A shock twist makes for a brilliant penultimate week of viewing. But are we any closer to unpicking the central mystery?
Spoiler Alert: This blog is for people watching The Killing on BBC4 in the UK. Stop reading if you haven't seen episode 18 ? and please, please don't post spoilers if you've seen future episodes Vicky Frost's episode 15 and 16 blog
RIP Jan Meyer. For all The Killing's many twists and turns, I don't think Meyer is going to somehow wake up from this. I am shellshocked. Not only because we've lost such a brilliant character, but also because of the way it played out. We were manipulated into thinking Meyer was going to die before eventually being allowed to relax ? only to have the rug pulled from under our feet once more.
Brilliant television, but my nerves are rather shredded.
It seems fitting to start with Meyer and Lund first this week. There were so many brilliant touches leading up to the shooting: from the way Meyer addressed Lund "as a friend" about the state of her life and her tactile acknowledgement of his concern, to his description of her as "quite unbalanced" to his wife. The dynamic between the two women, tinged with blame, was also complex. So we had Lund's clumsy attempts to make conversation about the kids, and the doctor receiving the hug when Meyer came out of theatre, rather than the awkward, uncomfortable Lund.
In fact, despite it being Meyer on the operating table, really this story was about Lund. The desperation when she found him (had she ever called him Jan before?) and emotion in the ambulance sitting alongside her urgent need to talk to him once she knew he would pull through. And as for the moment when Brix told Lund the news ? you could almost see that tough exterior cracking as she took it in. Like Pernille ? again, the way the two characters relate to each other is fascinating ? this was a grief, and a guilt, that swept everything else aside. A cracking performance from Sofie Gr�b�l .
The storyarc Lund and Meyer's partnership has followed was satisfying throughout this series ? I was really hoping that Meyer would get through to the second season. I have only one question: why did he die so suddenly, given that medical staff thought he would survive? The writers toying with us ? or something more sinister?
The investigation: what do we know
? The body of Mette Hauge has been recovered wrapped in a Merkur movers sheet. She was already dead when she went in the water with multiple injuries, but dressed and neatly wrapped.
? Both Vagn Skaerbaek and Leon Frevert worked for Merkur 15 years ago ? in fact Leon got his job and Birk Larsens through Vagn.
? Amir failed to pick Vagn out of a line-up. Skaerbaek says he was asleep in a chair with his uncle on Friday night. He could have slipped out: Lund wonders how he would have known where Nanna was.
? Frevert recently sold all his possessions and bought tickets to leave for Vietnam ? but didn't tell his brother, who said Leon had seemed nervous and afraid recently. In his flat was a wall of press clippings about Nanna's case.
? Leon told Lund on the phone: "I didn't do it, I didn't do it. I didn't shoot anyone". She asks him why he didn't tell her he knew Nanna Birk Larsen: "You have no idea" he answers.
? Someone had got to Mette's lockup and forced the lock. That person then killed Meyer with Lund's gun to avoid capture. They wore black lace-ups, black trousers, black leather gloves ? we don't even know if it's a man or a woman.
? Theis threw the police out of the Birk Larsens' new house. But in the cellar Anton found Nanna's passport ? the one she needed to collect from the flat ? with what looked like a large bloodstain on it.
The Family
Theis and Pernille appear to be a strong unit once more, with Theis, in particular, concerned with protecting his family above all else ? hence his decision to appoint a lawyer, and his doubt over Vagn, which clearly pained him. I actually find the dynamic of Pernille/Theis/Vagn less odd than Meyer managed to make it sound in interrogation, particularly now we know about Vagn's family background and his uncle. The scene in front of the van, when Vagn handed Theis presents for the boys was particularly poignant, and beautifully acted on both sides.
The politicians
Fascinating developments this week. Much as I can barely bring myself to trust Bremer for even a second, and he still tried to smear Hartmann with the murder during the radio debate, I found his questions over the tape flat and Rie convincing, and his pay-off line to Troels ? "You're no better than me. You just don't know that" ? was brilliant. Particularly when echoed by Salin's: "I'm actually trying to help you."
Lots of us have had an eye on Rie from close to the beginning, and now there are rumours that she slept with Philip Dessau in return for the tip about Stokke ? rumours that she denies but aren't helped by Dessau being fired and the pair of them having a massive argument in the lobby. Other pointers to odd things going on from inside Hartmann's office: possibly the surveillance tape envelope (only Rie sent post that night) and the mysterious loo cancellation on the Saturday morning. Which, while being important, is also vaguely ridiculous. I'm presuming we're getting closer to finding out who has been trying to frame Hartmann ? if that is indeed what has been happening.
Questions
? What happened to Frevert? Did the other officers bring him in after Lund went with the DA's assistant?
? Why hasn't Hartmann been asking himself the questions others are now asking him?
? Why won't Lund learn about going into buildings she doesn't know, in the dark, with no backup?
? Why does Brix try and take Lund off the case at least once an episode? Something to do with the above perhaps ? or for a different reason
? What do we think of Lund's theory that Mette and Nanna were still killed by the same person, despite the differences between the murders?
? Who is Salin's source? Is it Bremer who's prompting the questions? And if not, who?
? Talking about sources. Where is Rie getting all her police info from?
Observations
? The detail about Meyer's lighter diverting the bullet away from his heart was so perfect. Bittersweet, as it turned out, but brilliant
? Salin might be desperate for a story, but interviewing Troels in the loos!
? A word about Morten: I find his good cop schtick annoying at times, but I loved the way he framed Dessau's dismissal as good news.
? The scene between Lund and Merkur's daughter was well done - she can read people and communicate when she chooses.
? The great Rie/Troels thaw continues. But I'm becoming very suspicious of her motives.
? Lund's partner is dead, she's sent her boyfriend packing and not returned his call, her son has gone to stay with his father and her mother has also left the flat. She is now completely isolated.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2011/mar/19/the-killing-episode-17-18
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