Off the Reservation
Linden searches for Holder as political tensions rise.
"Off the Reservation" is the twenty-first episode of the American television drama series The Killing and the eighth of its second season. It aired on May 13, 2012, was written by Nathaniel Halpern, and directed by showrunner Veena Sud. The episode follows detective Sarah Linden as she searches for her missing partner Stephen Holder, while Stan Larsen pursues leads related to his reward for finding his daughter's killer and Darren Richmond returns to work.
- series
- The Killing
- season
- 2
- episode_number
- 8 (overall 21)
- air_date
- May 13, 2012
- writer
- Nathaniel Halpern
- director
- Veena Sud
- viewers_millions
- 1.61
- adult_18_49_rating
- 0.5
Lore & Background
The episode opens immediately after the previous episode, "Keylela," with Linden frantically trying to organize a search for Holder. She is initially denied a search team by Lt. Carlson, but after confronting him and driving to the Indian reservation, Carlson arrives with a team that must leave by dawn. Holder is found unconscious and battered in the woods, suffering from contusions, broken ribs, and hypothermia. At the hospital, Holder's sister gives Linden a matchbook from the B.B. Hair Emporium with "Tomorrow 11 a.m." written on it. Linden later learns from casino maid Mary that Rosie was seen boarding the casino's tenth floor on the night of her murder, and that the cleaning chemicals used on the reservation match those found on Rosie's hands. Meanwhile, Richmond returns to work and confronts Mayor Adams about a doctored photo, and Stan Larsen meets a medium who claims to contact his daughter for a fee.
Reader's Guide
"Off the Reservation" is a pivotal episode in The Killing's second season, advancing the central murder investigation while deepening the political and personal conflicts. The episode received positive reviews, with critics praising its propulsive opening and the return of the central detective partnership. Sean McKenna of TV Fanatic rated it 4.5 out of 5 stars, noting the effective pairing of Linden and Holder. The A.V. Club's Brandon Nowalk gave it a B+, highlighting the "pulpy race through the black of early morning." The episode drew 1.61 million viewers, a significant increase from the previous episode and a return to the seasonal average. It introduces key evidence—the matchbook and the tenth-floor key—that sets up the next phase of the investigation, while also exploring themes of tribal sovereignty, political corruption, and the personal costs of the case for both detectives and the Larsen family.
Did You Know?
- The episode was written by Nathaniel Halpern and directed by showrunner Veena Sud.
- Holder is found unconscious with contusions, broken ribs, and hypothermia.
- Linden learns that Rosie was seen boarding the casino's tenth floor on the night of her murder.
- The episode was seen by 1.61 million viewers with an adult 18-49 rating of 0.5.
More in The Killing episodes 1-24
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