Homicide Hunter

Evil lurks within the sordid underbelly of an outwardly bucolic burg in the West. But this isn't Twin Peaks, this is Colorado Springs. And this isn't FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper, this is Lt. Joe Kenda. And the stories are real.

Kenda claims to have solved over 400 homicides over the course of his career, which means the show could go on almost indefinitely. We see him in two guises: one is the young homicide investigator, played by Carl Marino, the other is Kenda himself, who appears frequently with commentary on the case as it proceeds. The younger Kenda does resemble Kyle MacLaughlin's Dale Cooper, with a healthy dose of Jack Webb's Joe Friday. We occasionally see Kenda in repose, enjoying a rare moment relaxing with his wife, when the inevitable call comes. Another homicide. And Kenda is off.

It's the present-day Kenda, however, who makes the show worth watching. World-weary, laconic, jaded but not quite cynical, Kenda renders lacerating insights into human nature and the criminal mind. More often than not, alas, these are mindless, unnecessary murders, and we can only nod in agreement as Kenda bemoans the pointlessness of all the lives lost.

If you kill, Kenda will not only find you, he will mock you, and we will love every minute of it.