There’s something fascinating (and equally scary) about how much TV a single person can absorb in one sitting. Challenge a twentysomething to 15 hours in front of the box and they’ll happily oblige if the content promises to be riveting. But it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what makes a series so addictive. Dexter has it. The X-Factor has it. And The Killing, a US series adapted from a Danish crime drama, is one of the most compelling shows to launch in years – see for yourself when it debuts on OSN on November 5.
As with many successful series, The Killing’s pilot episode is the dealmaker. In this 45-minute teaser, viewers are introduced to Seattle-based cop Sarah Linden, who is about to hang up her hat to remarry and move to California, when 16-year-old girl Rosie Larsen is found murdered. What follows is the investigation into her death and the separate, but somehow linked, stories surrounding the event – that of her grief-stricken parents, the investigators on the case, a politician and his campaign team, and the suspects.
The original Danish series, first screened in Scandinavia in 2007, garnered much critical acclaim; the US remake premiered in the States in April 2011, featuring an almost identical plot, albeit with Anglicised references. Every character and scene in this melancholy series is intelligently thought out – the family’s devastation upon learning of their only daughter’s death strikes a chord with the audience, and this human aspect differentiates the show from other police procedural dramas.
In some ways, the series is very similar to hit ’90s crime drama Twin Peaks, but that’s no criticism – the Twin Peaks pilot is regarded by many as one of the greatest moments in TV history. Fans of that show will be pleased to know that The Killing is formatted in the same style, with a single day played out in each episode. It may seem slow-paced to begin with, but the character development soon hooks you in. We’d happily place a bet that the identity of Rosie Larsen’s killer will be the hot topic of conversation in the coming weeks.
The Killing season one debuts on November 5 at 9pm on OSN First.
Other addictive shows
Dexter
Serial killer Dexter Morgan is also a cop (not to mention a likeable guy), making this one of the most gripping series on TV.
The Wire
It’s no surprise that this hard-hitting cop show was written by a former police reporter – its portrayal of the police department and drug trade in a Baltimore suburb is entirely believable.
Breaking Bad
A hard-up chemistry professor and family man learns he has cancer, and decides to use his skills in the lab to concoct illicit substances to help pay for his treatment. Wrong on so many levels, but still provides plenty of laughs.
All available from www.amazon.com
