Parents' Guide to

The Killing

By Kari Croop, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Gripping crime drama takes place in grimly realistic world.

TV AMC Drama 2014
The Killing Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

See all
age 14+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Herbie2008
Herbie2008 Adult
August 21, 2021
age 11+

Very exciting and the characters are awesome

I watched this show with my dad and I loved it so much. The murder mystery plot is great and there are lots of twists and things that connect but the characters are a major part of why I love it. Linden is hard working and driven while holder is those things but also offers comedic relief and comfort in a show about murder. The real struggle the characters go through is very well made. I think mature kids can watch this, there is violence, a little sex, some swearing and they smoke quite a lot.
knienaber
knienaber Adult
July 9, 2016
age 16+

updated info

Season 1 and 2 are excellent and not gratuitous, just dark. Season 3 ups the expletives a bit and the crime is not as mysterious, also very dark. Season 4 ups expletives way too much as well as the sexual nature of the crime which is why I give it an age 16-18. There's a lot of unnecessary F bombs plus lots of others.

This title has:

Too much swearing
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

A remake of the Danish television series Forbrydelsen, THE KILLING examines a murder investigation from three different angles, splitting the perspectives of the killer, the detectives, and the victim's grieving family. In the series premiere, Seattle teenager Rosie Larsen goes missing on homicide detective Sarah Linden's (Mireille Enos) last day on the job before a planned move to a new life in California. But while Sarah works with her restless replacement (Joel Kinnaman) to find the girl, they uncover a body -- and a suspicious connection to a local politician (Billy Campbell).

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (3):

The fact that The Killing is nothing like other crime dramas on American television is a welcome relief. After all, between multi-city franchises (sorry, CSI and Law & Order) and tired formulas (that's aimed at you, Criminal Minds), they are beginning to blend woefully together. So while The Killing is hardly a novel concept to the Danish people, at least, it feels like a revelation to us.

Imagine a really good movie that never ends, a riveting crime drama with good writing and seamless casting that (yes, oddly) lasts for months. By following a single murder case over the course of a season, that's kind of what The Killing becomes. Noticeably absent though are the manipulative "gotcha" moments and lingering shots of crime scenes and corpses we've come to expect from the genre...which doesn't mean you'll really be missing them.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about violence and the way this show portrays the world around us. Are shock-value scenes necessary to make fictionalized crimes seem real? Is it more upsetting to contemplate the violence that you aren't seeing?

  • How does this show compare to other TV crime dramas? Does it do anything differently in terms of structure or storytelling that sets it apart?

  • Does the series reflect reality in terms of the nature of crimes committed in the United States? Does it take a position when it comes to good vs. evil? Is the outlook generally positive or negative?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended tv lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate