AMC Cancels The Killing

It turns out that some shows aren’t good enough for AMC. Despite the fact I thought it was a rather fine and misunderstood show, The Killing was never going to get over the uncalled for critical mauling it received and AMC have decided to pull the plug. Fear not though loyal fans, the production team have confirmed that they may move to another network in order to continue the show.

For AMC it is understandable move on the business end considering how low the ratings were for its second season. The audience ratings for most AMC shows such as Mad Men, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead increased with subsequent seasons. With The Killing that wasn’t the case, mainly because the critics killed any potential audience after slamming the first season finale.

AMC only had this to say in a statement:

After much deliberation, we’ve come to the difficult decision not to renew The Killing for a third season. AMC is incredibly proud of the show and is fortunate to have worked with such a talented team on this project, from showrunner Veena Sud and our terrific partners at Fox Television Studios to the talented, dedicated crew and exceptional cast.

Creatively, the show was one of television’s finest, eschewing the formula of most police procedurals and attempting to do something fresh with the well worn genre as well as sticking to some of the conventions. It wasn’t a show about plot but was a show about the characters. The majority of the first season was focussed very much on Rosie’s family and was actually a 13 episode meditation on how horrendous grief can tear families apart. Admittedly, it isn’t a particularly revelatory or original thesis, but being set in the detective genre made it all the more fascinating.

The producers of the show had this to say.

[we are] extremely proud of The Killing, the extraordinary writing staff and crew, and what we believe is one of the best casts on television. We will proceed to try to find another home for the show.

The Killing may not be totally dead yet, but I’m not sure which network will take it on due to the limited audience. I’ll tell you one thing though, HBO and Showtime are certainly out of the question. Starz and Netflix are stronger possibilities, especially the latter, which could gain an awful lot by having a pre-established show on its roster as it moves into original programming, but even then it’s a long shot.

Until we hear another announcement, I would remain pessimistic about the show’s return.

Source: Deadline