Ep 1. Pilot

The Killing is a crime-drama show that initially aired on AMC in 2011. The first season of the show follows the investigation of the murder of a young girl named Rosie Larsen. The first episode of the show was titled "Pilot" and it sets the tone for the season, establishing the main characters and introducing the central mystery of the show.

The episode opens with a serene shot of a picturesque Seattle lake before cutting to a panicked 911 call from a teenage girl. The girl is later revealed to be Rosie Larsen, and we see her body being pulled out of the lake in the next scene. The camera lingers on her lifeless face for a few moments before cutting away to the show's two main characters: Sarah Linden (played by Mireille Enos) and Stephen Holder (played by Joel Kinnaman).

Sarah is a detective with the Seattle Police Department who is in the process of moving to California to start a new life with her fiancé and son. However, she is called in to work one last case - the murder of Rosie Larsen. Stephen is a young and ambitious detective who has been assigned to work with Sarah on the case.

The rest of the episode focuses on the investigation into Rosie's murder. We see Sarah and Stephen interviewing Rosie's family and friends and trying to piece together a timeline of events leading up to her death. We also see snippets of the Larsen family dealing with the aftermath of Rosie's murder, including her mother's breakdown and her father's struggle with the media attention surrounding the case.

One of the most striking things about the show is the way it portrays the setting of Seattle. Instead of portraying the city as a bright and bustling metropolis, The Killing shows a grey and moody version of Seattle that is almost perpetually shrouded in fog. This creates a sense of foreboding and unease that underpins the whole show.

The pacing of the episode is deliberate, with long shots of the scenery and extended scenes of dialogue between the characters. This, coupled with the atmospheric setting and the central mystery, creates a sense of tension that slowly builds throughout the episode.

Overall, "Pilot" is a strong introduction to The Killing and sets the stage for the rest of the season. The central mystery of Rosie Larsen's murder is compelling, and the show's unique style and setting help it stand out from other crime dramas. The acting is top-notch, with Enos and Kinnaman bringing nuance and depth to their roles. Fans of crime dramas and slow-burn mysteries will find a lot to enjoy in The Killing's first episode.