The Killing: "Keylela" (Episode 2.07)

Frustration. It’s a word used a lot with The Killing, and this week’s episode produced a lot of it.

“Keylela” could have been, and should have been, an important episode. Yet, somehow it slipped through the cracks, and it was turned into an extended version of that moment in a film that just ticks you off no matter what happens next. It’s that moment where you just ask yourself, “Why is this happening?” For lack of a better word, it felt stupid.

Last week’s episode deserved praise for steadily exposing parts of the mystery, but this week was shrouded in a series of moments that just don’t add up right now. Perhaps at some point in the future of this series, the episode will make sense, but right now if feels like fragmented pieces, some good and some bad.

Let’s start with the bad, shall we?

We’ve now been forced through multiple episodes where Linden’s relationship, or lack thereof, with her son plays a central role. First he was missing and she went looking for him an entire day. Then his biological father wanted to take custody of him. That was followed by her moving from hotel to hotel with him. Now Child Protective Services are involved, and she runs off with her son in the middle of an interview. I just can’t stand the struggle. I know it’s to make her look human, but don’t the creators know it’s making fans uncomfortable and angry? The worst part about it is that this sets up future episodes having to deal with this problem.

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While we knew the hotel and casino run by Native Americans that Rosie was at the night of her murder was going to take a front seat for a bit, the episode felt like so much was thrown at us. Usually we’re eased into giant revelations, but this time around they just threw a pile of slop down and said “have at it.”

I do like that there is more to Rosie’s murder that ties in with the hotel, but I felt like everything in this episode was built up so much that it’s leading to disappointment. Which would mean, and I hope it doesn’t, that this entire episode was a misdirection.

But as rough as those parts were, this episode did produce memorable moments, mostly from Brent Sexton as Stan Larsen. He is coming to terms with a lot of emotions this season, which boiled over in a scene with his sister-in-law Terry. The raw energy that overtakes him is one of those moments when you just have to sit back and say “wow.” Luckily for the episode it carried through later on as he lambasted the media for their treatment of his daughter. I have to say that he is slowly becoming the best part of the show.

Even Darren Richmond’s journey produced quality time. For a few episodes it weighed the show down, but now that he is getting back into the groove of things, we get to see the character that was a integral force in the previous season.

The pros and cons canceled each other out, leaving a middle-of-the-road episode. It would be easier to revisit “Keylela” in a few weeks to see if this episode was a worthwhile set-up or a disappointing one.

My red-herring twist explanation:

I guess it’s time to rename this as simply a prediction section. I must commend the show for placing mysteries within the show and not just throwing them in the last five minutes. The most important introduced mystery is the young hotel maid who seems to know more about Rosie Larsen’s murder than anyone we have been introduced to. Unfortunately the mess that was thrown at Holder might put that on hold for a bit.

The Killing: “Keylela” (Episode 2.07)