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The Killing: The Complete Third Season
Score: 91%
Rating: Not Rated
Publisher: Fox Home Entertainment
Region: 1
Media: DVD/3
Running Time: 526 Mins.
Genre: Crime/Drama/TV Series
Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1

The Killing: The Complete Third Season picks up one year after the conclusion of the Rosie Larsen investigation. Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman, Robocop) has been partnered up with someone new, a consummate case-closer named Carl Reddick (Gregg Henry, Guardians of the Galaxy), while Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos, World War Z has moved to the quiet life on Vashon Island, WA where she works at the harbor and is trying to have a "normal" life. When Holder and Reddick catch a homicide, a very young prostitute with her throat deeply slashed, it reminds Holder of one of Linden's old cases with her previous partner and now his current boss, Lt. James Skinner (Elias Koteas). In fact, Ray Seward (Peter Sarsgaard) is set to be executed for slashing his wife's throat in 30 days.

When Holder brings it to Linden's attention, she appears to dismiss it, but soon she becomes deeply embroiled in the case when she discovers a killer's body dump site, causing her to doubt Ray Seward's guilt. Meanwhile, another girl named Kallie Leads (Cate Sproule) has gone missing and her best friend, Bullet (Bex Taylor-Klaus) ends up helping Holder in an attempt to find her before she becomes just another victim to the psychopath preying on Seattle's street teens.

As is typical with The Killing, each episode leaves the viewer hanging on the edge, wanting more, and there are plenty of twists, turns and misdirections so that by the time the season comes to its explosive conclusion, you feel as though you've been put through the ringer. Just as the weather in Seattle is grey and gloomy, so is The Killing: The Complete Third Season. It's a dark and gritty series that doesn't pull any punches. Det. Linden rarely smiles, so much so that she looks odd in the rare times she does. I wasn't a fan of Det. Holder in the previous seasons, although I grew to really appreciate his character this season. He even has a romantic interest in a beautiful A.D.A. named Caroline played by the wonderful Jewel Straite of Firefly fame. There's even a fun poke at the show as she comments on the Serenity tattoo on Holder's chest, which is of course referencing his sobriety, but we Browncoats still appreciate the nod. Elias Koteas is fantastic as Skinner and I always love the opportunity to see him in anything, while Gregg Henry is perfect as Reddick, the cop you love to hate. Bex Taylor-Klaus is a new face for me but she is absolutely fantastic, playing the tough street youth, yet showing an incredibly vulnerable side at times. It is odd to see Peter Sarsgaard in a TV series, but he is fantastic as well. I found I hated his character at first, but as time progressed, even the toughest criminal can show a chink in the armor. In short, the whole cast is fabulous, just like the show.

The Killing: The Complete Third Season is a dark and harsh season, but it seems to be digging further into the seething underbelly of humanity with every passing season. Season 4 is going to be Netflix only and promises to be darker yet, although I can't even imagine where they'll go based on how this season ended. I thoroughly enjoyed watching The Killing: The Complete Third Season and although it's a dark show, everything about it is top notch, from the writing to the acting to the directing and even the camera work. If you enjoy crime drama, it will not disappoint. Just make sure you have Netflix so you can see how it all plays out.



-Psibabe, GameVortex Communications
AKA Ashley Perkins
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