Based on an original idea by best-selling Danish novelist Elsebeth Egholm, the series follows the inquiries of a special unit at Copenhagen's police force, consisting of detective inspector Katrina Ries Jensen and forensic psychiatrist Thomas Schaeffer. The pair specialise in serial killers that do not fit within traditional behavioural patterns.

A writer-director known for becoming obsessed with his own stories, Jacob Falk stumbles upon photographs of prisoners of war being tortured by Danish soldiers. Suspecting a political conspiracy, Falk falls into a frenetic chase to reveal the mystery behind the photos, which leads him to discover a truth more disturbing than he imagined.

The Killing is a Danish police procedural set in the Copenhagen main police department and revolves around Detective Inspector Sarah Lund and her team, with each season series following a different murder case day-by-day and a one-hour episode covering twenty-four hours of the investigation. The series is noted for its plot twists, season-long storylines, dark tone and for giving equal emphasis to the story of the murdered victim's family alongside the police investigation. It has also been singled out for the photography of its Danish setting, and for the acting ability of its cast.