Seven Seasons of Homicide: Life on the Street Taught Me Something
One of my favorite episodes of Homicide is "In Search of Crimes Past." A convicted murderer on death row is facing execution, so his daughter, convinced of Dad's innocence, kidnaps Colonel Barnfather to force another look at her father's case. Lieutenant Giardello orders Stanley Bolander, the original primary, to reinvestigate. Bolander learns that a bartender withheld a piece of important information—not maliciously but because Bolander hadn't asked the right question during the interview. The episode ends with Bolander wondering how many times in how many investigations he neglected to ask the right question.
One of the things that I love about The Killing is that we [both the audience and the detectives] get caught up in the action and fail to ask for really simple—though potentially important—information. It's day 10 in the murder investigation, and there's a lot we don't know.
For example, what does Terry do for a living? The first time I saw her, I thought steak-house waitress, a profession that would leave her free during the day to hang with Mitch and the kids. Next, based on her style of dress, I decided bartender, maybe. Then, when her mother came to the house and said to Mitch, "Yeah, some life your sister has!" I wondered if she was an escort, a call girl, a "masseuse"?
Now I'm wondering if she's a blackjack dealer or a cocktail waitress at the Wapi Eagle Casino. Why hasn't anyone asked for Terry's whereabouts that fateful Friday night? I don't think that Terry killed Rosie, but I'm wondering if she has an important piece of information that the right question will reveal.
If Fingertips Had Eyes
I'm still convinced the shoes are important. That evidence bag containing them just sat right in front of Linden all episode. She threw the bag into the box when she learned Bennet was hurt; she obviously handled it again when she spread all of the evidence back onto the table. Would someone please reexamine the shoes and ask, "Where did Rosie get these?"
T.O.D.
Why are we [the audience and the detectives] convinced that Rosie died Friday night? The coroner indicated that her time of death was anywhere from Friday through Monday, the long stretch a result of the soaking in the car trunk. The detectives, though, ask for Friday night alibis. Just because the Richmond campaign car was reported missing on Saturday morning doesn't mean it went into the lake Friday night. Rosie might have been alive Saturday or Sunday, making everyone's Friday night alibi irrelevant!
I loved that an intern found campaign video with the councilman shaking Rosie's hand. Our victim making contact with the candidate in a crowd of supporters was an instant reminder of the photos that emerged after Independent Counsel Ken Starr accused President Clinton of having improper contact with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Are we supposed to make a connection between Clinton and Richmond? Clinton denied having "sexual relations" with Lewinsky even though the blue dress proved he did. Richmond denies involvement with Rosie. Should we believe him?
Gwen may have provided an alibi for Darren on Friday night, but what about Saturday? Sunday? We've learned that he likes to sneak off by himself. I think the councilman might be the last of the red herrings. I predict the video will get leaked, and we [the audience and the detectives] will have to reinvestigate poor Darren one more time, but he's off my suspect list. There would be no satisfaction in discovering that he murdered Rosie.
Temporal Relativity, Again
Despite what others are saying, Linden is not a bad cop. We've had two months to figure out who killed Rosie Larsen—plus, fly-on-the-wall status that has given us information Linden doesn't know. So who is it, huh? We don't know! Linden has had only ten days, and I'd wager that she figures it out long before we do.
Special Message to Papa Bear
The Stan we know would have "finished business" with the teacher, but I really like you, and Washington State has the death penalty. So I am now happy that you didn't kill Bennet, and I have to hope that he not only lives but also recovers.
Oh, Please, No
The cheesiest ending for Season 1 would be Bennet regaining consciousness during Amber's first visit with their newborn daughter.
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