’The Killing’ is not for the weak-hearted

A 17-year-old girl is murdered and her body dumped in a pond inside a park. A cop on the verge of quitting her job and moving home, vows to crack the case after coming face-to-face with the girl's family. The first season of The Killing, a 12-episode crime thriller, which premiers on FX channel tomorrow, is a must-watch. Dhiman Chattopadhyay stayed up half the night to preview the first few shows. Be warned: It's scary!

'The Killing' is not for the weak-hearted

A young girl, still wearing partywear and heels, runs screamingthrough a park, her clothes torn and a man (who is hidden behind a powerful torch beam) in hot pursuit. The background score chills your heart and even before she falls to the ground and her pursuer catches up, you know what’s going to happen next.u00a0The Killing is not for the weak-hearted. And even for those who love their murder mysteries, a quick swig of your favourite alochol after watching any of the episodes, would be perfectly in order.

The Killing on FX,Mireille Enos and Joel Kinnaman in The Killing
Mireille Enos and Joel Kinnaman in The Killing

The serial, which has had a hugely successful run in the US since 2011, is now coming to India thanks to FX. While the 12-episode season III in the US (which has just ended) sees the famed Seattle-based detectives Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos) and Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman) start on a brand new case, the show to be aired in India from September 2 is the first 12 episodes that made The Killing such a cult TV serial.

The plot centres around the gruesome murder of Seattle teenager Roaie Larsen whose body is found stuffed in a car. The car belongs to the campaign team of a senator tipped to be the next mayor. The Larsen family is shattered by the death of their eldest child and Seattle is in turmoil. Linden, who is set to quit the force and move to San Francisco with her son and fiancé, suddenly finds her world turned upside down thanks to the murder.

But whodunit? Did the senator or someone close to him have a hand in the killing? Or is it rich young Jasper, Rosie’s arrogant boyfriend? Her parents too come under suspicion since they didn’t think it abnormal that their 17-year-old daughter hadn’t come home for the weekend! The detectives have vastly different styles of functioning (Linden puts people at ease but turns on the screws when the need arises, while Holder is unconventional and even smokes pot with a couple of school students to find out secrets about the murder they normally wouldn’t share) but equally effective.

Enos as Linden and Kinnaman as Holder put in brilliant performances as do the supporting cast of Billy Campbell, Michelle Forbes, Brent Sexton and others. Hats off too, to the multi-talented Veena Sud who has written, and co-produced the show.u00a0So whodunit? We’re not telling you yet, but trust us, we needed that single malt after watching the first of the hour-long episodes.