Episode of the Week: AMC’s ‘The Killing’ season 3, episode 10, ‘Six Minutes’

Sunday night marks the end for “The Killing” season 3, or as we like to refer to it, the comeback tour for a show that was unfairly ripped apart for a creative decision back in season 1. This summer has brought us heavy, dark, and at times depressing television, but if you are talking in terms of quality, few shows have come close to it this year in terms of quality writing and acting. Last week’s “Six Minutes,” for example, is in our top five best episodes of 2013.

Therefore, there was really no question at all that this would be the recipient of our Episode of the Week Award this week. Peter Sarsgaard was stellar in his work as Ray Seward, the death-row inmate who was desperate to cling to something in the minutes before his death. Linden tried anything and everything to clear his name in the minutes leading up to what transpired, but there were continually roadblocks thrown in her direction.

What we also don’t want to minimize about this episode are some of the standout moments from some of the other characters. Take, for example, Holder finally having something to cling to via a child in a moment of crisis, and the look on Adrian’s face when Seward waved at him mere moments from being hanged. Every second of this was gut-wrenching, thought-provoking, and worthy of an interesting debate about the death penalty that has been discussed in politics for decades.

There’s no question that Seward was a man who did terrible things, but the sad news moving into Sunday’s finale is that we may never know just what he was guilty of specifically. This is almost what makes “The Killing” so spectacular as a series: It’s not a show that feels desperate to answer every question for you.

If you want to watch a preview for Sunday’s season finale for “The Killing,” just be sure to head on over to the link here.

Photo: AMC