"THE KILLING": A NEW US INTERPRETATION

The poster caption says it all. Discover the mystery in the US version of THE KILLING. Images: AMC.

Murder is a universal language and none more recognisable than by those clever people behind the scenes at the AMC network with their swift purchasing of the American rights to adapt the hugely popular and atmospherically complex, plot interweaving and character packed Danish crime drama/thriller series FORBRYDELSEN (also known as THE KILLING) into a new version set and made specifically for US audiences (though I still can't believe that the majority of American audiences can't or won't get involved in European series/films with subtitles. People can't be that inhibited, surely!), which has swiftly become a viewing sensation and highly compulsive, must see TV for them in much the same its been with the original version showing in Europe (with a hugely successful run on the UK's BBC 4). Now taking place in Seattle, the series centres around the murder of young school girl Rosie Larsen (whose disappearance would be the subject of a brilliant marketing campaign in the States that hasn't been seen since the likes of the shrink wrapped in plastic form of the late Laura Palmer in the early nineties TWIN PEAKS), and the subsequent investigation and pursuit of the culprit/s by two key police officers Sarah Linden (Michelle Enos) and Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman). The case soon sends the pair into the darkest areas of the human condition as the twists and turns test not only their emotional well being and determination but also that of the deceased girls family (at first pictured as a palace of domestic and loving security, played by excellent character actress Michelle Forbes and Brent Sexton as parents Mitch and Stan Larsen, but soon fractured and revealed as far more complex with regards to inter-personal relationships and loyalties) and quickly enough everyone else around them, too, as the potential suspects grow larger and their interactions in such a tragic time become ever more inter-twined and diverted into unexpected paths and mystery, with important side links into the young girls educational and political interests (the latter's expanding sphere of influence represented by Darren Richmond, soon a prime candidate for Larsen's murder, as played by Billy Campbell-an actor once known in the eighties and early nineties for playing young heroes, but now comfortably settled into a career playing all kinds of memorable and seedy bad-guys!).

A terrible discovery for detectives Holder (Joel Kinnaman) and Linden (Michelle Enos).

A family devastated: Mitch (Michelle Forbes) and Stan Larsen (Brent Saxton).

Law and Order? Bill Campbell as politician Darren Campbell (centre) is a priority suspect in the murder case.

Truncated down from the Danish versions ambitious and always consistently well made/ produced 20 episodes to, for the US market, a more manageable 13-as it seems that, with the exception of 24 and, for the most part, LOST, most series with one over-arcing plot don't seem to sustain American viewers interest long enough- this new version of THE KILLING certainly seems to have comfortably made its mark straight from the offset with its opening episodes.

The case begins...

Trailer: YouTube - The Killing - Official First Look Trailer [HD]

On the kudos side, the new version does keep certain aspects of the 2007 original, too, like the series titles and music, the majority of its key characters (even if certain names/surnames have been changed), some of whom are similar looking and wear almost the same attire, and even skilfully recreating the brilliant and crucial to the show production design of the Larsen family house set. Critical reaction inside the US and from the aforementioned audiences, who have mostly never seen the Danish version, have been superior, and AMC have been very happy with such inspired and positive audience reactions and ratings figures-a second series is in the works. Overseas critics comparing the American interpretation to the Danish one have also responded favourably for the most part, though the foreign cast are still rightly regarded as the definitive, preferred versions of the characters, in particular original lead series star Sophie Grabol, superb as the fiery, straight-laced and very believable copper, Sarah Lund, and Lars Mikkelsen as the razor-sharp political maneuverer, Troels Hartmann.

Is there more to Mitch Larsen than meets the eye?

From the shielded safety of our protective and cosy armchairs, such horrors and danger, emotional loss and murder make for thoroughly addictive television, and as a huge fan of the original Danish version its going to be very interesting to watch and compare the first two episodes airing on the UK's CHANNEL 4 next week. And don't necessarily expect the US series resolution to match the original, either-this interpretation of THE KILLING may have a big and controversial surprise awaiting us at the end of its run!

Now on DVD, the original Danish version of THE KILLING.

The original Danish version-FORBRYDELSEN-is now available on DVD, and thoroughly excellent! Its second series is expected on the UK's BBC 4 later in the year.