The Killing Review: “Scared And Running” (Season 3, Episode 5)

I’m upset. I’m disappointed. I feel cheated. The Killing has done it again. There were but two minor revelations in Scared and Running: Joe Mills’ connection to Mama Dips, and the fact that he’s in possession of Kallie’s phone. The rest was more of the same: Holder and Linden ran around in circles with Bullet annoying the hell out of them, while Seward’s time on death row remained the show’s most appealing storyline, although its effect on the overall plot is still to be determined.

I’m starting to wonder if this case will be solved the same way as the previous one — not with solid detective work (like Skinner suggested), but by miraculously finding a stray key card on the floor. Every episode (except the season 2 finale, for obvious reasons) has ended with a twist, and whether it’s decently delivered or poorly executed hardly matters to me as long as it provides the viewer or major players (Holder, Linden, et al) with new, valuable information.

I’m getting ahead of myself though, let’s slow down for a moment. This week’s episode focused on the search for a Kallie Leeds look-alike (after all, they’re just looking for one fifteen-year old redhead). A man accidentally runs her over with his car, yet she struggles back to her feet and bolts. The witness manages to catch a glimpse of the girl’s pursuer, who flees. There’s a few leads here and there, and a call made from Kallie’s phone to her mom the night before suggested that the girl who was running away was, in fact, Bullet’s friend. But no, this is The Killing, a show well-known for continuously tricking its audience, for better or worse, regardless of polarizing critical reception and declining ratings. What’s truly baffling about this episode is Linden’s reaction when finding the girl. Who cares whether she saved a teenager whose parents were probably worried-sick about  — it wasn’t Kallie, so it doesn’t really count, does it?

Ray Seward is the show’s best character, by far. His slow-paced story is juxtaposed with the (supposedly) roller-coaster ride that is the Kallie Leeds case, albeit I feel as if I’m watching two separate shows taking place in the same universe. If the show drags on for another season, perhaps it’d be a smart move to give Seward his own spin-off, otherwise he’s likely to take over as the show’s main character. I’m only half-joking, of course — my respect for Linden and Holder is intermittent at best, and I downright loathe some of the new additions to the cast (as I’ve stated several times since I started reviewing The Killing), whereas I’m fascinated by Seward’s inner struggle. Nevertheless, everyone’s favorite death row inmate didn’t get to do much this episode aside from discussing forgiveness and redemption with his fellow convicts, even though he does manage to get a startling confession from Alton.

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