Something Dark and Touching

Will you be watching The Killing season finale this Sunday?

* "So, if The Killing wraps up Rosie's murder in the season finale, will the Larsens be around next year? — Leslie
ADAM: I certainly hope so, given the strong performances by Michelle Forbes and Brent Sexton this season. And it sounds pretty likely. "The family is back in Season 2," Sexton tells us. "I'll leave it at that."
* Michelle Forbes:
Q : Anything on the second season?
A: I know nothing. I have no idea, I'm always so stymied when I'm asked that question.
* Grief comes in many different colours.
* Forbrydelsen had these insanely compelling dramatic last 4 episodes, with Pernille (=Mitch), one of her boys and Sarah teaming up. And Theis (= Stan) ....
* In AMC's adaptation the real stuff has only just begun :p Compared to Forbrydelsen they're only mid-way through.
* The killer has done it before.

The Killing: The Silence That Follows

Screen caps from episode 3 (El Diablo) and episode 4 (A Soundless Echo):

There is a solitude of space



A solitude of sea



A solitude of death



but these



Society shall be



Compared with that profounder site



That polar privacy



A soul admitted to itself



Finite infinity



* Emily Dickinson, There is a solitude of space
* "Whatever the mood of the circumstance, the essence of its quality may linger in the silence that follows. It is a soundless echo." - Beryl Markham, West with the Night

More pictures in our Gallery.

The Killing Premieres, Absorbs and Mesmerizes

While there are many landmark American tv series, a lot of television seems to be concerned with enforced stereotypes, bland storylines and gratuitous violence. It's at such times that an European 'kick' is needed to propel the overseas into exploring new and utterly absorbing characters and stories. It's a delight to see that while fiercely loyal to its predecessor (Forbrydelsen), The Killing appropriates the essence of the show for American audiences.

The series centres around an investigation into a girl's murder, and the impact of this act of violence on those close to her and the community. It's very rare for a series to engage the consequences of violence. Moreover, the excitement of a murder mystery (investigated for a dozen of episodes) is perfectly married with the humanity of the characters. They appear so ordinary and real, and could well be your next door neighbours. There's nothing artificial about them. Sarah's (Mireille Enos) smooth features belie the matter-of-factness required by her profession. Her soon-to-be-husband understands that her work comes first. The street-smart Stephen (Joel Kinnaman) joins the police force, stirring up some tension with peculiar methods of investigation. Michelle Forbes and Brent Sexton are incredible and affecting as Rosie's parents. Their scenes range from happy times,not knowing where their daughter is, to having to tell their sons about her death. The camerawork is languid and precise, the shots - beautifully composed, the frames could as well be pictures by themselves.

The premiere and repeats were watched by 4.6 million viewers! Here's hoping that the rest of the series is even more engrossing and that the suspense will barely be contained.



What others thought:

The series is excellent, absorbing and addictive. When each episode ends, you long for the next -- a hallmark of great dramas...Michelle Forbes and Brent Sexton are exceptional as the parents of the murdered girl.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter

There's always an appetite for murder mysteries, and the raw performances by Sexton and Forbes give the show more upfront humanity.
Source: Hit Fix

The Killing is the sort of show that is not served well by its description. Truly great art of any medium cannot be broken down into a synopsis that fully captures the power of the finished product. It is so rare to find television programming that fits that description these days that I often forget it is even true. The Killing is one of those rare instances....The Killing will absorb you as readily as you absorb it.
Source: TV Overmind

...it's true that the first episode is compelling, clever television with...a particularly powerful turn from Michelle Forbes as the missing girl's mother.
Source: The Guardian



Check out AMC's latest masterpiece "The Killing". Quality TV show,worthy of cinema even
Michelle Forbes...is amazing in The Killing! Killer performance!
Couldn't believe Michelle Forbes and Brent Sexton could to kill me every time they were on screen. Actual tears were happening.
I shed tears. Michelle Forbes is brilliant. That is all
Source: Twitter

Michelle to TV LINE on choosing the project and her approach to the role:

I’ve always wanted to play the regular, working-class mom, and I’ve never really had the chance to do that. So as I was reading through the scripts when this came across, and I said yes.

...with this [show], I really didn’t want to know any more than [my character] would know. I wasn’t interested in what was happening with the political storyline as an actor because Mitch wouldn’t know any of that, so at the table reads, I tried to make myself go a bit deaf.

What did you think of last night's premiere? Have you seen the original? How did they compare?

********
More unfiltered twitter shouts: (added by Chris)

* @kevinsharkey: Can we just give Michelle Forbes and Brent Sexton Emmy's now for their roles as the parents in The Killing? Holy crap were they great.
* @marleneb4 "The Killing" is definitely living up to it's hype. Michelle Forbes is heartbreakingly good.
* DayDiMaggio: Whether she's a Maenad or a grieving mother, Michelle Forbes' onscreen presence is utterly captivating
* pineapplecakes: Can Michelle Forbes just be my mom?
* marcmason: Damn. THE KILLING was incredibly intense television. Hats off to Michelle Forbes, who broke my heart into pieces with her performance.
* sicrowe: Can Michelle Forbes get a TV marriage where something doesn't go wrong?
* alexqsmith: weeping through the final minutes of 'the killing.' bravo, AMC, you've done it again. so beyond glad michelle forbes is back on television.
* the_mcgone: In #TheKilling, Michelle Forbes has a fictional daughter headed to college. That makes me feel non-fictionally old.
* lula34: There's also a former battleship admiral/Maened on The Killing.
* NerdAlert19: AMC completely sucked me in with #TheKilling tonight. Can't take my eyes off Mireille Enos and Michelle Forbes.
* DomSalvaggio: AMC's #TheKilling is cinematic, well-acted & utterly heartbreaking. As a new Dad this show has me.
* @stamos I've watched the pilot for #TheKilling so many times but still now, I get goosebumps & heart pains watching Forbes react.
* xiratania: @ash0283 #MichelleForbes made the show tonight her performance was just.....(no words that do justice) Please watch!
* @soniafaleiro: What kind of idiot goes running in the woods alone? Murderers hide in woods! #thekilling #amc
* jaredshelby: I really hope I can successfully make it through life without having to identify a body. #TheKilling
* max_bell: #TheKilling is excellent thus far; pleased with the attention to detail in getting Seattle to look right. And Forbes is teh awesome.
* thebobkessler: WOW, that ending scene of hour one, WOW. #TheKilling
* theres a cylon on this show!!! watch out!! #thekilling
* laynemorgan: oh my goood Lord. Rosie's parents in #thekilling . heart is broken.
* kasmithphoto: Cried like a little girl watching the series premiere of #TheKilling tonight. What on earth is AMC trying to do to us?! So good, but SO sad!
* Brettne: It rains a lot on #TheKilling. It's great but I feel like I need to watch it under an umbrella.
* stylson: Yeah, AMC has earned my complete faith at this point. #thekilling is excellence. No one else produces shows with characters this deep.
* SeanPatriKernan: #TheKilling is Murky, Mysterious and Fascinating
* nicransome: #TheKilling hashtag nightmare! BBC4's Eng Lang subtitle version #TheKilling. AMC's version #TheKillingAMC and the Danes keep #Forbrydelsen?
* Mireille Enos is great, but I’d say Michelle Forbes stole the show with her heart-wrenching performance.
* AMC made a killing with "The Killing."
* latxcvi: The supporting cast is terrific, with Michelle Forbes (the mom), Brent Sexton (the dad) & Joel Kinnaman (the lead's partner) the stand-outs.
* BenjaminBirdie: How the hell is something this quiet this fucking tense?!?!?!?! #TheKilling
* ThomDownie: This show is brilliant stuff. I rarely connect with a show and its characters so quickly. #thekilling

Somebody killed Admiral Cain's daughter?

Watch your back, Cylon! If it turns out that you've killed Mitch's daughter, I can't guarantee that you'll survive The Killing.



AMC is adding more content to the Killing website, an interactive game (flash only) lets you explore the room and life of Rosie Larsen. Head over to amctv.com to discover Rosie's videos, her favourite song (Roses In My Side by Alanna Cherote), her social network activities, and her family photos:


(The Larsens: Michelle Forbes as Mitch, Brent Sexton as Stan, Seth Isaac Johnson as Denny, Evan Bird as Tom, Katie Findlay as Rosie)

And there's a good deal more to discover ... most notably for Forbrydelsen fans. The similarities and clues are remarkable. But shhhh, don't tell :)

The Suspicion is Mounting

The Killing kicks off with a 2-hour series premiere on Sunday, April 3 at 9PM | 8C. New episodes will then air on Sunday nights at 10PM | 9C beginning Sunday, April 10.

Official 4 Minute Trailer


Ep 1: Pilot
On her last day of work, homicide detective Sarah Linden is drawn into a
new case about the disappearance of a teenage girl, Rosie Larsen. Mitch
and Stan Larsen frantically try to track down their daughter when they
learn she did not show up at school. City Councilman Darren Richmond
prepares for an important forum with the Mayor as the election nears.

Ep 2: The Cage
The investigation into Rosie’s killer begins as Sarah and Holder
question the missing girl’s parents, Stan and Mitch, as well as Rosie’s
friends and City Councilman Richmond. Rosie’s school becomes a potential
murder site when Sarah and Holder uncover shocking evidence on campus.
Heartbroken and grief-stricken, Mitch and Stan face the aftermath of
losing their daughter.

MF/Mitch: a "no-nonsense parent ... a bit rough around the edges, Mitch
doesn't put up with any bull. She is a force of nature who wants a
better life for her children"
http://www.amctv.com/originals/the-killing/cast/

Head to AMCtv.com for plenty of info and original content:

About The Show
Cast & Characters
Episode Guide
Newsletter
Talk Forum
Blog
Downloads
iPhone
Photos
Video

The series ties together three distinct stories around a single murder,
The Killing will tell the stories of detectives assigned to the case,
the victim’s grieving family and the suspects. Set in Seattle, the story
also explores local politics as it follows politicians connected to the
case. As the series unfolds, it becomes clear that there are no
accidents; everyone has a secret, and while the characters think they’ve
moved on, their past isn’t done with them.

AMC will be engaging social media and interactive media online at the
site AMCtv.com, to let viewers feel involved in the show by offering
games and downloads. The site will feature "Rosie's Room," an exclusive
interactive experience that allows users to enter and explore the
bedroom of the teenage murder victim Rosie Larsen to learn more about
her life and uncover clues about what may have led to her untimely death.

The Crime Thriller Quiz (Flash Only)
http://www.amctv.com/originals/the-killing/crime-thriller-quiz/
Who would you be in a crime thriller? Take a quiz and see which part
you'd land in The Killing.
Both Chris and I got 'lead detective'. :-)

In other news, here's a video of the panel with producers of Forbrydelsen and The Killing, and comparisons of the two versions:
http://video.tvfestival.dk/?poditemid=9368

"I've already got my main suspect, it's the creepy looking
Jamie Wright, the campaign manager. ;-)
He's the only character of the main cast, who hasn't even the slightest
resemblance with the resp. character Morten in Forbrydelsen." (Chris)

As for me, I just can't wait to watch it, and especially Michelle. How excited are you?