'The Killing' dives into a new mystery

"It's a crime scene. I called the cops." — Sarah Linden, "The Killing"

Four episodes into its surprising third season, "The Killing" seems to be hitting a new groove. The story of the show has been oft repeated. It started life strong, disappointed at the end of the first season and limped through a pedestrian second season. The show was cancelled, and it seemed that it's life is over.

But this season, the show seems to have found a groove. It ditched the dead weight in the cast that kept the story from moving forward, brought in some interesting new pieces, and found a compelling case. The center of the show — Linden and Det. Holder — is still strong, and this installment seems to be moving forward at a strong pace.

Of course, all of that could fall apart if the case isn't resolved at the end of this season. The producers have promised it will be resolved this year, but that remains to be seen. However, here's a couple reasons this season has put "The Killing" on the right track.

1. Linden's son is with his father. Linden was a terrible parent, and the show spent WAY TOO MUCH TIME on her lack of parenting skills. With the wee one out of the picture, she can focus on the case. And that's where she shines.

2. A more interesting case. The Rosie Larsen case seemed like it could be interesting, but it fell apart. This case — complete with the ties to Linden's past and Peter Sarsgaard as a man on death row — is instantly more fascinating. And the performances are better, too.

3. The show is tackling a fascinating social issue. There were tired tropes attached to the Rosie Larsen case, but this season the show has focused on street kids — runaways and those cast out of homes that are trying to make their way on the streets. I don't know where it's going with this, but I'm intrigued. It's sad to think there are so many kids out there in big cities that have, essentially, been thrown away. I hope that "The Killing" does them justice.