Familiar, if sad news today for fans of AMC's rain-soaked murder-mystery drama 'The Killing,' as it seems Holder and Linden will once again turn in their badges. After a unanimously improved third season rescued from the cancellation heap and co-financed by Netflix, AMC has opted not to proceed with a fourth season of the Joel Kinnaman-Mireille Enos starring drama.

"We have made the difficult decision not to move forward with a fourth season of The Killing," the network said in a statement late Tuesday announcing the news. "We want to thank our great partners at Fox Television Studios, creator Veena Sud, an extraordinary cast and the dedicated fans who watched."

Despite relatively stable ratings over the course of the third season, which itself ended on something of a cliffhanger for its two central detectives, it doesn't seem as if 20th Century Fox TV will look to pursue another avenue for 'The Killing' season 4, either. Says the network in its own comment on the cancellation:

Fox Television Studios is extremely proud of all three seasons of The Killing. We’re especially gratified to have orchestrated a unique deal with AMC for season three that included a bold partnership with Netflix.

While we would have loved to produce a fourth season for AMC, FTVS is immensely grateful to everyone involved with this moving series: our brilliant cast, led by Mireille Enos, Joel Kinnaman and season three’s Peter Sarsgaard, our stellar executive producer, Veena Sud, a remarkable writing and producing team, and a tireless, dedicated crew. Most of all, FTVS thanks the terrific fans of The Killing, who communicated their appreciation for the show throughout its run.

Two-hour season 3 finale “From Up Here”/“The Road to Hamelin” kept on par in the ratings of the season, bringing in 1.5 million million viewers, a nine-percent increase over the previous year’s finale. Of course, the series itself has never quite returned to the 2.8 million viewers of its 2011 debut, while Deadline‘s sources previously claimed early word on ‘The Killing’ season 4 renewal looked positive.

If nothing else, Enos previously told Entertainment Weekly of her visions for Sarah Linden returning from a dark abyss, saying, “She must have a pathway laid out in her mind where Sarah can make her way back, but I don’t know what that path is.” Enos even suggested the ending could have a devastating effect on the partnership with she and Holder, saying:

I can only imagine it will be very hard on the relationship. There are really only two options: They call the cops, and, if they tell the truth of what happened, Sarah does time because Skinner was clearly unarmed and it was murder. Or they cover it up. I think there’s nothing more toxic than a secret. If they cover it up together and have this shared secret, I imagine it would drive a major wedge in their friendship.

We can't say we're altogether surprised, given the escalating film careers of both Kinnaman and Enos, whose burgeoning stardom had arguably been muted by the under-seen series. Certainly sad as well, if this turns out to be the final case for 'The Killing' after all, given the third season finally shook off the stigma of the Rosie Larsen murders, and crafted a compelling and well-driven mystery that finally had viewers excited for more.

We'll keep you posted on the latest, but what say you? If this is the end for AMC's 'The Killing' after all, did they make the right decision? Where would you have wanted to see the Seattle murder-mystery proceed in season 4?

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