Netflix has struck a deal with Fox Television Studios to resurrect the rainy crime drama for a fourth season.
That's right: "The Killing," a show that's been canceled twice, is coming back to life for a second time.
AMC axed "The Killing" after its second season last year, only to pick it up again after talks between the studio and Netflix sparked interest in another round. The third season aired this summer on AMC to fairly modest ratings (ending with 1.5 million viewers). In September, AMC cancelled the increasingly ironically titled "The Killing" — again.
But apparently those cable executives didn't execute a proper double-tap to the head.
Because Netflix is bringing "The Killing" back with a six-episode fourth and final season. Stars Mireille Enos and Joel Kinnaman are on board, and so is showrunner Veena Sud.
"The rich, serialized storytelling in 'The Killing' thrives on Netflix, and we believe that it is only fitting to give Sarah Linden (Enos) and Stephen Holder (Kinnaman) a proper send off," said Cindy Holland, vice president of original content for Netflix. "We are looking forward to offering fans — both existing and new — a series that we know is perfectly suited for on-demand viewing."
Netflix previously revived Fox's cult favorite "Arrested Development" for a 4th season, and is often a company that studios call when their shows are axed to see if there's any interest. The move could be a smart play for Netflix since it gives the company an exclusive lock on the conclusion of the show without a big episode commitment (AMC is not part of the deal). Whenever viewers stream "The Killing" for years to come, if they want to see how the series concludes, they'll have to watch it on Netflix (or a company that makes a distribution deal with Netflix).
Unless ... of course ... this is not REALLY the end of "The Killing." A Netflix rep assures this order will conclude of the show, but unless the final shot of season 4 is Linden and Holder skewered on top of the Space Needle, there's always going to be a few fans wondering if The Killing could rise again, rainier and more murderous than ever.
