The 2-hour debut of season three of AMC’s The Killing was a solid leap into a suspenseful murder investigation. By now most viewers know that the show was canceled after its second season and its rebirth is a pleasant surprise. The show seems to have learned from its mistake and is aiming to draw in old and new viewers with a new storyline – the hunt for a prolific serial killer who targets Seattle’s young prostitutes.
Fans of The Killing can rejoice in the return of series leads Mireille Enos and Joel Kinnaman as Sarah Linden and Stephen Holder. There is a special addition this season, though, with film actor Peter Sarsgaard as the death row inmate Tom Seward. Years ago, Linden helped send Seward to prison for murdering his wife. This is the case with the child’s drawing that has haunted Linden for a long time. When a prostitute is found nearly decapitated, Holder sees a possible connection with the Seward case and seeks out Linden’s help. Linden has left the police force and is living a happy, quiet life that will be completely turned upside down by this brutal case.
We first pick up Linden in her new life. She’s moved to an island off Seattle and is working at the ferry dock. She lives in a charming house and has a cute boyfriend. Things seem to have vastly improved for her since she solved the Rosie Larson case. Linden is not her typical sullen self, but smiles and laughs. In some ways, Linden is living the fantasy. She has left behind all of her burdens to create a completely different life. This comes to an abrupt end when Holder shows up at her door and leaves her the file of a murdered teen prostitute. Linden understands that she will have to sacrifice her new life is she becomes involved, but in the end, she can’t resist her urge to definitively resolve the case she’s never forgotten. Enos is still spot on in her portrayal of this tortured woman.
Not much has changed for Holder. He has a new girlfriend, played by Firefly’s Jewel Staite, and is trying to climb his way up the chain of command. But, at his core, he still wants to do what’s right and catch the bad guys. When he and his new partner are assigned the case of the teen prostitute, his partner wants to pawn the case off on another detective. Holder initially agrees, but can’t let go of the file. Once he finds out the dead girl was only fourteen years old, this seals the deal for him. He will find her killer. Holder’s character has lost none of his charm. He still spits out his street lingo and advice for a holistic, vegetarian lifestyle. This contrast helps shape him as a multi-dimensional character and not a police show stereotype.
As mentioned, Seward is linked to Linden by the homicide of his wife. Linden testified against him at trial, but always had the feeling that something wasn’t right. Seward has accepted that he will be executed and almost relishes it. He has convinced himself that he deserves to die. When Linden visits him in prison and asks why his son keeps drawing the trees by the water, he tells her that he has no son. There is much more to this story that will unfold throughout the season. Right now, we just have a taste of this intriguing character.
The thing I love most about The Killing is its atmosphere. The abandoned building where the prostitute is found, the barn filled with dead cows, the rundown buildings that the street urchins squat in, the perpetually gray sky, and relentless rain all create the feeling that this is a real and dangerous place. It also adds to the oppressive feeling that surrounds Linden. She is unable to resist a life that is destructive for her, and you feel all of these elements pulling her back into the quicksand.
We know from the promos that Linden and Holder will be hunting someone who has killed at least seventeen women. This is an entirely different ballgame from the political intrigue and family drama we had with the Rosie Larson case. Once Linden discovers the killer’s dumping ground, it’s obvious that she can’t escape her former life. I was ecstatic when I found out The Killing was going to be resurrected and based on this first episode, viewers won’t be disappointed.
Follow me on Twitter @LaVaudreuil
The Killing Season 3 Review “The Jungle” & “That You Fear the Most”
No comments:
Post a Comment