Written by Duana

I do not like it when people name their daughter Rosie.

I’m sorry, it’s true. I don’t think it sounds cute or Rennaissance-y, to me it sounds like a fat, grumpy fishwife. I know a lot of you love it, and I apologize.

On the up side, that’s about all I have to complain about where The Killing is concerned.

AMC aired its new show as a long, 88 minute pilot, and the first two hours did exactly what they were supposed to do: they convinced me why – spoilers ahead, although if you’ve watched a commercial you know what this is about – everyone in town cares about the murder of this teenage girl. And that is why these debated-but-possibly-acceptable Twin Peaks comparisons are abounding – it’s not that the show is that quirky or mystical, it’s just that it’s kind of cloudy in both towns in the Pacific Northwest, and it’s made very clear that we’re going On A Ride to figure out who the killer is; it isn’t going to be found out next week.

Love love love the lead, Mirielle Enos, from her absolutely jawdropping turn as two sisters on Big Love, and even though she’s determined not to show a whit of emotion, I mean, that’s kind of the point, right?

I guess my only thing is – do we need this show?

There are nine thousand murder shows on TV. This one claims to be different, and I can appreciate that maybe it will be, but there is so so much to compare it to. If you tell me you’re doing a dentistry show that’s never been done before, then OK, maybe I can give you a pass. Murder? It’s a little harder.

We’re supposed to see the death from the perspectives of the detectives, the family, and (spoiler again) a politician who may or may not be involved. But even though the character actors in these parts are good, they’re also identifiable enough to be distracting. Case in point, Billy Campbell has lost a lot of weight since Once And Again – weight he didn’t need to drop. Michelle Forbes is just as insufferable here – despite the fact that I am supposed to feel much sorrier for her – as she was on In Treatment. (Lainey – ugh, you should try her in True Blood then.)

And it’s not that I’m desensitized to violence or snarky teens, exactly – even though I am, to both – it’s just I’m not sure what’s happening here that’s really, truly new.

In short, it’s not there yet, but even though I like it, even though it didn’t suck, it may become a question of ‘why is’ The Killing. You?