Variety is reporting that The Killing may air its third season on AMC after all. This past summer the network cancelled the series after a disappointing second season that was never quite able to recover from the backlash received due to the first season’s cliffhanger ending. Most people stopped watching after the ill-conceived first season finale and those that didn’t, weren’t able to stick with it for much longer as season two saw a significant drop in viewers.
Set for a May 2013 premiere, the third season is currently in development. Details on the deal to bring it back aren’t clear yet but it seems that AMC will be partnering up with Netflix to share the costs. Stars Joel Kinnaman and Mireille Enos will return but there’s no confirmation on other cast members like Michelle Forbes, Brent Sexton or Billy Campbell.
Whether or not this is good news is something that I’m still trying to decide on. The first season of The Killing was excellent television, a really fantastic season with strong acting and compelling storylines. Admittedly, the cliffhanger ruined an otherwise great outing and the second season never really picked back up.
That being said, if somehow showrunner Veena Sud can bring things back up to the level of season one, then this could be a very good thing. No doubt she’s heard all the criticism surrounding her shortcomings with season two, so let’s hope she can capitalize on those mistakes and give us something on par with season one.
Plus, Kinnaman and Enos are excellent in the lead roles and to see them back together again playing those characters will be great for fans of the series. Even if the second season as a whole wasn’t that impressive, the two leads were fantastic, putting in excellent performances that are deserving of all the praise thrown at them.
