After three seasons on AMC, The Killing has come to an official end on Netflix with a fourth and final season. Despite outrage over Season 1’s season finale which didn’t reveal Rosie Larsen’s killer, and a reversed cancellation between Seasons 2 and 3, the psychological thriller has maintained a solid fan base with its central detective duo, Sarah Linden and Stephen Holder, and captivating cases in rainy Seattle, Washington.
Besides lead Mirielle Enos as Linden, a brilliant cop who eschews glamour, favoring striped sweaters and low-ponytails instead of the fashion-forward looks of her female TV cop contemporaries, The Killing has given us compelling women characters with real problems like balancing motherhood with livelihood and figuring out what kind of moral compass the world is ultimately following.
In the first season, we met Regi Darnell (Annie Corley), Sarah Linden’s social worker from when she was growing up as a foster child. A member of the main cast, Regi was revealed to be a lesbian after Sarah and her son Jack spent time with Regi on her houseboat. A warm, safe space for Sarah and Jack, Regi was presented as a good person whose concern was often taken the wrong way.
In Seasons 2 and 3, Regi was only recurring, but she did become engaged to her partner, Ellen (Hillary Strang). The happy couple showed up briefly in Season 4, Episode 4, entertaining Jack at their home and finding out about his new girlfriend. When Sarah shows up, she isn’t thrilled to hear she is the last to know about what’s going on in her son’s life and ends up raging at Regi and telling Ellen to shut up and stay out of it. Regi knows how closed-off Sarah can be and says so, and it’s true: There are many things behind Sarah’s anger, and she’s taking it out on her mother figure.
In the sixth episode, we also revisit the beloved lesbian character of Rachel “Bullet” Olmstead, who was murdered in Season 3. Sarah’s partner, Holder, had a special relationship with the homeless teen (played expertly by Bex-Taylor Klaus), so he visits his little buddy’s grave, and brings her bullet necklace with him.
Bullet was a huge part of Season 3 before her untimely death. She helped Holder and Linden to track down the Pied Piper, aka the killer of young women who hung out around Skid Row, before being slain by the man himself. She looked tough and would fight for those she loved – including her crush, Lyric, and her best friend, Kallie – but her heart was pure and she was an optimist down to her “Faith” tattoo.
With only six episodes and an entirely new murder mystery to solve at the same time wrapping up Season 3’s cliffhanger, The Killing gave fans exactly what we were hoping for: A chance to say goodbye to Linden, Holder, Regi and even Bullet.
The Killing Season 4 is now available on Netflix.
