Murder in the Damp: the Killing

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rain. There is a scene where a detective tells her partner not to smoke in the car and a ﬂicker of resignation crosses his face as he opens the door 2 for the miserable comfort of a damp cigarette.

The series begins with an item of bloodstained clothing found in a ﬁeld near a state park. When the body of teenager Rosie Larsen (Katie Findlay) is retrieved from the boot of a local councillor’s campaign car, things begin to get complicated. The plot brings nearly every character into suspicion – school friends, family connections, ofﬁcials and a suspected terrorist cell. Some good drama writing augments the twisting mystery, with each half- hour episode equating to a day of the murder investigation. Where most TV murders are about police, not victims, The Killing gives equal weight to the family’s trauma, and does it well.

The dead teenager’s family are away on a camping trip when the crime occurs, leading to guilt and blame in an otherwise loving family. The mother, Mitch Larsen (Michelle Forbes), has been tough on her daughter, who was obviously hiding things. Stan Larsen MURDER IN THE DAMP: THE (Brent Sexton), Rosie’s father, is a KILLING good man these days, but he has a history of organised crime. The aunt, ELLIE RENNIE > The Killing is the US Terry (Jamie Anne Allman), comes on remake of the Danish TV series board to help with their two young Forbrydelsen. Aside from retelling a sons who are left feeling neglected gripping story, the producers have and lost as a result of their sister’s done their best to recreate a cold death. The family members do not climate. Produced by cable channel remain suspects for long, but continue AMC, the US series is set in Seattle, to be implicated in events surrounding a location that the ﬁlm crew must the case. Michelle Forbes is particu- have loathed. Almost every outdoor larly well cast as the grieving mother- shot was ﬁlmed in bad weather – not turned-Lady Macbeth, who pushes her just a drizzle but constant, chilling husband to revenge.

With a faint echo of a Stieg Larsson novel, the sleuth of The Killing is a re- The fact that served and humourless character with Linden is a troubled past. Sarah Linden (Mireille operating on Enos) is a homicide detective who is borrowed time 5 trying to detach herself from the police impels an force so she can move to Sonoma, urgent pace; California, where she is due to be where other married. The Rosie Larsen case is mysteries are dumped on her desk only hours before a race against her ﬂight; her boxes are packed and the clock to her ﬁancé is waiting. Linden is asked stop a killer to train a loudmouth rookie, Stephen at large, this Holder (Joel Kinnaman), who has been is a detective’s hired as her replacement. She quickly race against becomes enmeshed in the job, unwill- herself. ing to leave it in the hands of a novice and compelled to follow each new The Killing 6 7 lead herself.

Holder starts out annoying but gets interesting. He has come from an un- every minute into the job, to find Richmond (Billy Campbell), whose dercover narcotics unit, which comes resolution and get out of there, but attempt to run for mayor is being in handy when talking to teenagers she loses time on the wrong suspects thwarted by a disloyal staffer. When and kicking in doors. He gives Linden and misses more flights. Her internal- the campaign car is found at the a hard time, telling her she is avoiding ised stress and perfectionism turn to bottom of the lake, his well-meaning her own life and cramping his style, but outright anxiety in one episode where exterior begins to crack. there’s something not quite right about the case is put aside as she searches him, which adds to Linden’s inability for own son, who has failed to return The strange thing about The Killing to walk away from the case. His theory home at the agreed time. It is a risky is the ending. The series has all the that Linden is running from her wed- break in a fast-paced plot, an attempt elements of a classic murder mystery: ding is never confirmed and there is no through character development to a death, a troubled sleuth, a bunch obvious reason why she would give up prove that this is not just another cop of suspects and a conviction. But the a loving relationship or Californian wine show. The episode is not entirely suc- final minutes of the show throw eve- country for dreary Seattle. It’s more cessful – suggesting that perhaps this rything into doubt. Leaving a murder likely that she is a workaholic and a might, after all, be just another cop unsolved is perhaps unfair, on the quiet control freak, but the ambiguous show, albeit a compelling one. audience as well as Detective Linden. character motivations are one of the She’s unlikely to walk away from the show’s strengths. As The Killing progresses it gradu- next twist in this plot. With AMC hav- ally reveals layers of political mischief ing now announced a second series, I The fact that Linden is operating on and corruption. The local politicians suspect I will be drawn back too. borrowed time impels an urgent pace; make deals with developers and where other mysteries are a race senators, woo rich donors and smear Ellie Rennie is the deputy director against the clock to stop a killer at Rosie’s death in political spin. The of the Swinburne Institute for Social large, this is a detective’s race against main protagonist of this storyline is Research at Swinburne University. She herself. She has real reason to put the seemingly compassionate Darren has published two books.s