The Killing: “What I Know” Review
The Killing tested some fans last year with a cliffhanger Season 1 finale. It’s clear that the writers wouldn’t let that happen again, and “What I Know” provides a clear and definitive ending that works wonderfully as both a season and possible series finale. Before going into that, here’s a quick warning: If you haven’t watched the finale yet, stop reading, as spoilers follow.
The Killing has long been a show with brooding atmosphere and an intentional coldness. “What I Know” changes that formula and reveals the show’s heart. I like the decision to flash back to the night Rosie was killed. From the opening moments, it’s apparent that this isn’t a typical episode. In the first fifteen minutes, Jamie confesses and is shot dead by Holder.
This leads to an important distinction: “What I Know” is about the catharsis of solving the Larsen case. It’s clear that Rosie’s murder brought out the worst in everybody, and as the murder unwinds, we begin to see the good in characters that have been brought down by the drama of the twenty-six days following Rosie’s murder. “What I Know” throws in a little twist, as we find out Terry’s hand in the murder.
On that note, the scene of Terry’s confession is handled remarkably well. Everyone seems appropriately awkward in the realization that Terry killed her own niece. I love how Terry tries to hug Mitch, and how Mitch returns the hug, confused.
The Larsens finally achieve some semblance of closure; the video tape was a nice touch, though it got a little heavy-handed when the tape was specifically made for Rosie’s family. I was scared she was going to hold up a sign that said, “Goodbye.” Still, there’s always a fine line between sentiment and sentimentality, and I feel that The Killing earned this scene after all the horrors we’ve seen.
I love that Richmond won the campaign, and Adams’ congratulations was another nice moment. The show again reveals the dark side of politics, as Richmond already uses his new-found power to help Chief Jackson and Michael Ames out of their problems with the police… all while Gwen watches on, uneasy.
The end for Holder and Linden is a bit unclear (at least, to me). Holder receives a call about another found body (Season 3, perhaps?), while Linden walks away in front of the Larsen’s former house. I wasn’t entirely certain whether she was giving up her job in Seattle or not - she just got her badge back, after all - and I would have liked to see some resolution with Jack. After all, Linden’s interactions with her son were such a vital component of Season 2.
Regardless, that’s a minor qualm to an otherwise strong end to a strong season. Season 2 was a vast improvement over the frustrations of Season 1, and it’s still uncertain whether the show will be renewed or not.
Either way, there’s no denying that I enjoyed the series thus far, and while I’d love the show to see another year, I would still be satisfied if The Killing ends here. I hope all youfans out there liked reading my reviews as much as I liked writing them. If the show is renewed, I’ll see you in the spring. If not, I thank you for reading; hopefully, we’ll find each other on a new series.
-MP
Note: This review is taken from Review Hub Central.
