AMC’s “The Killing” has repeat-viewing value that’s rare among crime-solving shows: There’s a certain pleasure in soaking up the pitch-dark murder mystery and the troubled characters the same way the streets of Seattle soak up the rain and wash out the color.
But in general, mystery shows don’t have repeat value. The main hook is that we pick up clues along with the detectives and try to figure out whodunit, then move on to the next episode. With its last-minute twist in Sunday’s Season 1 finale, “The Killing” found away to make fans instantly want to rewatch all 13 episodes after learning Detective Holder perhaps wasn’t who we thought he was. That was the desired outcome, at least; many fans are already crying foul about this unsavory revelation about one of the heroes.
To recap: Linden, finally feeling like the case is closed when Holder provides a security camera still that puts Richmond in the murder car near the murder location on the murder night, is aboard a flight with her son to Sonoma, Calif., where she will start her new life with her fiancé. And then she gets a call from the security company: Those bridge cameras were out of service, and they won’t be able to provide footage. Holder, it turns out faked the images.
But why?
We next see him in the passenger seat of a car, telling the off-screen driver that he has successfully framed Richmond: “Photo worked — he’s going down.”
Who is the driver?
Then Belko assassinates Richmond (this is strongly suggested, anyway; the season ends with Belko pulling out a gun at point-blank range and Richmond looking shocked), meaning that in the span of 13 days he has contributed to the near-death of one suspect and the death of another suspect, neither of whom is responsible for the death of Rosie Larsen. Woops.
Look, there’s a lot of stuff that “The Killing” does right. Linden’s inability to hand this case off and move on with her life is emblematic of a lot of jobs and a lot of people in this culture we live in. It plays dramatically because she’s a police detective, but I think her lot in life — the fact that she’s driven, professional and selfless (but only for the benefit of her current obsession, not to the benefit of family and friends) — is something a lot of people can relate to.
And, up until those final minutes, I loved Holder — the way he had overcome his past as a drug addict and is now doing some good as a freshly minted homicide detective. I also am entertained by his approach to the job: Baggy jeans and a hoodie as fashion statements; cigarette breaks as an annoying vice; ’90s slang like “Yo, Linden.” He’s the least stereotypical homicide detective on TV, yet he might be the most real. (Before “The Killing,” I didn’t realize this job had such a casual dress code, but whether or not it is creative license, it works for Holder.)
But then Holder frames Richmond, and now we have to watch the first season again to see if there are any clues to his true motives, any signs that he was out to get Richmond all along.
It’s too simple to argue that Holder — convinced that Richmond is the killer (which we, as longtime TV viewers, know he almost certainly isn’t; it’s way too obvious) — simply fabricated one piece of evidence to expedite the closing of the case. The fact that he’s in the car, speaking to a co-conspirator, suggests that this runs deeper. Just from my memory of the episodes, I think the framing of Richmond is a fairly new development. Holder was gung-ho about nabbing the teacher when he thought the teacher did it. He’s been equally abrasive with all the suspects and sources and even the Larsen family members.
I suspect Season 2 will begin with a quiet Linden-centered character piece where she’s in Sonoma with her new husband, but vaguely troubled. Finally he gets her to admit that the Larsen case is still on her mind: She knows the killer is still out there, and furthermore, she needs to learn what the heck was up with Holder’s manufacturing of evidence. I hope her husband is understanding this time, and lets her go back to Seattle for a while.
We’ll probably also see Belko put behind bars for good and news reports suggesting that the Rosie Larsen case is closed, unfortunately with more violence, but closed nonetheless. But Linden and we as viewers know it isn’t.
And I sincerely hope we get a scene that shows Holder had a good reason for his action, a reason that show he’s still on the side of justice.
My feelings on the first-season finale are mixed: I hate what the writers (seemingly) did with Holder’s character, but he and Linden still are the best detective duo on TV at the moment. Sure, we’ve seen other groan-worthy “dragging out the mystery a bit longer” season finales, most recently on “Pretty Little Liars,” for which my patience ran out. But “The Killing” is a much better show than that, so I’m giving it the benefit of the doubt. Although I’m not quite obsessed enough to rewatch Season 1 immediately, you better believe I’ll be back for the Season 2 premiere to see how this all plays out.
What did you think of the first season of “The Killing?” And who do you think killed Rosie Larsen? Share your thoughts below.
Comments
Read Bill Simmons’ piece on Grantland.com. While he’s more hostile to the series, his feelings on the finale are spot-on to mine. There were no clues, no small hints about Holder, just a last-minute eff you to viewers. What a mindfuc*, and not in a good way.
By the way, I shared this w/Jenelle and Simmons brought it up also … how amazing of a reveal would it have been if Linden’s fiance turned out to be the killer. He was a serial killer who murdered dozens of others and got with Linden to be close to her investigations. Even Richmond or Belko, like in the original Danish series, would have been better outcomes than the one we were given. Ugh …# Posted By Seth Stringer | 6/21/11 4:02 PM
Entertaining post by Simmons, but if he hated the show so much, why did he keep watching? Just to find out who killed Rosie? That’s all it took for him to keep watching? Really? If a show is so boring and ridiculous, why does he simultaneously care so much about what happens? A bizarre disconnect there.
Well, I now realize I’m in the minority here, but I thought “The Killing” had a strong first season. I loved the way it looked, and I thought Holder and Linden were an incredibly entertaining detective duo. My favorite episode was the one that has nothing to do with the Larsen case, where they are just talking and learning about each other.
Simmons is seriously underselling the quality of the show, in my opinion. The way Season 1 ended was very disappointing and I think they should’ve wrapped up the case in the season finale, but I am giving the show the benefit of the doubt. There’s no reason why Season 2 can’t start with a great episode that shows Holder had a good reason for his action and that he’s still a good guy. But then again, I actually enjoy watching the show. If I didn’t, I would quit watching and find something better to watch.
The outcome you suggest — Linden’s fiance being the killer — could still happen. I don’t think you would’ve liked it if it happened in the season finale though; as with the Holder twist, there is absolutely no evidence that Linden’s fiance is the killer. Whoever the killer is, the revelation will be the most satisfying if we get a few clues peppered in beforehand.
I am on the same wavelength as Simmons, though, that the Rosie Larsen case is in danger of overstaying its welcome. Whether it was promised or not, it felt like it should’ve wrapped up in the season finale. So hopefully it will be wrapped up within a few more episodes and then we can move on to another compelling case with Linden and Holder. Maybe due to the backlash AMC will make a firm announcement about how many more episodes until the case is concluded.# Posted By John Hansen | 6/21/11 5:48 PM