The Killing III, Episode 1: Søren Sveistrup Composes the Perfect Start of a New Season

The Danish tv-serial, ‘The Killing’ (Forbrydelsen) ran its first episode of season 3 on Sunday 23 th. of September. I am by no means an aficionado, but it has to be said – the episode was brilliant screen writing – meaning the best I ever witnessed in the genre from a writer’s perspective.

The creator, Søren Sveistrup knows his trade.

Here is why.

Every good story kicks off with a complication that’ll be redeemed during the tale. On its way to redemption several points needs surpassing in order to carry audience attention all the way to the end – and make the story work.

Most important is a clear and thrilling complication that’ll be resolved at the end of the story climax.

This principle carries through perfectly in The Killing III’s first episode – both as episode carrying a complication and redemption in itself and as new complication that‘ll unravel during the coming shows.

Of cause we won’t know who committed the murders happening in the first few minutes in the first episode. We probably won’t know until the end of the 10^th episode – but we know there is some kind of conspiracy behind – we know it’s not that simple.

And so we’re a lot wiser to the ghastly murders – and we are precisely that much more curious to find out who did it in the coming shows.

Søren Sveistrup, Creator of ‘The Killing’, Forbrydelsen is indeed a skilled screen writer

I don’t think I ever seen a season beginning working that well being at the same time a story resolved, the very beginning of new larger scale story and on top of that a cliffhanger.

Many crime and thriller serials have attempted the composition – but nothing I have ever seen has nailed quite as effective.

This includes the serials Dexter, Breaking Bad, Homeland and many other crime serials – even Twin Peaks. The Killing (Forbrydelsen) may not be as original as Twin Peaks – fare from it – but it does what it is supposed to do, from a Hollywood screen writers perspective better than Twin Peaks or any other shows, I remember to have whatched.

If coming episodes are of the same caliber – we’re in it for a hell of a ride.

Take this as a recommendation rather than an attempt to give a full critique of the writing done by Søren Sveistrup. If you see the first episode and find any writing flaws, please let me know.

I couldn’t find any – and I’m always happy to learn.

If you speak the Danish tongue – you can watch the show at http://www.dr.dk/tv/se/forbrydelsen-iii/forbrydelsen-iii-1-1#!/