‘The Killing’ Cancelled After Two Seasons

Well, no real surprise here.  After two tepidly received seasons that frustrated viewers and critics alike by dragging out the murder of Rosie Larsen for yet another year, AMC has decided not to move forward with a third season of Veena Sud murder-mystery ‘The Killing.’  But what does AMC have to say about the news, and is there hope for another network?

In statements given by AMC by way of Deadline, we’ve learned the somewhat sad news that ‘The Killing’ is officially a closed file, and won’t return to AMC for a third season.  Previously, cast and crew alike had expressed optimism that the show could find new stories to tell following the closing of its central Rosie Larsen mystery, but it seems AMC didn’t share the sentiment.  Says the network:

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.

But, is that all she wrote?  Could ‘The Killing’ find a home on another network, telling stories beyond Rosie Larsen just as its Danish inspiration ‘Forbrydelsen’ did?  Fox TV Studios seemed to believe that there might still be hope for ‘The Killing’ season 3, saying:

Fox Television Studios is 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.

Though critics often praised the performance and chemistry of series leads Mirelle Enos and Joel Kinnaman, audiences often protested the show’s tendency to introduce red herrings and move forward with ‘The Killing’s central investigation at a snail’s pace.  Following the end of season 2 finale “What I Know,” Joel Kinnaman spoke to TVLine, saying “We’ve invested a lot in these characters and want to see how they continue their journey.  I feel like Linden and Holder [are] just [getting] started,” implying that the show would essentially have to reboot itself to move forward.

It’s likely that AMC is also making room in its line-up for new series to be added alongside critical heavyweights ‘Breaking Bad,’ ‘Mad Men,’ and ‘The Walking Dead,’ including fellow UK-adapted murder mystery ‘Low Winter Sun,’ and newly-revealed period conspiracy drama ‘Area 51.’

What say you?  Do you think ‘The Killing’ deserved a third season, or has the series been tied in a trunk and sunk to the bottom where it rightly belongs?  Give us your reaction in the comments below!