The two-hour second season premiere of AMC’s “The Killing” picked up where the show left off, with shocking plot twists and an unresolved murder. The crime-thriller-turned-political-drama began its first season with the death of a teenage girl, and the show becomes entangled with a political campaign as investigators pursue her murderer. “The Killing,” which is based on a Danish show, is set in rainy Seattle, where the cold demeanor of lead homicide detective Sarah Linden mirrors the show’s serious subject matter and shades of grey cinematography. The show stands out among other crime dramas with cerebral writing, which adds emotional depth and complexity to the murder mystery. Sparse comedic relief yields nicely to fast, intense pacing, but the show may leave viewers in a gloomy funk. Fresh writing and quality acting lend “The Killing” a gripping and powerful feel, an increasingly common quality among AMC’s original programming.
Grade: A-
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Contact Josh Naquin at [email protected]