The Killing

:

Season 1
Season #: 4, 3, 2, 1
User Score
8.1

Universal acclaim- based on 400 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 335 out of 400
  2. Mixed: 41 out of 400
  3. Negative: 24 out of 400
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  1. retrowest
    Jul 27, 2011
    1
    "The Killing" is proof positive that critics need to analyze the entirety of a season, or do follow-ups to their first impressions, before declaring something good or bad. Like them, I would have given this show a 9 or 10, had I only, again like them, seen the first couple episodes and were writing this review in April. Fortunately, I have the benefit of time and watching the full season"The Killing" is proof positive that critics need to analyze the entirety of a season, or do follow-ups to their first impressions, before declaring something good or bad. Like them, I would have given this show a 9 or 10, had I only, again like them, seen the first couple episodes and were writing this review in April. Fortunately, I have the benefit of time and watching the full season and can accurately compare this show to going around a roundabout for 13 weeks and not taking off down ANY of the roads leading out of it. Shoddy detective work, shoddy story telling and that godawful last episode really hammer home how poor a series this is. They strung the audience along on the moodiness of Seattle and stellar cast, in an elaborate cover-up of second-rate story construction. AMC prematurely greenlighted this for Season 2. Good riddance. It should go the way of "Rubicon" -- another series of slow build, small payoff.… Expand
  2. Sadie
    Jun 20, 2011
    1
    I have "stuck with it" the entire season. Like watching wet paint dry sloooowwwwly !! The final episode last night convinced me that I will not be a returning viewer next season. Too slow, too long, boring, depressing ... even "real life" doesn't move this slow. This series doesn't even approach Twin Peaks. Boring, Boring, Boring ... I gave it a score of 1 because there weren't any lowerI have "stuck with it" the entire season. Like watching wet paint dry sloooowwwwly !! The final episode last night convinced me that I will not be a returning viewer next season. Too slow, too long, boring, depressing ... even "real life" doesn't move this slow. This series doesn't even approach Twin Peaks. Boring, Boring, Boring ... I gave it a score of 1 because there weren't any lower choices (-12)!!… Expand
  3. FlyFlown
    Apr 22, 2011
    3
    This show didn't appeal to me. I watched the first half of the hour-and-a-half long pilot and I was bored. Some parts of it were thrilling but overall, it was simply too slow and too long to my taste. I feel like nothing happened in the 45 first minutes and I really wasn't caught up in the show. Under the pretense of realism and suspense, the show delivers boredom and depression. Don'tThis show didn't appeal to me. I watched the first half of the hour-and-a-half long pilot and I was bored. Some parts of it were thrilling but overall, it was simply too slow and too long to my taste. I feel like nothing happened in the 45 first minutes and I really wasn't caught up in the show. Under the pretense of realism and suspense, the show delivers boredom and depression. Don't watch it -- or if you do, you've been warned.… Expand
  4. aideenm
    May 18, 2011
    3
    I've been watching this series from the beginning. "The Killing" just goes on and on and on .... are the detectives never going to solve this case? I have absolutely no interest in suffering through the grief of Rosie's family and the politician's story is just as dull.
    I want the story to stay with the two--interesting--detectives. Hurry up!
  5. MorriBey
    Apr 18, 2011
    2
    I really wanted to like this. I watched the first 4 episodes and in the end it just came across as one piece of depressing, badly acted , TV detective series. I am sure there must be some mystery to the whole thing but i could not fathom having to endure any more damp depressive dialogue. Awful, Awful, Awful.
  6. gimmedatsammich
    May 30, 2011
    1
    What a shame. The first two episodes were great, and then the show took an olympic nosedive. Nothing. Ever. Happens. "The Killing"? More like, "The Grieving" or "The Raining." The show is an hour long. In that hour, we get 40 minutes of Rosie's family mourning their daughter's death (who we never meet, by the way, so why should we even care about her?) 15 minutes of the mayor storylineWhat a shame. The first two episodes were great, and then the show took an olympic nosedive. Nothing. Ever. Happens. "The Killing"? More like, "The Grieving" or "The Raining." The show is an hour long. In that hour, we get 40 minutes of Rosie's family mourning their daughter's death (who we never meet, by the way, so why should we even care about her?) 15 minutes of the mayor storyline (more on that later) and 5 minutes of actual, you know, mystery solving. And throughout this time, it never stops raining. According to "The Killing's" writer's, Seattle has only one type of weather: gloomy and wet. The Killing should have been 5 episodes long, not thirteen, since it's painfully obvious that they're using the grieving and mayoral aspects as filler. In what little time we spend with the detectives, they make little to no progress. I'm starting to suspect that even the writers don't know who killed Rosie, so they distract us with shots of the Larsen family staring out into space or having dinner in silence, or with the mayoral race. Fun fact: NO ONE CARES ABOUT MAYORAL RACES. In this show, they treat it like a presidential election. Excuse me, this show is called "The Killing," not "The Campaigning." I'm only giving this a 1 because of Linden's partner, the narc. He's the only good part of the show.… Expand
  7. CrimsonFlush
    Jun 21, 2011
    0
    How funny to see the Critics give this the highest score this season, one of the worst shows out there. Thank God I stopped watching after episode 2 and didn't have to bare witness to the turd they but out as their final episode. I feel sorry for the people that watched them all this year.
  8. Tanseytoes
    Apr 4, 2011
    1
    Apparently I missed the critics Koolaid party. I am a Twin Peaks fan, but this series first show borders on "a waste of time" or "horrendous first date" - the next episode will determine if it is permanently removed from my DVR list. It could have (and should have) been condensed to 45 minutes simply by deleting the "gazing into the mist" scenes. It feels like "Fargo" yearning to be "TwinApparently I missed the critics Koolaid party. I am a Twin Peaks fan, but this series first show borders on "a waste of time" or "horrendous first date" - the next episode will determine if it is permanently removed from my DVR list. It could have (and should have) been condensed to 45 minutes simply by deleting the "gazing into the mist" scenes. It feels like "Fargo" yearning to be "Twin Peaks" with a subplot from "Homicide/Life on the Streets" without benefit of Richard Belzer. I could not wait for the show to end - Somehow I don't think that counts that as a plus!… Expand
  9. Why_Not
    Apr 27, 2011
    0
    I gave this show 0 (zero) cos it's plagiarism of Twin Peaks.

    Ok my taste is bad, but so as this show is. I'm not offended by those who say it's great show and that i have no taste since this i don't like, cos they have no arguments, just empty words :You are a looser, Troll or whatever. Plus this Laura Palmer is ugly. I don't know why here is so many posts defending this show, i guess    I gave this show 0 (zero) cos it's plagiarism of Twin Peaks.

    Ok my taste is bad, but so as this show is. I'm not offended by those who say it's great show and that i have no taste since this i don't like, cos they have no arguments, just empty words :You are a looser, Troll or whatever. Plus this Laura Palmer is ugly. I don't know why here is so many posts defending this show, i guess they are paid by producers or company AMC that show this series. This already exist in China and their name is "50 cents commentators". Clearly this is plagiarism and it's not debatable, it's fact that any one that sees TP know what this is, so you who defend this TV show you need to defend for couple months more cos it has only one season. Till sponsors and ADs need mass viewers and show us their products that we "desperately" need to buy. Well i wouldn't buy anything that advertise on this show.

    This show is lame, without excitement, good music or any acting. It will be ended soon, don't worry. It's too stupid even for America's TV. I watched 3 episodes and i'm not amused not for a second. I have do admit, second season of TP is lame and pointless too. But 1st season is what will last forever, and of course OST.

    Long live Angelo Badalamenti and David Lynch    … Expand
  10. Mike_M
    May 14, 2012
    3
    In brief, two points:
    1)You can't judge this show by its first few episodes, which is why the scores are so drastically inflated. 2) I am simply in shock at how bad the writing is [scene by scene and in the series overall]. It's like an elephant playing piano. How did this show-runner get to adapt a series? More details:
    The writing's so bad that it's hard to gauge the talent of the    In brief, two points:
    1)You can't judge this show by its first few episodes, which is why the scores are so drastically inflated. 2) I am simply in shock at how bad the writing is [scene by scene and in the series overall]. It's like an elephant playing piano. How did this show-runner get to adapt a series? More details:
    The writing's so bad that it's hard to gauge the talent of the actors, so I will reserve judgment there. However, for those of you who haven't studied the interplay of writing and acting, you may find yourself frequently inclined to blame the actors.

    I've found this show to be an interesting study in what a series can get wrong at the same time that it gets several things right. [Its strong points are cinematography, design and editing; and the fact that it's based on a Danish series with an interesting premise: an in-depth examination of a murder case]

    Many user reviews cite "slow and depressing" as a problem with this show, but I disagree. I think that a show like this, if written well, would not bother people with its heavy themes and in-depth examination of a case.    … Expand
  11. Bo33y
    Jan 14, 2015
    2
    This show is example of how to really muck up any reality, turning what had started by being a casual ride, into completely laughable nonsense. Did they figure lets reel them in with a decent premise to than dismantle it all on the second season.

    This show was way to lengthy to achieve any finale, drawn out to end degree's, had nobody employed an editor? The same scenes, information    This show is example of how to really muck up any reality, turning what had started by being a casual ride, into completely laughable nonsense. Did they figure lets reel them in with a decent premise to than dismantle it all on the second season.

    This show was way to lengthy to achieve any finale, drawn out to end degree's, had nobody employed an editor? The same scenes, information keep on running again and again to drawn out this shows duration...

    The characters themselves were bunch of misfits whom would never achieve professional positions. outside of attempted political correctness showing itself into every picture. Believing suicidal, cripples, can gain the presidency, because they don't require an additional team of aids, who would be privy to national secrets, when making every single function accessible, to any man on a podium. Jeopardising those very positions power when upon making further demands of office. Also containing drugged AA, cops making detective, or institutionally insane cops being lead investigators. Because their ain't no such thing as public record. GBH is on bail, to do it all again without any ankle bracelet. The list is endless

    What started off as a Twin Peaks esque, but wrongly set in the big city. Quickly descend into total emotional nonsense, utterly painfully to then watch the who did it. Upon final conclusion the person who did it, it was unlikely to be in their nature at all. Although we must likewise believe in the impossible that everybody is a natural born killer, when it comes to power.

    Heck, I don't know if they tried to pull it back on the third season and the the fourth. I didn't care at all after the second....    … Expand
  12. ScottRock
    Jun 16, 2016
    1
    The Killing is a watered down and soulless version of David Lynch's Twin Peaks. I don't think the people rating this show highly realise the extent to which The Killing is copying Twin Peaks. The same soundtrack, the same north west environment and weather, a dead teenage girl's body taken from the water, a mother crying, the detectives have their eyes set on the 'bad' boyfriend, the deadThe Killing is a watered down and soulless version of David Lynch's Twin Peaks. I don't think the people rating this show highly realise the extent to which The Killing is copying Twin Peaks. The same soundtrack, the same north west environment and weather, a dead teenage girl's body taken from the water, a mother crying, the detectives have their eyes set on the 'bad' boyfriend, the dead girl's best friend was jealous of her, the pacing, the secrets unravelling, this girl was living a different life her family were unaware of, she had a dark side... exactly like Twin Peaks. The detective in The Killing hops on a boat to travel to the other side because there's a casino there, just like in Twin Peaks, and when she gets there do you think Rosie (the dead white teenager) was working there as an escort? Just like Laura Palmer (the dead white teenager) did? Do these two characters look the same? What The Killing doesn't have, when compared to Twin Peaks, are engaging characters. And charm. And comedy. And quirkiness. And coffee.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

12
#12 Best TV Season of 2011
10
#10 Most Discussed TV Season of 2011
16
#16 Most Shared TV Season of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Universal acclaim - based on 29 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 29
  3. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. Miami Herald
    Reviewed by: Glenn Garvin
    Apr 7, 2011
    80
    Sharply contrasting with the florid Borgias is AMC's emotionally spare and atmospherically dank series The Killing.
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  2. Slate
    Reviewed by: Troy Patterson
    Apr 5, 2011
    80
    In the suspenseful early hours of The Killing, Rosie's family goes about its bereavement in muted tones, and a subplot about a mayoral candidate drawn into the crime's eccentric orbit flashes with potential, and, primarily, our expectations for cop shows are teased, gratified, and artfully upended.
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  3. Philadelphia Inquirer
    Reviewed by: Jonathan Storm
    Apr 4, 2011
    90
    The Killing is also the least prepossessing, an eerily quiet, yet compelling and complex, tale of the way the murder of a teenager affects the lives of many people.
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