The Final Season Of 'The Killing' - What's The Verdict?
Maybe it shouldn't have ended so soon, but at least it got the ending it deserved. After being canceled twice by its network AMC, cult-detective thriller 'The Killing' has ended its run with its fourth and final season premiering exclusively on Netflix.
'The Killing' may have dug its own grave early back in season one when it failed to wrap up the murder storyline in its finale. It arguably never recovered, and it was one of the reasons the show never reached expectations when it came to ratings. However, even though it took a second season to find out who killed Rosie Larsen, the show continued to improve on what it does best - even if the ratings said otherwise. Season three took the show to a different level, expanding on its story with an emphasis on character development. It was unpredictable in the best ways possible, and it ended with a cliffhanger that, for a while, was looking like it would never be resolved.
However, 'The Killing' was picked up by Netflix for a final season last year, and the series had a lot to live up to when it came to delivering the last six episodes. With the season length as short as it is, it's easy to think that certain areas of the season would be rushed, and maybe some things wouldn't be touched upon as well as they should be. For the most part, 'The Killing' exceeds wonderfully in pace, and they manage to wrap up a number of plot points in the short time they have. This is due to each episode clocking in at around 60 minutes as opposed to the previous 42, and it really lets the show flesh out aspects of each character - like Stephen Holder's struggle with addiction, and Sarah Linden's battle with mental illness.
More: The first trailer for season four of ‘The Killing’
As far as content goes, 'The Killing' should be commended for not taking advantage of no longer being on network television. Netflix could have allowed the show to have as much guts and gore in murder scenes as they wanted, but the violence present is no worse than prior seasons. Instead, ‘The Killing’ only ups the ante on its gloomy setting of Seattle and the dark, gritty, atmosphere that its always had. What Netflix did allow for is 'The Killing' to finally speak the way it should have spoken all along. It's hardly a season full of expletives, but when the F-bombs do drop, they feel natural like it should have been in the show's dialog from the start. 'The Killing's strong points always relied on the acting from its two leads, and once again they've nailed it effortlessly. Mireille Enos and Joel Kinnaman are still one of the best one-two punches in television, while the addition of Joan Allen as commander of a military school offers one of the best supporting roles that the show has seen.
_Next page: Where is ‘The Killing’ flawed?
While ‘The Killing’s fourth season is rich in positives, it also has its flaws. The season’s story, which revolves around a grisly homicide involving a family being murdered – and the troubled military school son being the prime suspect – leads much to be desired on the thriller-aspect. As the episodes go on, it’s easy to figure out the endgame, which makes the supposed twists and turns not all that impressive. Instead of wondering who did what, you’re just left hoping that it turns out differently because of how obvious it all becomes. Furthermore, the original cliffhanger that was done so brilliantly last season almost takes a backseat in season four. Its development only grows little by little when it could have easily acted as the focal point for the whole season, and the conclusion just doesn’t hit as hard as you want.
The final season of ‘The Killing’ is not a disappointment – it’s just not as good as it could have been. It’s also not going to be for everyone. Die-hard fans that have been obsessed since day one will find much to love, but for those expecting some form of a reboot: don’t bother watching. While ‘The Killing’ wrapped up everything it needed to, and certainly provided an entertaining journey, there’s always going to be the question on whether ‘The Killing’ reached its full, true potential. What season four proves is that it still needed a little more time to get there.