AMC's THE KILLING Redefines Cop Show Genre

I recently screened the first two episodes of AMC's new original series, THE KILLING.  Basically, this series is originally Danish (does that make AMC's version an "original series?") but regardless, the show has been expertly adapted for American television's favorite genre: the cop show.

While at first it seems to fit the cop show procedural formula (two cop partners of opposite style find a body and proceed to follow the clues), it sets it's self apart.  Yes, the two leads Mireille Enos playing Sarah Linden and Joel Kinnaman playing Stephen Holder are cop partners, and yes they are opposites.  Linden is a by-the-book sorta cop and Holder is more unconventional (read: controversial).  At one point, Holder offers pot to some teens to get them to talk (we find out later it's not really pot, but still...).  And while this is a convention (read: cliche) common to all cop TV series, this show does it differently.  The two play off one another casually, with minor power struggles, it's not over-bearing or in your face.  In fact, it's pretty realistic.

This whole let's-make-TV-realistic thing continues when we see the family of the young girl who has been recently murdered.  The scenes where the grief takes over them and we see some truly raw emotion is difficult to watch, it's that good.

The other way the show manages to redefine the cop show is the fact that for the thirteen episodes of the series, they will only follow this one murder and each episode is one day after the death.  So this makes the series feel more like novel or a detective story then a cop TV procedural. This is serialized drama (where the story continues every episode and doesn't wrap up at the end of one episode, like say House or Law & Order) which makes this cop show completely different to any other cop show on TV.

I saw the first two episodes and then later found that AMC is allowing the first four episodes to be viewed online for free until May.  When I heard this I immediately watched them - and was hooked.

And while this show is reminiscent of TWIN PEAKS, the network has chosen to embrace this comparison to arguably the greatest show that never found a large fanbase.  So, AMC has chosen to lean-into the comparison by spinning-off TWIN PEAKS's tagline for THE KILLING.  And so that is how the very blunt but very enthralling tagline emerged: WHO KILLED ROSIE LARSEN?

Watch a trailer of THE KILLING here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZg34UArZyM
Then, when you're hooked, watch the first few episodes (UNTIL MAY!) here:
http://www.amctv.com/

MAD MEN: An Update On The Critical Darling's Future

So after numerous back-and-forth negotiations, AMC, Lionsgate, and Creator/Exec. Producer Matthew Weiner have come to a conclusion for contract negotiations for MAD MEN just this past week.  Thankfully, after some hardball on Weiner's part, the AMC critically acclaimed darling of a show has been scheduled in for a total of seven seasons (provided the numbers remain the same, of course).  But the biggest concern in the talks were the salaries and the number of series regulars cast members.  Weiner fought hard to retain the large cast and their higher salaries as the series enters it's fifth season, even willing to take a lower pay himself.  Though these arduous talks were long and tedious, some entering the wee-hours, the decision has been made, and the show is saved.  However, all this power-talk means time has been wasted while making deals.  This means that there is to be a long hiatus between season four (which concluded in the fall) and season five (which won't begin until 2012).

So, hoping to keep MAD MEN fresh and relevant (and maybe help the hype of the much-anticipated season five), Lionsgate TV and Netflix have cut a syndication deal.  Basically, Netflix now owns the exclusive rights to non-internet MAD MEN content.  By non-internet, I mean subscriber based, which is of course is what Netflix does best.  This means that starting July 27th, 2011 any Netflix subscriber can watch season one thru four thru instant streaming.  This is a huge deal and the numbers are coming in around $1 million per episode paid to Lionsgate TV.  And to make a sweet deal even sweeter, Netflix has secured the rights to the remaining seasons (five thru seven) for the next five years.  So until 2016, all MAD MEN episodes can be available via Netflix.  The only hitch (though this is not surprising) is that the seasons yet to come will only be available on Netflix after the season has concluded.

This is a major deal for both sides.  For Lionsgate TV, it gets to place MAD MEN (a coveted drama, yes, but an obscure one that may have trouble finding syndication deals in traditional routes and markets) in a syndicated arena while still maintaing TV syndication rights, just in case.  And then for Netflix, MAD MEN adds a lot to its sometimes disappointing content for instant streaming.  Sure, there's DOCTOR WHO and some other notable television shows, but really, the content is subpar.  With MAD MEN, Netflix gains some prestige in the eyes of TV and film execs since the show is so revered and thus may help to gain further content of the same quality.  All in all, MAD MEN is here to stay, and thank God cause there is finally something good to watch on TV (and Netflix).

Check out the trailer for an earlier season here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTmIw_Ns2Gw&feature=related

And check this out, a little parody of MAD MEN.  Check out MAD MEN IN 60 SECONDS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2X654tkCvoQ&feature=related