my husband. arrgh.
  May 30, 2011 at 2:05AM EST
- Stacy Yeah.. The bank thing was a bit ridiculous. Now there are bank reports that will only tell you that accounts are withdrawn and not any extra information. But the lady should be able to look on the bank computer and at the very least tell her when the money came out, how the money came out (cash withdrawal or check) and who took it out.
  May 30, 2011 at 11:30AM EST
Remy

Did we get a hint tonight of what deeper issues Linden has?--why she knows the social worker who seems to have knowledge about Linden's past? Rick tells her in the hallway "I won't go through this again," that he doesn't want to go through what he did before, sitting with her in a hospital while she stares at a blank wall. Are they implying she was in a mental hospital? Because she got too obsessed with a case?
May 30, 2011 at 1:32AM EST Reply to Comment
- they've been no so subtlely hinting at her kicking an addiction, so I'm running with that. That her previous case sent her on an obsession-based addiction binge, during which she nearly lost custody of her kid. Which I'm guessing we're watching play out again
  May 30, 2011 at 2:24AM EST
- M.A.Peel That obsession is what makes me think there are bigger machinations going on, that she is being set up. Why else would her boss give her an enormous murder case AFTER SHE RESIGNED. That goes in the "0" sense column, and hopefully points to some clever plot point that the killer is well connected to pull strings like that.
  May 30, 2011 at 6:08AM EST
- I'm really tired of the implication of some past murder in her life. Just be done with the "mystery" of it already!
  May 30, 2011 at 9:16AM EST
Alan W

Was it just me or did Linden down that scotch like a champ? No or grimace or anything.
May 30, 2011 at 2:06AM EST Reply to Comment
- and wasn't she still on the clock while doing so? No wonder this investigation is so sideways lol
  
  May 30, 2011 at 2:21AM EST
- Laura Most likely bc she was actually drinking apple juice and nobody involved in the show cares about getting the details right. Nobody drinks scotch like that.
  June 1, 2011 at 7:08PM EST
Eric the Actor

My feeling is the killer is someone associated with the campaign, there's been much time spent with them for nothing to come of it. Who knows. The episode played out like a random Law and Order ep, and I think I would like this series much more if I just plowed through all 13 eps in one sitting.
May 30, 2011 at 3:08AM EST Reply to Comment
NoHoGreg

For much of the series, I've been leaning towards Richmond himself as the murderer, which to me would redeem a lot of apparent false notes in Campbell's portrayal and the time spent on the campaign.

I think it could work and be dramatically interesting if they played him as a John Edwards type who had willed himself to believe his own lies and thought he was too important to go down under any circumstances. Having read about Edwards' narcissism in Game Change, I've been watching Campbell through that lens and it has been working for me the entire time. It also explains why he was so sure of the teacher's innocence.

At the end of the day, I know this show loves its insane coincidences, but Rosie being found in a campaign vehicle has to have meaning and an explanation beyond it just another random moment in a season of random moments.
May 30, 2011 at 4:37AM EST Reply to Comment
- spongebob Okay, but the idea that he would leave her in the trunk of one of his campaign cars - that would lead right back to him - is horrible. The guy would have to be an idiot.
  May 30, 2011 at 5:33PM EST
- Crumdawg97 He would have to be an idiot. Or a guy who committed a crime of passion and panicked. I could see that.
  
  It's not like the car was just left for anyone to be found and connected back. It was at the bottom of a lake.
  May 31, 2011 at 3:54PM EST
Jon

Just how well do Linden and Holder know Seattle if the ferry name and the casino logo weren't immediately apparent? I found that to be an annoying contrivance.
May 30, 2011 at 6:45AM EST Reply to Comment
- One of several annoying contrivances, I agree!
  
  May 30, 2011 at 9:15AM EST
- Adele is a woman's name. I think it was reasonable to assume that she was meeting someone.
  
  I've lived in places with ferry boats and harbor cruisers and I didn't/don't know their names. I think of them as "the ferry" or just "the boat that does the harbor cruises" I've also lived in places with casinos, including one right in the middle of the city, and I wouldn't recognize their logos. I might think it looked familiar, if I saw it, but I wouldn't instantly know what it was.
  
  I think it would be an annoying contrivance if they did recognize these clues right off the bat. Even in third rate police procedurals, the cops aren't portrayed as omniscient.
  May 30, 2011 at 2:26PM EST
- I lived in Seattle and wouldn't recognize the logos of ANY Seattle-area casinos.
  May 30, 2011 at 3:40PM EST
- Col Bat Guano I live in Seattle and the ferry names are not so obscure that a police detective or someone in the department wouldn't have put two and two together. Also, can't you do an image search to identify the key chain?
  May 31, 2011 at 1:43PM EST
- Why would anyone anywhere immediately think that Adele was the name of a ferry boat? Seriously. Try to apply a little logic, here.
  
  I'm sure they could do an image search if this was CSI, but it isn't. That police station looks pretty bare bones. I'll bet they're working with computers and software that are at least ten years old if not older.
  May 31, 2011 at 6:20PM EST
- Danny Why would Rosie write down the name of the ferry at all? Isn't there only one ferry leaving at that time to head over to the casino? Also, wouldn't kids these days leave themselves a text reminder on their phone? Kids still writing on paper? Next...a flashback of Rosie using a pay phone.
  June 1, 2011 at 9:06AM EST
- Kids still do write on paper, Danny. I have two kids just a little older than Rosie and they write on paper. If the phone isn't handy, they write quick little notes just like Rosie wrote and put them in the phone later. This criticism is incredibly nitpicky.
  June 1, 2011 at 1:35PM EST
- Laura Shoddy shoddy detective work. They are investigating a murder here. Why would they assume anything?? First thing you do is type it into google. It could be anything! A club, a restaurant, anything. Absolutely absurd that they assumed it was a girl's name.
  June 1, 2011 at 7:16PM EST
- @ Laura...why don't you enter 'Adela' into Google and see what you get? Hint: It won't be the name of a boat...or a club or a restaurant, either.
  
  You might want to have taken your own advice before posting.
  June 2, 2011 at 12:35AM EST
- Laura Are you serious?? Because it's a fictional show!! If I ever find myself investigating a murder, I will be sure to google every clue I get...
  
  I'm just saying that detectives investigating a murder should not make ANY assumptions. If they had the time and means to search through the school database for a girl named Adela, you'd think they would cast the net a little wider. To me, it just seems like another cheap ploy by the writers to extend the investigation without having to delve into anything too deeply. Had the boat been named the Riverboat we could have skipped an entire hour of the show.
  June 2, 2011 at 11:03AM EST
- Well, I'm someone who uses Google a lot. I did Google Adela and came up with a bunch of women named Adela because...it's a woman's name.
  
  It is a fictional show and the writers chose to have Linden discover Adela accidentally instead of having her Google Adela and then have to sort through thousands of links. Your suggestion is sillier than what the writers came up with. I guarantee that if they'd had Linden Google Adela, eyes would have been rolling all over America.
  June 2, 2011 at 2:02PM EST
Great review! Spot on....
I don't understand the Richmond character. What are they trying to do with him? I can't figure out if its the actor of the character or both. I kind of think they are setting him up to be the killer, so they make him as boyscout as possible...but that doesn't explain his android like reaction to everything around him. I wish that part of the show would just go away...
And thank god there were very few scenes of the "grieving mother" this week. I was so tired of her. And it looks like we won't have to see any more of the stereotypical immigrant grandmother...
I think this was a strong episode, but like Alan, my expectations have been altered and lowered.

May 30, 2011 at 9:14AM EST Reply to Comment
katie

I also seem to remember that Stan used his savings to surprise his family by buying them a house. Clearly, we are closing in on the end. It appears to me that the casino's logo matches the keychain found with Rosie's dead body.
May 30, 2011 at 9:49AM EST Reply to Comment
thebgt

I just finished the DANISH series. Amazing stuff, even the political campaign was interesting. I am already watching its 2nd season.
I have to say that watching the episodes one after another really helped me enjoy the show more. I definitely recommend the Danish series.

Anyway, the Danish show solved this murder in 20 (TWENTY) episodes. Does anyone know if this is case here?
The pace of the American version is slow and I now doubt we will get the killer in 3 episodes.
I actually doubt we will get the same killer or Rosie's story will be the same as in the original.
Allan any clue if they solve the crime at the end of this season?

I don't find this version bad, but I have to say comparing to the Danish one, the American one is paler. It seems like if they are dragging the story, or maybe is the editing, dunno, even if in this episode the rhythm was much improved.
There are some nice touches in the Us version but they are some really unnecessary elements like that ridicilus FBI terrorism thingy (I guess they were trying to play with the terrorism-paranoia factor but it was lame!).

I will still be watching it, I like it and well since things look different than the original (so far) I will keep playing the "guess who is the killer" game.
May 30, 2011 at 10:49AM EST Reply to Comment
- They have to reveal the killer this season. No way AMC puts on a 13 episode murder mystery that doesn't tell us the killer's identity.
  May 30, 2011 at 11:25AM EST
- bryan-a agree that they need to solve the murder this season - however with the tripe and drivel this show has become I imagine, if there is a season two, they will allow themselves the "artistic freedom" to completely reverse themselves in the season two premiere.
  May 30, 2011 at 12:51PM EST
- jpintennessee Reply to comment...
  May 30, 2011 at 2:18PM EST
- jpintennessee Would you mind sharing where you found the original? Thanks!!
  May 30, 2011 at 2:20PM EST
- km I too would like to know how you watched the Danish version in North America, assuming that is how you did.
  May 30, 2011 at 3:56PM EST
- thebgt I am in Europe and I got it from a friend who taped it from BBC, so I am afraid I can't help you here. Sorry lads..
  
  May 30, 2011 at 8:25PM EST
- thebgt And I did I mistake with the seasons, It seems that the second half of the first season considered to be the 2nd season and the actual 2nd season/crime the 3rd..confusing but I have watched the first season after all! I would love to see the American finale not to end with solving the mystery, that would drive ppl nuts I guess :D
  May 31, 2011 at 1:49AM EST
Kmarko

Knowing what the show is at this point, this was a very good episode. It was an improvement last week when Bennett was assaulted (because something actually happened) and this continued that. The interrogation was quite good, and I found myself for the first time in awhile caring who killed the girl.

Couple of quibbles:

--Agree completely on Billy Campbell, who just doesn't have the chops. He acts everything in exactly the same way.

--I don't see how Linden bringing her son to live in a motel is an improvement over what they were doing. Also, that was a hotel, not a motel.

--The two boys manage to be horrible in whatever time they have on screen.
May 30, 2011 at 1:02PM EST Reply to Comment
- Richmond is a believable, familiar type to me. Campbell's performance is subtle, but I don't think it's bad. He's a guy struggling with depression who keeps his emotions reigned in until he can't contain himself any more and then he lashes out. That makes sense in terms of the story development and that's the way Campbell's playing him.
  
  Linden didn't leave in order to improve her situation. She left because she'd worn out her welcome with her friend.
  
  What is it about the boys that makes them so awful. They're kid actors in small parts. What is it that you're looking for that they aren't delivering?
  May 30, 2011 at 2:40PM EST
- Kmarko That's true about Linden leaving the boat.
  
  It can be difficult to analyze acting apart from subjective impressions, all I can say is that the boys' acting makes me cringe. Speaking of kids, I think it would have been refreshing to have Linden's kid NOT be such a sourpuss about everything.
  May 30, 2011 at 4:06PM EST
- Dezbot The boys' line readings are obviously line readings, if that makes sense. Neither seems to speak like a normal child.
  May 30, 2011 at 4:15PM EST
I have dialed back my hopes as well (which were enormously high after the first three episodes) but I will stick with it, because I came this far. There are a lot of flawed things in this show but there are also a lot of good things too, even interspersed with some of the not so great aspects.

My biggest gripe? Not the pace or the Red Herrings. I am wishing that Linden and Holder were better cops. They seem to not have done a lot except pursue one lead at a time but no checks. For instance would they not have checked the phone records in and out of the house, checked taxis to see if Rosie went anywhere. They are kind of one track mind in their investigating but wouldn't they have other cops to track down some of these more logistical things in order to help weave their story? I also see Linden not asking Mitch to check the house for that t-shirt a huge blunder. You'd think a cop that gets so wrapped up in her cases would be doing better legwork than that.
May 30, 2011 at 3:54PM EST Reply to Comment
- I agree with you that the show is decent.
  
  Regarding the police procedure issues...I think they're realistic, especially for one cop who has never worked homicide before and another who had one foot out the door before the case was dumped in her lap.
  
  They did try to follow Rosie's movements after the dance. They didn't check to see whether she'd taken a cab from the Ahmeds because they were under the impression that Mohammed and Bennet had taken her from the house against her will. They had an eyewitness statement to that effect and they knew that Ahmed was trying to cover something up. Why would they think that two girls had been there that night?
  
  The real police don't like to make extra work for themselves any more than anyone else. They develop a theory and then work on gathering the evidence to prove their theory. They're kind of like scientists proving a hypothesis. That's exactly what these cops did until they discovered, just nine days into the investigation, that they were on the wrong track.
  
  Why would Linden have asked Mitch to check the house for the T-shirt when Mitch confirmed that the shirt in the photo was Rosie's and stated that she'd lost it? She took Mitch's word for it and had no way to verify ownership of the shirt because the FBI wouldn't release it.
  
  I haven't worked in law enforcement, but I have worked in the criminal justice system...as a psychotherapist working with mentally ill inmates in a men's max. I've probably read a couple hundred pre-sentence reports detailing the inmate's history and the circumstances of the crime including details of investigations. I've also had a lot of police contact as an in-home therapist working in the inner city.
  
  Based on my experience and observations, I think Linden and Holder are portrayed as sharper than most real cops. This is probably true of most TV cops. Nobody would watch TV shows based on real police investigations. Even the so-called reality cop shows are heavily edited to show the interesting parts...the chases, or the arrests of sloppy drunk wife beaters, etc.
  May 30, 2011 at 4:24PM EST
- batman Agree with Dana and disagree with Nancy. From my personal experience there are plenty of homicide cops that are way sharper. These two are being written and portrayed as distracted, flawed, sloppy, etc. There are actually protocols that are followed for these cases. Not that it matters if the story is good. But in this case, the story is so slow that you can't help but notice all the discrepancies.
  May 30, 2011 at 5:41PM EST
- joe Yes, there are less than bright people on law enforcement. Yes, it is unrealistic to expect that they would nail the case immediately.
  
  But whenever there is a person missing and the timeline is uncertain, there are a number of standard things that are done as basic procedure.
  
  Phone records for the house and the cell phone are done, which would have revealed that someone was in the Larsen's home late that night on the phone.
  
  they check who has access to the house, something that was only done 11 days later.
  
  If her whereabouts after the dance are unknown, they'd canvass the neighborhood and the public transportation and cabs around the school.
  
  All this is standard procedure, but not for our cops. Our cops only chase leads that involve huge coincidences and fall to their lap.
  
  May 30, 2011 at 11:26PM EST
- Crumdawg97 To piggyback on Joe's point about phone records...
  
  Upon learning from Belko that Rosie was on the phone, our cops don't bother to check the number of the person Rosie was talking to around that time, but rather figure they'll have to sift through the 47 Adelas in the phone book to find the right one.
  
  Really? REALLY?
  May 31, 2011 at 11:41AM EST
- Each step these cops have taken was based on information that led them in a certain direction. I just don't believe that even the best cops check all possibilities including those not indicated by the evidence. They'd never get anything done.
  
  I recall that Rosie's phone is missing. Maybe they did check her phone records. Did she make a call from the house? In any case, they wanted to know who Adela was and checking the phone records would not have helped them identify Adela as she didn't call Adela. Adela's a boat...remember?
  
  May 31, 2011 at 6:44PM EST
- According to the TWOP recap, Linden checked Rosie's cell phone records in Episode 2...early in the investigation. There wasn't anything significant on them.
  
  Her whereabouts after the dance were known, or so they thought...Sterling said that Rosie spent the weekend with Jasper. Why would they check cabs and buses if they'd just been told where she went after the dance?
  
  They did start checking buses by Episode 4; as soon as they knew that Jasper, Kris, The Cage and the peeping janitor were dead ends. Don't you remember pissed off Holder riding the bus, showing Rosie's picture to the drivers?
  
  A lot of the criticism seems aimed more at details that viewers missed than at details that were omitted. This is clearly a show to which you have to pay attention. They're only going to say it or show it once and of you miss it...oh, well.
  May 31, 2011 at 7:58PM EST
- Crumdawg97 Yeah, um, my point had NOTHING to do with missing details from earlier episodes. It doesn't matter if they initially didn't see anything significant in the phone records. Once they find out later that she had a phone conversation at that specific time, if they were smart they'd simply check to see what number she called (or what number called her). Even a non-detective would know that's the fastest way to connect the dots. The 47 Adelas in the phone book thing was just dumb, but they went that route so they could set up Linden's dramatic discovery of the Adela boat.
  
  Some shows are capable of making logical connections to get from one dramatic turn to the next. This one expects us to accept that characters do stupid things. And that's fine if that's the type of show it wants to be.
  June 3, 2011 at 1:53PM EST
Rename the show TheKilling time until the finale
May 30, 2011 at 4:41PM EST Reply to Comment
I think some of you might enjoy this show a lot more if you accepted it for what it is instead of hating it for what it isn't or what it would be if you were writing it. Maybe letting go of your resentment over the show's failure to live up to the hype and/or your expectations would allow you to appreciate the fine performances and the visual beauty of the show, not to mention the scenes and the plot developments that do work.

I get that some people just don't like the show and that's OK. Everybody's different. What works for me may not work for you and vice versa.

Alan Sepinwall has an excuse to keep watching it despite not liking it. It's his job to review it. I really do wonder about the rest of you, though. Why are you watching a show that you claim to hate? To me, that's a much greater absurdity than anything the The Killing has had to offer.
May 30, 2011 at 4:45PM EST Reply to Comment
- chuchundra Just because I don't the show isn't very good, that doesn't mean that I'm not still getting some entertainment value out of it. There are still some well-done bits and the poorly done parts are reasonably watchable and at least provide fodder for interesting conversation.
  
  In addition, this many episodes in it just makes sense to ride it out and see what happens. It would have to be a really really bad show to make me bail once I'd reached the halfway point.
  
  And the truth is that there's like nothing on TV at all now. The regular season shows have all ended and my Summer shows are still a month or more away. The Killing, Treme and Game Of Thrones are the only active, prime time shows on my DVR right now.
  May 30, 2011 at 11:43PM EST
- We both seem to be saying roughly the same thing, but from different perspectives.
  
  I agree that there's not much else on. I'm watching the same shows you are, though I did add True Blood to the lineup. I'd resisted, for years, but gave in under the weight of recommendations from a pretty wide range of people. I watched the first three seasons over the course of about two months and enjoyed it...looking forward to Season 4 in few weeks. I also watched a season of The Good Wife and liked it more than I expected to.
  
  Treme was the front runner until a few weeks ago...now Game of Thrones is winning. I also watched The Borgias...not bad, not great. Jeremy Irons is a force of nature and worth watching even in a weak show. The sets and costumes were pretty impressive, too, and I liked a couple of the actors.
  
  I'll be watching Deadwood and the Justified along with True Blood and Breaking Bad. When there's not a lot on, I find that it helps just to watch stuff I missed. Battlestar Galactica is another one I've decided to tackle...also recommended by a pretty broad cross section of friends and family. I use Netflix as a source...whatever I can't stream, I'll watch on DVD.
  May 31, 2011 at 7:04PM EST
cat

Completely agree. This was better than the last several episodes. I'll stick it out until the end but it needs to be better next year (if it gets renewed) to get me back.
May 30, 2011 at 5:19PM EST Reply to Comment
sC

Bring back Rubicon.
May 30, 2011 at 6:25PM EST Reply to Comment

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Comments

Option 1

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Option 3

Stef I was glad to finally see some forward momentum tonight. I still don't have a strong feeling about who the killer is, but for the first time since the beginning Richmond is back on my list. Didn't they already say that Stan used the family savings to buy that house as a surprise?

Just telling anyone reading this, there is a very large spoiler from the original series in the comment directly below this one. SPOILERS BELOW

SPOILERS BELOW

sepinwall Not anymore. That comment has been deleted.

hipo Thanks, Alan. It was toxic and a spoiler.

Kenya Actually, Homicide did quite a bit of character development--more than most post-Hill Street Blues cop shows.

theholyavenger I had to rewind certain scenes probably 6 times during this episode. At this point it just can't hold on to my focus.

dbick I was under the impression their savings were spent on that house? So he couldn't gamble them away. Or am I missing something?

JJG I think that's right, but he was keeping the house a secret from Mitch and the kids so having no money in the account would still be a surprise for her

wonder what this misunderstanding will lead to. Last confusion laid out a guy in the hospital. Maybe kill someone this time? Anything can happen in this show. And no, that is not meant as a complimentary comment.

Thank you, Webdiva. I scratched my head trying to think why the cops waited until Day 10 to figure out what the logo on the key chain signified -- and that only happened by luck, not because they intended to investigate it.

Rosie had Stan's credit card. I don't know whether they checked charges. That would be a big oversight.

Howard Yes, I'd actually considered the "make up my mind" strategy. I came here for other opinions. I don't want to invest time in a show that trends down. The question is whether the first few eps are worth viewing regardless of whether I continue.

hh skip it. I'm only waiting to see "who did it". I really don't care about the who, just want to see who that character is.

This week has been the first episode worth watching - barely. Delete the rest.

kinoeye 1. Find season 1 of 'Veronica Mars' 2. Watch how a murder mystery can unfold over a longer episode arc than 'The Killing', with fascinating characters, well-written intrigue, and a satisfying conclusion3. ....4. Profit.

Dezbot I just watched the last two episodes back-to-back and found I liked it more than when I was watching week-to-week. I wish now I'd waited and marathon'd it, but I hate having to avoid spoilers, too :-) Give it a shot and if you find you're not into it, you can easily bail out.

I thought it was part of the "New Richmond" who is more cynical and has realized that he has to take the gloves off if he wants to win.

sprtsfn This was a great episode. What I realized tonight is that we are a part of a police investigation and like the police we must exhaust all leads, which is what the show is doing. The police focus on 1 suspect at a time, which is what the show is doing.

M.A.Peel Yes, the timeline thing is ridiculous. 11 days in! I drifted a bit, so I didn't hear how they "finally" got to the cab driver, but it just felt so deliberately delayed.

Maggie Q The Adela note really bothered me, starting last episode. Linden finds a note stuck in a book referencing Friday and a time, and they assume it was that Friday? Why? Who knows how long it was in the book.

I think that Richmond has been portrayed, from the beginning, as a guy lost inside his own head. He can flare up when he's angered, but the rest of the time he's depressed and preoccupied. The shot of Richmond and Rosie reminded me of the famous shot of Clinton and Monica Lewinsky.

Sorry but no. The storylines and character relationships on Mad Men don't draw you in? Please tell me that you just worded that wrong.

Yes, Mad Men is all about the character relationships: that is what addictingly draws us all in...

echos myron LOLOLOLOLOL. Yeah, American television abounds with stories about 1960s admen and their existential crises.

I think Jason's right. Mad Men is a great show that has descended into trite, clichÃ©d soap opera territory more than once. I offer the conclusion of Season 4, and the whole Megan story line for that matter, as a case in point. Can any of you really, truly defend that plot development?

echos myron Ryan Powell is a fucking idiot. Anyone who thinks highly enough of the mediocre P&R to use Swanson`s dumb pyramid as an avatar has no business assessing cable drama. Stick to NBC, loser.

Lindyk Yeah, it was exactly when they said three episodes left that I realized this season has gone nowhere fast.

Kenya Along with Sepinwall's comments, this brilliantly sums up my own feelings about the series. I too thought we could finally get down to business and focus on the story instead of the next red herring.

iram my suspects still are Richmond and the aunt.

joe Not to repeat myself, but there is also the small fact that Rosie going to Ahmed's house to return his book, something that shaped half the season, makes absolutely 0 sense. She was with Ahmed at the dance, knew he was there, and yet went to his home to return it?

joe Not to repeat myself, but there is also the small fact that Rosie going to Ahmed's house to return his book, something that shaped half the season, makes absolutely 0 sense. She was with Ahmed at the dance, knew he was there, and yet went to his home to return it?

they've been no so subtlely hinting at her kicking an addiction, so I'm running with that. That her previous case sent her on an obsession-based addiction binge, during which she nearly lost custody of her kid. Which I'm guessing we're watching play out again

I'm really tired of the implication of some past murder in her life. Just be done with the "mystery" of it already!

Alan W Was it just me or did Linden down that scotch like a champ? No or grimace or anything.

and wasn't she still on the clock while doing so? No wonder this investigation is so sideways lol

Laura Most likely bc she was actually drinking apple juice and nobody involved in the show cares about getting the details right. Nobody drinks scotch like that.

spongebob Okay, but the idea that he would leave her in the trunk of one of his campaign cars - that would lead right back to him - is horrible. The guy would have to be an idiot.

Crumdawg97 He would have to be an idiot. Or a guy who committed a crime of passion and panicked. I could see that.It's not like the car was just left for anyone to be found and connected back. It was at the bottom of a lake.

Jon Just how well do Linden and Holder know Seattle if the ferry name and the casino logo weren't immediately apparent? I found that to be an annoying contrivance.

One of several annoying contrivances, I agree!

I lived in Seattle and wouldn't recognize the logos of ANY Seattle-area casinos.

Col Bat Guano I live in Seattle and the ferry names are not so obscure that a police detective or someone in the department wouldn't have put two and two together. Also, can't you do an image search to identify the key chain?

Danny Why would Rosie write down the name of the ferry at all? Isn't there only one ferry leaving at that time to head over to the casino? Also, wouldn't kids these days leave themselves a text reminder on their phone? Kids still writing on paper? Next...a flashback of Rosie using a pay phone.

Kids still do write on paper, Danny. I have two kids just a little older than Rosie and they write on paper. If the phone isn't handy, they write quick little notes just like Rosie wrote and put them in the phone later. This criticism is incredibly nitpicky.

Laura Shoddy shoddy detective work. They are investigating a murder here. Why would they assume anything?? First thing you do is type it into google. It could be anything! A club, a restaurant, anything. Absolutely absurd that they assumed it was a girl's name.

@ Laura...why don't you enter 'Adela' into Google and see what you get? Hint: It won't be the name of a boat...or a club or a restaurant, either. You might want to have taken your own advice before posting.

katie I also seem to remember that Stan used his savings to surprise his family by buying them a house. Clearly, we are closing in on the end. It appears to me that the casino's logo matches the keychain found with Rosie's dead body.

They have to reveal the killer this season. No way AMC puts on a 13 episode murder mystery that doesn't tell us the killer's identity.

bryan-a agree that they need to solve the murder this season - however with the tripe and drivel this show has become I imagine, if there is a season two, they will allow themselves the "artistic freedom" to completely reverse themselves in the season two premiere.

jpintennessee Reply to comment...

jpintennessee Would you mind sharing where you found the original? Thanks!!

km I too would like to know how you watched the Danish version in North America, assuming that is how you did.

thebgt I am in Europe and I got it from a friend who taped it from BBC, so I am afraid I can't help you here. Sorry lads..

Kmarko That's true about Linden leaving the boat. It can be difficult to analyze acting apart from subjective impressions, all I can say is that the boys' acting makes me cringe. Speaking of kids, I think it would have been refreshing to have Linden's kid NOT be such a sourpuss about everything.

Dezbot The boys' line readings are obviously line readings, if that makes sense. Neither seems to speak like a normal child.

Rename the show TheKilling time until the finale

cat Completely agree. This was better than the last several episodes. I'll stick it out until the end but it needs to be better next year (if it gets renewed) to get me back.

sC Bring back Rubicon.

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Stef

I was glad to finally see some forward momentum tonight. I still don't have a strong feeling about who the killer is, but for the first time since the beginning Richmond is back on my list. Didn't they already say that Stan used the family savings to buy that house as a surprise?

theholyavenger

I had to rewind certain scenes probably 6 times during this episode. At this point it just can't hold on to my focus.

dbick

I was under the impression their savings were spent on that house? So he couldn't gamble them away. Or am I missing something?

Howard Yes, I'd actually considered the "make up my mind" strategy. I came here for other opinions.

I don't want to invest time in a show that trends down. The question is whether the first few eps are worth viewing regardless of whether I continue.

kinoeye 1. Find season 1 of 'Veronica Mars'
2. Watch how a murder mystery can unfold over a longer episode arc than 'The Killing', with fascinating characters, well-written intrigue, and a satisfying conclusion
3. ....
4. Profit.

sprtsfn

This was a great episode. What I realized tonight is that we are a part of a police investigation and like the police we must exhaust all leads, which is what the show is doing. The police focus on 1 suspect at a time, which is what the show is doing.

I think that Richmond has been portrayed, from the beginning, as a guy lost inside his own head. He can flare up when he's angered, but the rest of the time he's depressed and preoccupied.

The shot of Richmond and Rosie reminded me of the famous shot of Clinton and Monica Lewinsky.

iram

my suspects still are Richmond and the aunt.

Alan W

Was it just me or did Linden down that scotch like a champ? No or grimace or anything.

Crumdawg97 He would have to be an idiot. Or a guy who committed a crime of passion and panicked. I could see that.

It's not like the car was just left for anyone to be found and connected back. It was at the bottom of a lake.

Jon

Just how well do Linden and Holder know Seattle if the ferry name and the casino logo weren't immediately apparent? I found that to be an annoying contrivance.

@ Laura...why don't you enter 'Adela' into Google and see what you get? Hint: It won't be the name of a boat...or a club or a restaurant, either.

You might want to have taken your own advice before posting.

katie

I also seem to remember that Stan used his savings to surprise his family by buying them a house. Clearly, we are closing in on the end. It appears to me that the casino's logo matches the keychain found with Rosie's dead body.

Kmarko That's true about Linden leaving the boat.

It can be difficult to analyze acting apart from subjective impressions, all I can say is that the boys' acting makes me cringe. Speaking of kids, I think it would have been refreshing to have Linden's kid NOT be such a sourpuss about everything.

cat

Completely agree. This was better than the last several episodes. I'll stick it out until the end but it needs to be better next year (if it gets renewed) to get me back.

sC

Bring back Rubicon.

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