The Killing Episode 1 & 2

The highly acclaimed and much anticipated US crime drama the killing started on Channel 4 last night with an impressive two part opener.  The show was such a hit in America that cable network AMC have already ordered the second season, with that in mind how hopeful are we that there will be a conclusion to the story by the end of the first series?

The show is very quick to get into story lines not only involving the plot but also the characters who are involved, bringing together the local politicians, police force and the family of a missing girl.  The shows tag line is "who killed Rosie Larsen", so we already know that the young girl has been killed although this is not revealed towards the end of the first episode.

Building up to that moment though is a great story centered around what is a very low key (not public) police search for a missing young girl, this does at times give you a bit of a thought.  Is she really dead or is this some plot twist that you are not expecting?  It's not.  Rosie would appear to be a typical 17 year old girl, she isn't allowed to do certain things at the weekend so simply makes up a story that she is staying at a friends in order to do something else.

Two detectives are assigned to the case, Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos) who is just about to leave Seattle for a move to California with her son and Fiance, the move is of course put on hold whilst she is working the case of the missing girl.  The other detective Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman) who is going to be Sarah's replacement when she leaves, he brings a little bit of light heartiness to the show.  There are no Armani suits like in CSI and what you have is a real story, which is a lot closer to what cops are like in real life as apposed to what we usually see on TV.

Rosie Larsen is found drowned in the back of a car which has been dumped in a lake, we soon learn that the car is registered to the campaign of a local councilman Darren Richmond (Billy Campbell), he would appear on the face of it very helpful and up front towards the police investigation even cancelling a press conference at the local school to help police conduct their enquiries.  Politics soon take over though and his advisers are trying to talk him round to doing a press conference outing his rival for senate.  They are worried that not saying anything will muddy his name and give the opposition the upper hand.

The story is set to take many twists and turns and from the first two episodes of the show the police have still not made it public that they have found the body of Rosie Larsen, as far as everyone is aware it's just a missing persons inquiry which will hopefully be resolved.  The show is very gripping and some tense dark and creepy moments do come when you think what is coming here?  The story and the actors involved in it have been chosen superbly, don't expect any laughs watching this gritty drama but do expect the story and it's characters to grow and develop as the series continues every Thursday night at 9pm on Channel 4.