The real AMC zombie show returns against all odds but this time on the media streaming giant Netflix. After enduring yet another cancelation The Killing was given new life and a proper final season to conclude the mostly underrated crime drama. Episodes in the fourth season have a longer running time of approximately 55–59 minutes compared to 43 minutes when the series aired on AMC with commercials, and characters are able to use stronger profanity. If you have never seen this show then stop reading and scroll down to the verdict for further instructions.

The show the mood and atmosphere of the show remained the same (dark and depressing) as showrunner Veena Sud and writers and executive producers Dawn Prestwich and Nicole Yorkin all returned. The main cast member returned to reprise their roles as well as some new faces. Overall the season was a welcomed return to the gloomy and rainy Seattle where detective Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman) and detective Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos) are covering up the murder of James Skinner, while trying to solve the slaughter of the Stansburys. Being limited to six episodes you can’t expect the same twists and turns that the first three seasons offered but it does keep you on your toes. Kinnaman and Enos continued their great on screen chemistry as their partnership was put to the ultimate test when detective Reddick started digging into the disappearance of Skinner.

There was a particular scene that made me feel quite uncomfortable in the sense that it was such a tense and horrifying act. This may have been unable to air the scene on their former network but it didn’t necessarily feel out of place. I also got a kick out of hearing Kinnaman swear. The atmospheric and haunting score continued to add to the bleakness of the scenes as the great writing and the combination of cinematography and acting made this show so emotionally captivating. In a world of detective shows that wrap up a murder in half an hour, this show stands as a remarkably realistic approach to this genre as the characters feel real as they have faults and limitations that lead to conflict with others and themselves. Their lives are consumed with the process of detective work as it shows how they struggle with balancing their professional and personal lives but at the end of the day the most important goal is to solve the case.

The ending was a fitting conclusion to one of the most intriguing and dark TV shows that I personally ever watched. The final episode is a combination of grief (something that is very common in the show) and joy (something that was very rare) as it’s sad they the adventures of detectives Holder and Linden are coming to an end (never will hear 1 900 Linden again) but it manages to sum up their time together in triumphant end which sees both get an ending they so deserve. I was hooked since the first episode back in 2011 and it’s a shame that it never quite rose to the popularity to keep it going for longer, I am however thankful that the show was given a chance to tell its final story, something that many great shows never got a chance to do.

This brings me to a score of a: MUST WATCH. This show might be too dark for some but if you are a fan on a good detective show then this should be on the top of your list so start from season one and make you way up to four.