AMC’s murder mystery drama series The Killing as somewhat of a frustrating show. It features some very strong characters and good performances from a majority of the cast but it also has often glacial pacing that tries even the patience of this seasoned TV viewer.

I really want to like the show. However, I sometimes find myself fast forwarding through some of it (the parents of the dead girl for example) to get to the murder mystery scenes. That’s just more interesting to me and what the show is supposed to be about: Who killed Rosie Larson?

Anyway, my issues with the show haven’t stopped AMC from renewing it for a second season. So, I guess I’ll get another chance to see if I end up liking it more. This, of course, brings up the question of the season finale which airs this Sunday.

Now that we pretty much know who the killer is, will everything get resolved? My guess is probably not. In fact, I expect a bit of a cliffhanger to entice viewers to come back for Season 2.

I guess we’ll see on Sunday.

AMC has quickly become a go-to source for high quality, unconventional television. They built their reputation on Mad Men and Breaking Bad, now they are adding some genre fare to their lineup. Last fall we had The Walking Dead, now comes The Killing. The series will unfold over 13 hours; the first two episodes premiered on Sunday evening.

The premiere episode of The Killing wastes no time establishing a dark and dreary atmosphere. Homicide detective Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos) is jogging on a trail in Seattle. Her peaceful excursion is juxtaposed with scenes of a teenage girl being pursued through the woods at night by an unseen assailant.

It’s Sarah’s last day on the job before she moves to sunny California with her son to get married. Wouldn’t you know, a local girl has gone missing, forcing Sarah to take one last case before her replacement arrives in a few hours. Rosie Larsen is 17, and has been missing for the whole weekend.

Sarah is tiny, pale, contemplative and reserved. Mireille Enos captures the nature of Sarah perfectly. You might recognize Enos as Jodeen on Big Love.

Variety is reporting that HBO’s popular undead gothic series True Blood will return for a twelve episode third season on June 13. The return of the series shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, as the series drew more than 12 million viewers per episode last season. The season two finale alone drew a record 5.1 million viewers, making it the cabler’s most watched contemporary show.

Fans should be prepared to expect some new faces around Bon Temps, as  Alfre Woodard and Kevin Alejandro (Southland) have both signed on for the season. Michelle Forbes, who played Maryann Forrester, Bon Temp’s seductive and deadly maenad, will not be returning for another season (which isn’t too surprising if you paid attention during season two’s finale).

Based on the hit series of novels from Charlaine Harris,  True Blood stars Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer and Sam Trammell.