The Killing (AMC --> Netflix Series)

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Ken_McAlinden, Feb 13, 2018.

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  1. Ken_McAlinden

    Ken_McAlinden MichiGort Staff Thread Starter

    Location:
    Livonia, MI
  2. So, I just finished Season 2 of The Killing a couple of nights ago. I think this show was way underrated. It might not be top-flight like Breaking Bad or The Sopranos; nonetheless, it shouldn't be as far down the list as some pan it to be.

    Astute sleuths might have tied the murder back to the
    Darren Richmond campaign
    all along, simply by keeping the story there so long. I wondered about this myself. Yet, his story was compelling enough in its own right where it didn't feel forced. It was almost like a bit of The Wire. The city, itself, was a major player. I know the kudos are late in coming, but good job!

    Oh, and the way they gave it one more twist at the end? Great stuff! Hitchcock would be proud.

    I've read that there is a little controversy tied to the last two seasons. On again, off again, the content, etc., but I'll wait to hold judgement.

    What do you guys think; are the last two seasons as strong as the first two?
     
    Encuentro likes this.
  3. Encuentro

    Encuentro Forum Resident

    I may be in the minority, but season 4 is the best season, in my opinion. I wasn’t a huge fan of season 3.
     
  4. Deesky

    Deesky Forum Resident

    I can't say that I rate this series very highly. There were some good performances by the leads, but as far as the stories go (from what I can remember at this point), it just didn't do it for me...
     
  5. pblmow

    pblmow Forum Resident

    Location:
    Fresno.
    I've seen season 4
     
  6. Dude! You recommended this series to me, out of a laundry list of shows I was thinking about watching! Ha!

    I mean, it's not mind blowing, but when a series is good enough where you want to come back for more, hey, they're doing something right. I grade it a solid B. I don't want to watch anything lower than a B-.
     
  7. Solaris

    Solaris a bullet in flight

    Location:
    New Orleans, LA
    I liked season 3 the best because of the minimum of red herrings, which are cast about endlessly (and frustratingly) in seasons 1 and 2 in order to keep a threadbare story alive. Season 4 started strong but soon became nonsense, and the forced happy ending for the two lead characters felt like a neatly tied bow on a pile of garbage the writers didn't bother to clean up. A tremendous missed opportunity, but at least it gave two excellent actors plum roles. Would that they get parts this good again in projects that deserve them.
     
  8. Deesky

    Deesky Forum Resident

    To be honest, I don't remember when I made that recommendation and my memory of the show as a whole has faded (which is kind of indicative of the lack of impact it had on me). I do recall that season one was quite good, but I also know that the longer it went on, the less impressive it became.

    I'm glad you're enjoying it though! The other show which is kind of similar and which I think is better is The Tunnel, again with two great leads, but that too ended with a poor season!
     
  9. FVDnz

    FVDnz Forum Resident

    I really enjoyed The Killing though I still need to finish Season 4. And speaking of Mireille Enos and Joel Kinnaman, they're reuniting for a new Amazon TV Series. Something based on the movie Hanna, which I also haven't seen...

    Joel Kinnaman & Mireille Enos reunite for Amazon series
     
    Encuentro likes this.
  10. Torontotom

    Torontotom Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    Joel and Mireille were terrific together. I even liked Mireille's follow-up series, The Catch, produced by Shonda Rhimes but was cancelled.
     
  11. Lonson

    Lonson I'm in the kitchen with the Tombstone Blues

    I liked The Killing, all four seasons, and The Catch. There's far worse TV that some get excited about.
     
  12. Barnabas Collins

    Barnabas Collins Senior Member

    Location:
    NH
    I really enjoyed The Killing. Too bad it only lasted 4 seasons.
     
  13. Ghostworld

    Ghostworld Senior Member

    Location:
    US

    I adored the first two seasons and managed to dutifully finished the last two which I didn’t like at all.
     
  14. wolfram

    wolfram Slave to the rhythm

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    I agree, the ending was painful to watch and didn't fit the tone of the show at all.
     
    Solaris likes this.
  15. Encuentro

    Encuentro Forum Resident

    I feel like I’m the only one who loved season 4.
     
  16. jon9091

    jon9091 Master Of Reality

    Location:
    Midwest
    I loved the first two seasons...the last two, not so much. I thought the ending was really
    stupid.
     
  17. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    Started it last week and am now onto season 2. It's a slow-burner for sure.

    I thought the case would be wrapped up by the end of the first season but it spilled onto season 2. No idea if the whole series deals with a single case or whether there will be another one but either way, let's hope it keeps my attention for the long run.

    I have to say I did not care for the character of Mitch Larsen who seemed to be a petty self-centered person who deserted her family and made no effort whatsoever to help in any way.

    Same thing with Jack. I hate kids on TV and movies. They're always annoying and there's never anything for writers to sink their teeth into so they're always written as being a hindrance. In the case of the protagonist's 13-year old son, he skips school, smokes and drinks, sends crime pics to a bunch of people which are then leaked onto the press, and disappears for an entire episode without taking his phone or letting his mom know. I hope he gets killed or left with his dad for the remainder of the series because I'm sick of being exposed to this little jerk. Ugh.

    Meanwhile, I love the character of Holder. There's an interesting one. I thought the protagonist, Linden, to be acted in a very bland fashion... not making me care much about her. Things started to look up in the last 2-3 episodes where she finally started to show some glimpse of emotion.
     
  18. Torontotom

    Torontotom Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    I remember the backlash when the showrunner did not reveal the killer at the end of season one. I remember the meltdowns on IMDB and ew.com. People were angry and said they would not continue watching - and they didn't. It's too bad because I remember when it premiered, The Killing got good ratings.

    I've always wonder what would have happened if the show had resolved the mystery at the end of season one. Would it have lasted longer on AMC?

    It was definitely a case where a show didn't gauge viewer expectations or underestimated how they would react to a lack of resolution.
     
  19. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    I tend to wait a very long time before watching shows as I like to go at my own pace and not scramble to synchronize my viewing habits with others.

    Because of this, I was unaware there was any backlash. Although I don't know if the case will ever be resolved, it is at an interesting place right now. Linden doesn't trust Holder, Oaks is out and we have no idea what happened, there's a possibility the Adams campaign had something to do with it, the casino still won't allow the use of their security devices for police viewing, next to nobody can be trusted in the PD, we don't know whether that's the end of Richmond's political career or if he'll still go up against Adams, etc.

    It'll be interesting to see how things get back on track.
     
  20. agentalbert

    agentalbert Senior Member

    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    I was one of those who quit. Probably posted about it here, as I'm sure there was a thread at the time. I think the show gave the expectation the mystery would be resolved by the end of the season. But the show, while well made, was a slow, painful slog to get through and then DIDN'T deliver what it had promised? I never bothered with anymore and don't miss the show. I'm plenty patient with slow and deliberate (I still rue the cancellation of "Rubicon") if the show creates an interesting enough world for me to want to be in it. "The Killing" didn't do that for me.
     
    Torontotom likes this.
  21. Grunge Master

    Grunge Master 8 Bit Enthusiast

    Location:
    Michigan
    I'm about halfway through the second season. I like it for the most part, I didn't get too upset that they didn't solve it in the first one. I find myself getting more upset at how ridiculously stupid Linden is. Holder, even though his 'home boy' stuff gets old at times, is at least somebody that I found myself caring about. On the other hand, Linden is someone who needs to lose her rights as a parent.
     
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