The Killing

Don't be fooled by the prosaic title; The Killing (which airs Sunday nights at 10 on AMC) makes for riveting viewing.

I came late to this new series (credit to my boss Adrienne for calling my attention to the show), but soon caught up to date with the episodes.  The Killing centers on the shocking murder of Seattle high school student Rosie Larsen (whose battered, bound body is discovered in the trunk of a mayoral candidate's campaign car).  But the show isn't just some Twin Peaks knockoff.  If anything, it resembles Mystic River in its gritty urban setting and dark-crime plot (not to mention the mob ties of the victim's father).  The series also calls to mind The Lovely Bones via its attention to the terrible grief experienced by those who knew and loved Rosie.

Hauntingly filmed and expertly acted (Michelle Forbes and Brent Sexton are amazing in the roles of Rosie's devastated parents), The Killing has quickly staked a claim to the title of best crime drama on television.  And the tag line from the commercials--"The deeper you go, the darker it gets"--situates the series squarely within the realm of American Gothic.  Indeed, plenty of seediness will be dug up during the investigation of Rosie's murder, as a singular crime exposes the corruption pervading an entire community.


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For more about The Killing, check out the show's website.