What I’m Watching: The Killing

The Killing: Season 1, Episode 12 “Beau Soleil” (B-)

We’re back to the main storyline now, as both Holder and Sarah take on their own avenues of investigation and we discover a major bombshell about who might be (and seemingly is) responsible for Rosie’s murder. Much as I’m all for shock value, and I’m impressed by how Darren’s complicity was revealed simultaneously by Sarah hearing the inbox chime and Holder being led to his campaign posters, it doesn’t quite make sense. I was thinking earlier in the episode that gloating really doesn’t suit Darren, who up until this point had seemed like a genuinely nice guy and a rarity in the world of politics. What really doesn’t fit is the fact that he could be a cold-blooded killer. We’ve been in far too many intimate situations with him not to know that he might be capable of such rage and violence, and therefore I find myself floored but not convinced by this newly gleaned information. In terms of the rest of the episode, it featured the best performance thus far from Michelle Forbes, who I know has already impressed other fans of the show, as Mitch. Her bitterness when it comes to her husband’s actions and her attitude towards Belko shows through in a way that’s so scathing and realistic. I'm always pleased to see a BSG alum getting work, and Tahmoh Penikett was great in just one short scene as Sarah's ex-husband. In what could be considered both semi-surprising and semi-expected news, this show has been renewed by AMC for a second season. It’s the definition of a one-season premise, but maybe another case could prove interesting after next week’s season finale.