I Expected More… Review: Season Two Premiere, The Killing – Episodes 1 and 2 – “Reflections”, “My Lucky Day”

Air Date: Sunday, April 1, 2012, 8/7c on AMC

RATING: ★★★★★

“I work my case alone. I don’t need a partner on this.” – Sarah Linden

Stan and the kids aren't safe. So who's stalking them?

My feelings are torn. I wasn’t sure what to expect during the two-hour second season premiere of The Killing and I’m left scratching my head at what I’ve watched. The drama in each episode goes up a notch with the actors’ excellent portrayal of each character. I always find it interesting how writers of a series will turn things in a direction you’d never expect, as in The Killing. “Reflections” seemed to focus on answering the left over questions from the season one finale, though I must admit falls short. The second hour, “My Lucky Day,” took on an opposite connotation with the clearly unlucky goings on of all the characters we’ve come to know and love. There’s a suicide, paralysis and dirty deeds all throughout the two-hour premiere. While the second hour brings us new faces and shocking revelations, we finally learn who the killer isn’t (I guessed correctly!) and a few more suspects are added to the list.

Observations and thoughts:

Well, we know who shoots Councilman Richmond (Billy Campbell) and why. So what’s to become of them? I’m so upset with the way Richmond and Belko (Brendan Sexton III) have essentially been given the short end of the stick. Not only does Richmond lose all hope for going back to life as he knows it, Belko comes to a sad and disappointing end. You cannot tell me the writers are going to tie Campbell to a bed or wheelchair for the rest of the season! I’m not sure if it’s to give his character the sympathy vote so he’ll win the mayoral election or to show another side of the councilman we haven’t seen. I fully expected him to come out unscathed and go on to fight as he has, but that hope is quickly distinguished.

Just what is it about Holder that makes me want to trust him?

Then we move on to the severely damaged Belko. He’s always been a bit of an outcast but he takes it to the extreme with his incessant rocking while sitting in the police station. His actions are creepy and fitting of someone lost in a childlike daze of wanting nothing but to go home where everything would-be made ok. Sexton does a great job of pulling off the traumatized would be assassin, waiting to see what his fate will be. Belko’s off his rocker and I’m not sure I understand why. You’d think he knows more about what’s going on with Rosie’s (Katie Findlay) murder than he’s letting on. Of course, we’ll never know the truth of the matter because he sets himself free in the only way he can, and manages to make it home. I’m sad to see his tale come to such a dramatic end but hopefully, there’s a reason for it (though I have no idea what it is).

Linden (Mirielle Enos) has her Super Woman façade up.  You can’t blame her for wanting to appear in control and tough as nails. She tries to make her life normal but falters at times, and you can see her worry and sadness break through. Linden is a mother, first and foremost, and I think that’s her driving force. It’s why she’s so hard pressed to find Rosie’s killer. It can’t be far from her mind that her son Jack (Liam James) could have ended up in a similar situation. She tells him they’re staying in town for good and he seems happy to hear it, but much like him, I’m not convinced. She can’t make up her mind whether she’s staying or going and at this point, it doesn’t really matter. I want Linden to stick around. We know the killer is still out there because we see stuff Linden doesn’t know about yet—like Holder’s (Joel Kinnaman) suspicious behavior. There’s more than meets the eye with him.

But maybe Holder isn’t the dirt bag I think he is. I know there’s pain under his burden of being a detective and trying to shed his bad cop persona. He’s being used just as much as everyone else involved in the Larsen case. The bad thing is he’s beginning to realize he can’t really do anything about it and now Linden is avoiding him. She’s his refuge and she deserts him because of misinformation. It’s no one’s fault but Holder’s and I’m curious to see what he does to fix things between them. See, if he’d gone about things properly, he could go to IA and mention how odd Lt. Oaks (Garry Chalk) has been acting. Who’s going to believe him but Linden? They’ll both be on their own in a town full of political corruption. Not a good place to be when you’re a good cop.

I want Linden to find Rosie's killer if for no other reason than to give her peace of mind.

I have to admit, there seems to be a lot of sneaky police business going on. I’m not sure who Linden can trust either because there doesn’t appear to be anyone she can turn to. Holder is acting shady, Lt. Oakes is suspect, and everywhere Linden turns to get answers, a wall is thrown up. Every single cop she comes up against gives her a hard time and acts like she’s being a pain in the ass. Nice way to treat your comrades.

I don’t like the way the authority figures, including the doctor and hospital administrator behave in “Reflections” or “My Lucky Day.” They act like they don’t care. It’s possibly the most frustrated I’ve ever felt while watching a television show. I was so angry I wanted to throw something at the screen. I get Richmond is supposedly guilty, but give the man a break. He’s still a human being and I thought people were innocent until proven guilty. He’s been condemned before getting a trial and it’s left him half the man he used to be. A “sorry” is not going to cut it. His life has been ruined and it’s not all on the cops. I hope he finds out who’s behind the scheme to sell him down the river *cough* Lesley Adams (Tom Butler) *cough* and does them some damage.

Aunt Terry (Jamie Anne Allman) is a Godsend because Stan (Brent Sexton) is losing it. I can’t blame him because his world is going up in smoke. There’s still no lead on Rosie’s killer. Mitch (Michelle Forbes) skipped out on the family and every time Stan turns around, he loses someone close to him. I’m not sure how any one person could handle all of the things being thrown at Stan. Day 15 brings us no closer to finding out anything and I think we’re all feeling the frustration. I mean, what’s the hold-up? Why all the subterfuge when it comes to getting answers?

Memorable/Funny lines:

Stan: “This is so messed up; the cops don’t even know what the hell they’re doing.”

**

Denny Larsen (Seth Isaac Johnson): “We need a dog, dad. Dogs can protect you.”

**

ADA Christina Nielsen to Linden: “If I’d known you were coming as Deepthroat, I would have worn my trench coat. You have opened a Pandora’s box of shit.”

**

Gil (Brian Markinson): “You think you got this job because you’re a good cop? No, it’s because you’re dirty and everybody knows it.”

**

There’s no secret to people’s opinions about the pace of the show. I think it works because each hour of The Killing is a day in the life of the characters. With each passing episode we learn alongside the police and the Larsens just what’s going on in Rosie’s case. It’s an effective tool for putting viewers on the inside track as well as keeping them in tune with what’s happening when. There’s so much in the way of lies and deceit, it’s almost impossible to keep track of who the bad guys are. This two-hour premiere has not impressed me; one suspect has been cleared, yet there are at least two more added to the list. I’d love to know who’s in on this murder so I can at least narrow the field down to two definites instead of ten maybes. Not only do I have a boatload of questions about what the hell’s going on, I feel like the show is following a new direction. I don’t know, I just wasn’t as excited at the end of the two hours as I was hoping to be.

Tune in to The Killing, Sundays at 9/8c on AMC. For more information on the show, visit http://www.amctv.com/originals/the-killing.

All photos © 2010-2012 American Movie Classics Company LLC. All rights reserved.

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Writer, mother, realist, cloud lover, daydreamer, dessert enthusiast, sweet tea addict, perfectionist, and lover of life and Christ, but not in that order. http://www.fanfiction.net/~vikingloverelle

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