Low Winter Sun Review: True Lies

If The Killing was always rainy with a high chance of moody and somber, Low Winter Sun is definitely dark and seedy with the very faintest sense of humor. This show means serious business and the deeper into the world we go, the more shady, gritty and corrupt it becomes.

A positive outcome for these characters seems highly improbable. Any dreams Frank Agnew might have had of sipping on coronas on a beach somewhere with Katia (who may or may not be alive) will most likely stay inside that stone cold persona.

"The Goat Rodeo," a term involving a stonewalling of information for the general public, was full of new details for the core characters involved, mostly providing further complications for Agnew and Joe Geddes.

The seemingly perfect crime by Agnew and Geddes of fellow Detective McCann in the pilot quickly unraveled with the autopsy of the body revealing that the broken hand was in fact postmortem and the water McCann drowned in wasn't from the river.

Sure, we knew this stuff because we watched it happen, but Internal Affairs Detective Simon Boyd didn't - and he's now one step closer to figuring out the murder involving the two lead characters. He's really like that annoyingly intelligent, patiently perceptive fly on the shoulder that just won't go away.

And it's rather fun to watch Boyd, even though Agnew is in the role that viewers are supposed to root for. And he's not a dirty cop (that we know of) but he's violent, willing to kill and looks angry all the time. Just your regular good guy, right?

But in a way, there is some sense of sympathy for his character. He was ultimately manipulated by Geddes into killing McCann on the belief that he was enacting revenge for the death of his love, Katia. Oh, and McCann happened to be dirty.

Except now, Agnew is in the thick of it and pulling himself out is not going to be an easy task, if at all possible.

Making matters worse, the hacked up body in the back of the car's trunk happened to be an informant for Boyd with respects to McCann's dirty ways. The spotlight is now pretty much on Geddes, and I'm sure Agnew is feeling the residual heat for when that might shine on him.

Of course, the hour also progressed the story of up and coming Damon Callis, trying to create a spot for running a prostitution ring and selling of drugs. The perfect business.

Except that scary side of the Detroit world involves asking permission from other crews, and I really liked the introduction of the barbecue focused leader friendly with the family one moment and intensely adamant about paying dues the next. He does not look to be messed with and there was even a sense that Callis might be afraid.

At the same time, Callis made an offer to Geddes to take over for McCann, but I've got a feeling Geddes will be back despite his original comments.

Same as I'm sure the post traumatic stressed veteran, Nick Paflas will leave the copper stealing business behind and become a key member for Callis and his crew. Otherwise, why else would he be hanging out in the bar that just happens to be run by Callis and his wife, Maya. The conversation?

As a side mention, I loved that the episode began with the same rotating camera on Agnew's face as it did in the premiere. It probably won't keep happening, but it was a cool callback.

Right now, Low Winter Sun feels very surface level, which is fine, and the story is compelling enough to draw me in, but I can't wait to see more and more get fleshed out. And I'd also like to get a chance to really get behind Agnew, especially since he is the lead character that ultimately everything is revolving around. And while the show is deeply rooted in the dangerous and dirty, might we occasionally get a touch of humor in there to lighten certain scenes up?

Otherwise, I'm definitely in when it comes to a cat and mouse game of "Who can you trust."