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I feel that I should probably start by holding my hands up and saying that I haven’t seen the original Danish series that this American remake is based on. So, while this review won’t tell you if this is any better or worse than the original, or even if it needed to exist it all (if we put our minds to it, we are quite capable of reading subtitles. Just.), it will make an objective judgement about the show’s merits. And from what I’ve seen so far, it’s pretty darn good.
Channel 4 wisely opted to kick off the series with a double-bill (though they are probably now regretting that they didn’t wait to find out where the Beeb was going to put Torchwood), with second episodes always being more indicative of the standard of a series than their predecessors. The episodes introduced homicide detective Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos) who, on the eve of her departure from the Seattle police force, is sent, along with her replacement, Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman), to investigate when an apparent crime scene is found. (‘Apparent’ due to the lack of a body.) As the episode progressed we learnt that there was a possible connection to a missing girl by the name of Rosie Larsen…
The format of the show is what really makes The Killing stand out; focusing on just one case for 13 episodes allows the mystery to be much richer and better developed than the standard format of cases only occupying one 40 minute episode. It also allows for any twists and turns (which I’m hopeful will be what makes the show linger in the memory) to leave more impact. For instance, if you find out a particular character is treacherous, it’s going to have far more impact if you’ve trusted that character for the past 8 weeks, rather than the past 20 minutes. (Although, anyone with 24-training will probably be more traitor-wary than your everyday Jack Bauer – he really never learnt did he?)
The performances were also pivotal to the show’s success and, thankfully, they were on top form. Enos was particularly engaging in the lead; (gasp) she’s a believable human being, who, no offence, isn’t impossibly beautiful and doesn’t have impossibly sparkly teeth/ lip gloss. (Just think of the disaster it would have been if Jennifer Aniston had been the star – though the character would have had to be altered so that she was quirky and unlucky in love, as old Jen wouldn’t want to stretch her Botoxed acting chops too far, would she?) Michelle Forbes was also excellent as the grieving mother, despite being cast against type by not playing someone with more balls than the male cast members combined. The only character that didn’t really work was Holder, with his alternative style of policing stretching the credibility a little too far; notice, though, that it’s a criticism of the character rather than Kinnaman’s admittedly charismatic performance.
I’m not normally one for going overboard on praise (the better a show is, the more disappointed I am that I can’t have a good moan), but I would be lying if I said that I haven’t already got The Killing down as the show that I will most look forward to seeing more of over the summer. After all, it’s gloomy, serious and intense – just what you need on a hot, sunny day!
The Killing continues Thursday 9pm Channel 4.
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