Numb (The Killing)
Sarah confronts Holder; Richmond faces paralysis; Mitch returns.
"Numb" is the sixteenth episode of the American television drama *The Killing*, and the third episode of its second season, first broadcast on April 8, 2012. Eliza Clark wrote the episode, and Brad Anderson directed it. The story follows Sarah as she discovers the existence of Rosie's backpack and pushes herself to confront Holder; Richmond considers his path forward as a mayoral candidate now confined to a wheelchair; and Mitch Larsen reappears.
Mitch Larsen drives along a highway with a photo of her family beside her. She picks up a hitchhiker who reminds her of Rosie, then checks into a motel, where she takes a decorated shoebox from her suitcase. At a bar, she ignores a call from her sister Terry and notices a man watching her. Later, she hesitates before kissing him but asks him to stay. The next morning, she sees the teenage hitchhiker smoking by the pool outside her window.
At police headquarters, Sarah learns that the tattoo from Rosie's Super 8 film belongs to the manga character Ogi Jun. She asks about the Beau Soleil computer server client list and is told Lt. Erik Carlson held up the search warrant. When she confronts Carlson, he says she must ask him before requesting warrants due to a crackdown on procedure. Sarah visits the Larsen garage to show Stan a picture of the tattoo. Stan demands Rosie's backpack back, but when Sarah reveals she knows nothing about it, he orders her to leave. Sarah calls headquarters about the backpack and learns someone took it. She finds her former boss Michael Oakes on his boat and asks for the backpack; he hands her an evidence bag. In her car, she opens it to find Holder's blue backpack. Back at headquarters, she watches Rosie's film again and leaves Holder a message saying she understands his recent actions. She is then told the building housing the Beau Soleil servers burned down. At the fire scene, she learns no computers were inside. Spotting security cameras, she asks for footage, promising a warrant later.
Stan picks up his sons from school and sees Denny with a box of Polish pastries, which Denny says Stan's "friend" gave him. Stan visits Janek Kovarsky to ask him to stay away from the boys and to investigate Beau Soleil. Janek lies, claiming Beau Soleil only uses Russian girls and has no record of Rosie. He leaves a copy of Rosie's morgue file with Stan, saying Rosie was alive when the car entered the w
- series
- The Killing
- episode_number
- 16
- season
- 2
- episode_number_in_season
- 3
- air_date
- April 8, 2012
- writer
- Eliza Clark
- director
- Brad Anderson
- viewers_millions
- 1.81
- adults_18-49_rating
- 0.6
Lore & Background
The episode follows multiple storylines. Mitch Larsen drives down a highway, encounters a hitchhiker who resembles Rosie, checks into a motel, and later hesitates to kiss a man but asks him to stay. At police headquarters, Sarah Linden learns the tattoo from Rosie's film is the manga character Ogi Jun and that the search warrant for Beau Soleil's servers was held up by Lt. Carlson. She retrieves Holder's blue backpack from her former boss Michael Oakes and later watches security footage showing a Larsen delivery van with the Ogi Jun tattoo on the driver's arm.
Stephen Holder visits his nephew Davie, who turns down a ride; fights with his former drug dealer Logic; obtains methamphetamine; and later has sex with fellow NA member Claire, who asks if he has any drugs. Darren Richmond tells his doctor he felt warm sunlight on his legs, is told it is phantom pain, and later sticks a campaign pin into his thigh without feeling it. Stan Larsen visits Janek Kovarsky, who lies that Beau Soleil only uses Russian girls and leaves a copy of Rosie's morgue file claiming she was alive when the car went into the water.
Reader's Guide
"Numb" received less-than-favorable reviews. Brandon Nowalk of The A.V. Club rated it a C−, noting the season feels less emphatic and clear-cut. TV Fanatic’s Sean McKenna rated it 3 out of 5 stars, saying the episode left him feeling numb and bored, and that it dipped too deep into melodrama. Adam Vitcavage of Paste Magazine gave a 7.8 rating, commenting that the most pleasing aspect was no major twist at the end, and that the show needs to pick up its game. CraveOnline's William Bibbiani called the questions raised haphazard and hoped the next episode would improve. The episode was watched by 1.81 million viewers with a 0.6 adults 18-49 rating, slightly higher than the previous episode.
Did You Know?
- The episode was written by Eliza Clark and directed by Brad Anderson.
- Joel Kinnaman praised the scene with his nephew Davie, saying it contained conflicting emotions and that actor Arien Boey 'breaks my heart.'
- The tattoo seen in Rosie's Super 8 film is identified as the manga character Ogi Jun, a warrior avenging his murdered father.
- The building housing Beau Soleil's computer servers was destroyed in a fire, and no computers were found inside.
More in The Killing episodes 1-24
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