The Guardian - The Killing Series 1 and 2: The best of the blog

The new series has a very different feel and looks set to be more of a political thriller than a whodunnit. What did you make of it?

Before we open Lunds latest case file, there are some wider themes to discuss not least the new series very different feel. Forbrydelsen II seems far less a straightforward whodunnit and far more a political thriller. While the first series of course had a political element, here it is politics with a capital P. For me, thats not a problem: it feels already that this series has more complexity and possibly a less red-herringy plot that season one. But then I love a political thriller.

Id be interested to hear whether its working so well for all of you, or if by losing that most simple conceit a series-long hunt for the killer of one victim The Killing might also have lost some of its allure.

The investigation: what do we know?

• Two people have been killed: Anne Dragsholm, a military legal advisor, and Allan Myg Poulsen, a soldier.
• Anne was stabbed to death having been forced to read a video message accusing the hypocritical Danish Government and the infidel Danish people of crimes against humanity. Her body was then dumped in the Memorial Park. Half a dogtag was found at the scene.
• Myg was found strung up having been slashed with half a dogtag he was found wearing.
• Links between the two include the veterans club and, as Lund spots on the photo, Jens Peter Raben, a veteran now in a psychiatric institution.
• Raben has since busted out is was last seen running down a sewer.
• Responsibility for the first death (and presumably the second) has been claimed by The Muslim League a group that nobody knows anything about.
• The police have a man in custody: Kolmani. He owns a bookshop that stocks extremist Islamic literature. His website is used as a forum for extremist groups. Flyers he had printed in his dead wifes name were found at the crime scene. The video of Anne was uploaded to his website. But he has an alibi.
• Kolmanis followers are now being picked up.
• Said Bilal, Mygs company commander was in Kodmanis customer file. He also ran from the scene of the crime for flimsy reasons. Special Branch have, however, accepted his explanation.
• The army say that Myg illegally accessed database and downloaded a file. It was his army team: Team Aegir.

Lund

Shes back just about. We open with a flashlight, although for once it isnt Lund who is holding it. Instead shes coming off a nightshift checking truckers paperwork at a tiny ferry terminal. Lunds a shadow of her former self: entirely lacking in confidence, even less able to communicate than usual, trying to mend bridges with her son and mother, but unable to. The only thing that tempts her back to Copenhagen appears to be that the request comes from Brix. (Who, incidentally, then seems to act a bit unfairly when he later tries to throw her off the case on the basis of her end-of-series-one madness.)

I loved how we saw Lund grow over these two episodes from her initial stuttering sentences with deputy commissioner Hegeby and downright rudeness to Ulrik Strange, to her incisive spotting of the killer clue in the photograph; and, yes, downright rudeness to Ulrik Strange. It felt right that she had been so changed by the Birk Larsen fallout, and that she wouldnt be able to shrug that off immediately. (If at all, on the basis of her refusal to talk to Strange). But its good to see her back: This is what I do best, she tells Brix.

The Politicians

Thomas Buch, the reluctant new justice minister has just been handed a poisoned chalice and he looks as if he knows it. Getting the anti-terrorism bill through parliament looks like extremely hard work: currently the opposition wont support it at all, and the Peoples Party want amendments banning various groups.

Ive warmed to Buch already. He doesnt seem too slippery, although I wouldnt go so far as to say I actually trust him, and I liked the way he was ballsy enough to outmanoeuvre both the Peoples Partys Krabbe and Carten, the permanent undersecretary with a permanent moue. However, with the memo to his predecessor about Special Branch thinking the first killing was political, it looks rather like Buchs also been outmanoeuvred himself

The army/Rabens family

Jens Peter Raben has been detained indefinitely in what I presume is a secure psychiatric hospital for taking a nurse hostage and threatening to kill her. He was suffering from delusions and had previously been wounded and discharged from the army. His wife Louise and son Jonas are currently living with Louises dad, Colonel Torsten Jarnvig who seems reluctant for them to leave and none too bothered about Jens being released. Im interested in how this all comes together my feeling is the army is going to be central to the mystery and already busy covering things up.

Most important, I think, is Jens relationship with Myg. Jens was furious that Myg was going back out to Helmand. Have you done something? he asked? When we came back I thought it was over and done with but its not, Myg replied. Its not over at all.

And then theres Jens reaction to Mygs death: busting out via the power of a hidden flashlight, after saying, I have messed up so I have to put it right. But what has he messed up? And why did he deny knowing Anne?

Jumperwatch

Nice red number Lund! And for those good with a pair of needles: Radio Times has the pattern for you.

Thoughts and observations

• I liked how the bare shelves and empty walls of Lunds new life effectively worked as backstory since wed last met her.
• Nice bit of humour with the Lunds messy teacups and Ulriks neat streak. I think Im going to like Strange. (Also: what a great name!)
• The tradition of incredibly beautiful female political advisors continues with Karina. The opposition leader is also stunning.
• I love that Sarah doesnt even remember her mums wedding and also that her mum seems to be trying to fix her up with Bjorns friend (!)
• Would Said have really still been bleeding through his trousers when Lund turned up?
• Kolmanis shop was in Norrebro.
• Anyone else get a sinking feeling when Lund clambered down into the basement/ ran off after a mystery intruder? Will she never learn?
• Major Christian Sogaard seems very helpful towards Louise

JosephKern

The political focus troubles me, since Sveistrup seems to have a poor understanding of how politics works, but Grbls performance remains extraordinary. The way she conveyed Lunds crisis of self-confidence in the first episode was very moving.

MorrisMinor

Love the fact that the hold on - Sarahs thinking music is still there.

AnneDon

Fashion-watch - love the satchel and boots! Im glad they didnt go for a copy of series one, but I miss Theis - though I assume Thomas Buch is this series Teddy Bear. Why did the Colonel tell Special Branch that their Muslim officer had visited Myg? Surely the police would point out that Special Branch investigate the Islamic groups, but their job was to investigate the murder?