HER LAST STAND. SARAH LUND RETURNS IN 'THE KILLING' SEASON THREE

Could THE KILLING's final season storytelling prove too high a price for even Sara Lund (Sofie Grábol) to handle? Image: DR 1 TV.

Sales of Faroese jumpers are likely to got through the roof again-and just in time to help desperate Xmas stores sales figures!-with the arrival of the third and final thrilling case for clever and intuitive Detective Sarah Lund to investigate, back into the dark and chilly streets, warehouses and high tech power worlds of Denmark in Forbydelsen-or THE KILLING for us Average Joe's in the UK. Having created the new term of Nordic Noir with it's two previous well-crafted and critically acclaimed seasons, whose success have also made it the envy of its TV making rivals and inspired a wave of imitators not just in native Denmark but worldwide (including the US's very own, only partially successful, re-make), THE KILLING's lead star Sofie Grábol, a noted thespian of her native land and now a well deserved television sensation and attractive sex symbol outside the series, along with its distinctive creator Soren Sveistrup, promise that the show will go our with a resolute and satisfying high-quality bang fireworks cocktail of drama, thrills, mystery and murder.

This time out, our heroine is about to celebrate her 25th year of ups and downs as a police officer- the only career she's ever known and loved, of which she's pretty much sacrificed everything in her life in the line and sake of her duty- when she's called to action investigating the mysterious and seemingly random death of a sailor, whose body is found in a scrap heap. What follows over the next ten weeks is a collision course return into the unstable mixing realms of social and political agenda, and its resultant grey palette of emotions, revelations and ideologies. The heart of the worlds financial institutions-already a hotbed of scum and villainy if I ever I saw any!- comes under Lund's almost fearless microscope and then into the very corridors of the Danish Prime Minister no less! In her prior rocky dealings with state and power brokers she has already fallen foul of her country's own security service and its paymasters, resulting in the death of one of her detective partners. Now, on the fierce eve of the country's all-important election, is it possible that, this time around, she may have strayed too close to the fire in her dogged pursuit of the truth?

Trailer: Forbrydelsen 3 (The Killing Season 3) - YouTube
The Killing (DK) Season 3 starts on 17 Nov 2012 [BBC4] - See description for music - YouTube

Despite a few preposterous story and character moments here and there- drawbacks that come with the need to create a controversial and powerful tale capable of living up to heavy viewer expectations generated from the original smash-hit premiere- the second season of the KILLING, with its military theme and the cover-up linked to Danish soldiers in Afghanistan, was solid and entertaining, but ultimately lacked the emotional involvement of the previous story, as well as proving far too short, coming to a close just when it was getting interesting. It's story-telling roots more centre stage in Denmark, with it's people and multi-layered, recognisable problems, here's hoping that this final, surely emotional run, really does live up to it's promise when it starts on the UK's BBC 4 channel from 17th November.

Coming soon to UK Blu-ray and DVD...

More on THE KILLING SEASON THREE here: The Killing creator Soren Sveistrup: Sarah Lund will go out on a high in series three | Radio Times

Sofie Grabol, aka The Killing's Sarah Lund: 'I took off my, jumper and my gun, and cried all, the way home' - Features - TV & Radio - The Independent

Sofie Gråbøl: 'There's not going to be a fourth Killing' | Television & radio | The Guardian

UK FACEBOOK page for the series: Forbrydelsen II (The Killing) BBC Four

SCREAM II! THE DARK RETURN OF "FORBRYDESLEN" (AKA "THE KILLING")

Fighting dark times and dark crimes requires a unique combatant: the return of Sarah Lund (Sofie Grabol) in FORBRYDELSEN 2. Images: ZDF/YELLOW BIRD FILMS.

Those dark and heavy clouds of murder, intrigue and complex emotion remain more omnipotent than ever around the city of Copenhagen with the upcoming sequel to the hit Danish series FORBRYDELSEN-better known to UK BBC 4 viewers as THE KILLING. This new series, originally shown in its home territory in 2009, soon returns to British television and looks set to be even more atmospheric, fast paced, unsettling and downright addictive than the original first series run, which quickly became a wild-fire, word of mouth hit here (and now begins a daily episodic re-run on BBC 4 starting this Sunday evening-a much welcome lead-in to Season Two). The fictional world of great TV detective heroes welcomes back the terrific Sofie Grabol as the dedicated and often fearless Sarah Lund-one of the only women in the world who can make wearing Faroese jumpers and rain proof coats look reasonably cool!- now languishing in a demoted job position in Southern Denmark after the tragic events regarding her almost obsessive investigation into the Nanna Birk Larssen case, until she's suddenly and unexpectedly recalled back to help her once superiors investigate the brutal murder of a very successful, high profile female lawyer within her luxurious home. At first despised and unwelcome by her old colleagues, especially after the brutal death of her ex-detective partner Jan Meyer (Soren Malling), and having to enter into a new working relationship with an equally uneasy police officer, Ulrik Strange (Mikael Birkkjaer), and a tough new Justice Minister, Lund's analytical and intuitive skills soon begin to unravel the clues and break through the mist of alibis and potential motives from the dead lawyers family, work associates, not always so moral clients and friends, and leading her into a dangerous new realm of abusive power and control linked to a scenario that looks unlikely to leave the world's current headlines any time soon...

Trailers (contain possible spoilers): The Killing season 2 - Trailer - YouTube
Trailer - Forbrydelsen 2 - YouTube

New case, new partner: Lund with new Detective Ulrik Strange (Mikael Birkkjaer).

So, with such gargantuan acclaim for the prior season from audiences and critics alike, can this second season possibly top the original? Its a shorter run than the first-ten episodes instead of twenty-but they often say that less can certainly be more when done right. We surely hope this is indeed the case, and look forward to more of the talented Miss Grabol, and Detective Lund, in the future.


Look for more on FORBRYDELSEN 2 on KOOL TV in the not too distant future...

"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.

"THE KILLING" REVEALED...

The fine cast of the excellent murder thriller series THE KILLING. Image: DR TV.

After eighteen previous episodes full of complex mystery, plot threads, red-herrings and foul deeds, including a shocking and unexpected death in episode seventeen that almost had me screaming "No!" at the TV screen last week, with its implications for the remainder of the story, what looks set to be the gripping finale two parts of the superbly made Danish murder thriller series, THE KILLING, have finally arrived on BBC 4 in the UK, airing tonight, and to anyone who hasn't seen it, I thoroughly, wholeheartedly recommend that you catch up with it on the BBC iPlayer system-it's quite easily one of the best modern day thriller/dramas of the last ten years, with brilliant scripts, wonderfully atmospheric direction and acting from a great and varied cast, headed by the excellent actress Sofie Grabol in her performance as a fine female detective character that easily surpasses many of the other great actresses out there worldwide who have played similar type roles in the past, making her interpretation feminine yet accessible and showing us how, for good and bad, just how determined in her job she really is to catch her murderous prey. Even if it may ultimately mean sacrificing her family life and career to do it. Oh, and she even looks good in bulky jumpers, too!

Watching TV of this caliber, I just wish that, with the current poor state of British drama, we could have made something as good as this here. The US TV market has already deftly acquired the rights to re-make the series (on the AMC channel, which is coming out later in the year), but nothing in my mind is going to top this original version with its uniquely Danish locales and characters.

Beyond this 2007 made investigation, another series of FORBRYDELSEN (Danish for THE KILLING) has been made and I hope that the BBC, recognising a hit show when it sees it (though I think it also deserved a terrestrial run on BBC2!), doesn't miss out on acquiring the sequel, an all-new case, for transmission, either. In the meantime, once this current run is over, and the culprit/s behind the murder of Nanna Birk Larssen are finally revealed, one thing's for sure... I shall definitely miss my two episodes a week fix of this memorable soon-to-be classic!

UPDATE 26/3/2011: At the end of the final episode, the BBC announced that they would be showing THE KILLING 2 later in the year, and even included a sequence from the opening episode. Roll on Summer!