Note: Do not read on if you have not yet seen Season 3, Episode 7 of AMC's "The Killing," titled "Hope Kills."
I had a sense of doom at the end of Sunday night's episode. "Don't get into the car, Linden. Don't get into the car!" I was yelling at the TV screen, because you know, one of these days the actor on television is actually going to listen to me. So when Pastor Mike/Mark put the knife to Linden's throat, I had a total "I told you so" moment, immediately followed by "WTF?!" As the episode closed with our favorite damaged heroine potentially in mortal peril, I'm sure we all have a bunch of theories to espouse on where the season is heading, but before we go there, let's get on with the recap.
The episode picks up exactly where we left off last week, with Holder and Linden questioning Pastor Mike and Holder totally giving him the stink-eye. Holder obviously doesn't understand subtlety, but that's fine, 'cause Linden's there to reel him in. As Pastor Mike provides logical explanations to the detectives, something doesn't seem right, a feeling that's corroborated by the look on the runaway's face who's lurking in the shadows. Someone knows that what the pastor is saying doesn't match up ...
A hysterical Danette shows up at the Beacon Center looking for Kallie, but unfortunately, they can't help her. However, a pizza parlor menu with the words "He's lying" is left on her car. For once, Danette has a stroke of genius and she immediately gives the menu to Linden, who heads out to the meeting spot with Holder. There, they meet the runaway from the first scene, who tells them that she saw Angie run away from Pastor Mike's car and he came back an hour later covered in blood. This is enough to have Linden and Holder start following the Pastor, and when they find out he's using a fake ID, they visit his home where they discover that he's driving a rental. Holder immediately orders a tattoo check on Pastor Mike's verse and the detectives head back to the station to wait for the results.
Earlier in the episode, Lyric and Bullet spent the night cuddled in bed together, making for an angrier than usual Twitch when he walks in on them. He alternates between abusing them and bragging about his Cougar conquest, which disgusts Lyric enough that she's willing to leave him (at least for the time being). A chance meeting with Holder later leaves Bullet with a sense of responsibility for Lyric's safety and she seeks out the one adult she feels she can trust (who's not a cop). Sure, Pastor Mike will let them crash at his place, and after the visit from the detectives, we discover that Lyric's alone with the Pastor while Bullet is visiting her parole officer. A few hours later, Pastor Mike starts a very creepy discussion with Lyric about knowing what it's like to be alone, and an obviously uncomfortable Lyric lies about Bullet coming home soon.
As for Seward in prison, it seems that he's finally losing some of his tough-guy bravado, which is completely understandable since he can hear them building his gallows at the prison. Becker is clearly the winner of their mind-games this episode, forcing Seward to lash out and demand his attorney. Becker reminds him that he can't change his execution method anymore, but it seems that Seward now wants to fight for his innocence. But is it too late?
The tattoo check comes back on Pastor Mike, and we find out that he's actually Mark Elwood, who was arrested in Arizona for kidnapping a 16-year-old girl, and he was later released when she overdosed and couldn't testify against him. That's enough information to have the detectives and police department raid his house and the Beacon Center, but unfortunately, Pastor Mike/Mark has already fled. His car is tracked down to the train station, where the detectives find a suspicious amount of blood in the backseat. Linden gets into her car by herself and then there's a knife in her throat and we hear one ominous word: "Drive."
Random notes and observations:
- You see, I wasn't totally wrong when I kept calling Pastor Mike "Pastor Mark," because his real name is Mark. I'm like psychic (and partially deaf and completely unable to read my closed captioning).
- Despite all evidence to the contrary so far, maybe Pastor Mike/Mark isn't the killer? Of course I'm assuming that the show will stick to last season's formula and reveal all at the very end, which would make Mike/Mark this season's Jamie and there's someone else involved. Could this person be the Seward connection?
- Versace may make Holder's suits, but the man prefers his hoodies.
- Isn't a Hawaiian pizza with no ham and extra pineapple just a cheese pizza with pineapple? It's like ordering a cheeseburger without cheese.
"The Killing" airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on AMC.