The Killing is going to be that show--you know, the one obvious with the political message. There is a generic Muhammad who shows up as the next criminal, a guy on the radio ranting about Muslims and Somalis, Adams stoking the flames, and a Muslim girl who went missing the week before but was ignored. We get it. Muslims aren't given the same treatment by the media, government, and society. But why does it have to be so blatantly skewed? Couldn't the episode have conveyed the message without these additional elements?
Still, "Vengeance" probably wouldn't have been a great episode without them. For one, the cliffhanger which ended the last week--Stan hauling Bennet off--is resolved instantly and without consequences. Bennet is let free. That's it? The most that comes of it is more angst between Stan and Mitch, but it's nothing we have seen before. The rest of the plot chugs along at a slow pace, Richmond getting his ass handed to him again, Linden missing her flight and her fiance not picking up. I assume the Richmond plot will eventually become important to the murder investigation and Linden not getting married is a big deal. But I find myself not caring much.
That brings us to the cliffhanger, in my opinion the coolest part of the episode. Yes, it'll probably be explained early in the next episode, but it represents progression. Considering how the Muslim angle went, I'm guessing the FBI is investigating the mosque and eventually it will be exonerated. No matter how much Linden or the Larsens are struggling, there is always the seductive draw of plot development, the one step closer to finding Rosie's murderer--the ultimate plot objective of the show.
Score: 8.5/10
