Review of THE KILLING

THE KILLING – Episodes 1-4

Murder, mystery, suspense, emotions, pathos, 2011

SARA LINDEN is an experienced, coolheaded, homicide detective who is just about to move to California with her teenage son, JACK, to marry her fiancée, RICK FELDER. However, just before leaving the office to catch the plane, her boss, MICHAEL OAKES, tells her to check out a bloody sweater found in a nearby park. After all, she is still on the department's dime.

STEPHEN HOLDER, an undercover vice and narc cop, was supposed to take Sara's place, but since she has not yet left, he's her underling. He's scruffy, hotheaded and looks like a sleaze. At one point he offers teenage girls a hit of weed, but later we learn it's fake marijuana from his days as a narc. He's a good investigator, but seems to have secrets.

In addition to the bloody clothing, Sara and Stephen find a credit card belonging to STAN LARSON and his wife, MITCH. It turns out their daughter, ROSIE, is missing. Her body is soon found in the trunk of a car at the bottom of a lake. The car was recently stolen from the campaign of mayoral candidate and apparently good guy (but who knows with politicians), DARRON RITCHMOND, who suddenly finds himself sinking in the polls. 

Out of this mélange comes several themes.  First is Sara. No surprise that she misses her plane to join Rick, and the one after that, and the one after that. She has to manage his impatience and her son’s teenage resentment while trying to find Rosie’s killer. Next are Rosie’s parents.  Unlike most murder stories, we see the devastation this has caused as they shop for a casket, plan the funeral service, and in general try to survive this horrible loss. Meanwhile, Darron fights to unseat his rival, LESLEY ADAMS because Darron honestly considers Adams a crook.

Several suspects are brought to light – usually near the end of an episode – only to have their innocence shown in the next episode. This is an obvious hook, but it works, at least for a while. The series shows the emotions and feelings of the different characters in great detail.  Let’s face it – it’s a detective chick flick. Women in particular should find it helpful for their workouts, though it can indeed hold interest for men as well. I give it +++.  It will get your pulse up to a jog and, at the same time, make you want to know how the characters will fare, and also who the killer really is.