How to watch The Killing in the UK, US and abroad
Whether you fell for the Danish original or hopped on the bandwagon after the US remake, here’s how to watch every episode
Danish crime dramas have long been a staple of UK living rooms. Their unique combination of excellent writing, extreme realism and moody cinematography is a recipe for gripping television.
The Killing led the way for European crime dramas in the UK. Since its introduction, we’ve seen popular series such as The Bridge, Wallander and Borgen hit our TV screens, to name a few.
Based in Copenhagen, The Killing follows Detective Inspector Sarah Lund. Each of the three series tells the story of a different murder case, reaching a deafening climax as Lund and her troubled partner, Inspecter Jan Meyer, search for the truth.
The original series was such a smash hit, garnering nearly 1.5 million views in England per episode that the US just had to get its mitts on it. A remake was made and aired in 2011 with almost identical characters, storyline and the same music. While still successful, it was arguably less popular than the original.
In an interview on the Radio 4 programme ‘Woman’s hour’, Danish lead Sofie Gråbøl explained why she felt there was a need for a remake. She stated that Americans “for some reason cannot read subtitles, or they don’t want to.”
Whether you’re a Forbrydelsen fanatic or a remake romantic, we’ve got all the information on how to watch either series’ below.
How to watch The Killing (original) in the UK: Amazon Video
Unfortunately, The Killing isn’t available to stream with a Prime Video subscription, but you can purchase the first two seasons of Scandi-drama on Amazon Video. One episode costs £2.50, while both seasons will set you back a fairly reasonable £10. Alternatively, you could add Arrow TV to your existing Amazon Prime Video subscription. This comes with a seven-day free trial during which time you can watch the entire series, provided you’re quick of course.
Buy the DVD: Alternatively, if you prefer going old school, you can buy the DVD of The Killing Trilogy from Amazon Prime for £24. It’s obviously a better way to ensure that you have instant access to the series and your favourite episodes whenever you want.
How to watch The Killing (US) in the UK: Amazon Prime Video
You’ll be pleased to hear that unlimited streaming of all four seasons of the US remake is possible on Amazon Video. What’s better is that you can stream all this content at no extra cost with a Prime membership. Alternatively, you can purchase each episode at £2.50 or a season for £18 with an Amazon account.
How to watch The Killing (original) in the UK: Sky Store
While you can’t stream the original series on Now TV it’s possible to buy the first two seasons digitally via the Sky Store. Either you can pay £10 per season or you can purchase the digital download with an accompanying DVD for £13 per season. You’ll need a Sky iD whichever option you opt for.
How to watch The Killing (US) in the US: Hulu
If you’re in the US, you’ll probably be more interested in watching the US series, in which case you’re in luck. Hulu has your back. All four seasons are available for $6 per month on the basic plan, which also comes with a monthlong free trial for new customers. Unfortunately, it’s nigh on impossible to find the Danish version in the US unless you use a VPN. Read on for all your questions to be answered.
How to watch The Killing abroad: Use a good VPN service
Many of our favourite streaming services are notorious for geo-blocking, which basically disabling access to the service when you’re outside your country. This applies to streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video. Using a VPN is a sure-fire solution to this problem as it allows you to surpass the geo-blocks from wherever you are.
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