About two weeks ago, I announced the daunting task of binge watching all of the Killing, in an effort to get through the most recent fourth season. I finally finished Season 2, which is a bit more bumpy than Season 1, but ultimately provides an excellent partner to the first season, because it fleshed out characters, and allowed for even greater performances.
After 26 episodes, I can say I now have a newfound interest and respect in Brent Sexton as an actor. His season two role was handled even better than the first season, and we finally saw him mourn the loss of Rosie. I’m ashamed that his performance was overlooked. He stood out above the rest of the stellar cast, for me. Mirelle Enos and Joel Kinnaman are both terrific. I can’t believe Kinnaman decided to do Robocop… he’s so much better than that.
Michelle Forbes, Billy Campbell, Kristen Lehman, and Eric Ladin all had their moments in the sun. It might not have been the season of dynamic storytelling, but it was the season of excellent acting and compelling character development. Truly, I’ve never seen Billy Campbell deliver such a nuanced performance. I’ve always thought of him as a bit of a fluff piece, even on Once and Again. Here, he really puts all the naysayers to shame.
An uneven season bolstered by the work of the actors. I’m a little afraid to venture into the third season, knowing I won’t be seeing most of these faces again, though I hope maybe they’ll find a reason to check in on them again sometime before The Killing closes its doors for good.
And for what it’s worth, I did not see Rosie’s killer coming, and the reveal made it so much better having had to wait for it that long.
FINAL GRADE: B+
