What that means, for The Killing, is that, once again, there's a confounding mixture of strong character development and meandering plot lines. And for Game of Thrones, it means, once again, it's an unchecked tour of a fantasy world so sprawling, and so densely populated and plotted, that not even a scorecard would help you identify all the players.

Discussing much more in detail, about either of these drama series, is problematic.

The Killing arrives in a shroud of secrecy, requesting critics not to reveal just about anything about the story line -- including the instant resolution of last season's infuriating cliffhanger (i.e., did the politician even get shot?).

And Game of Thrones spreads its opening-hour return narrative over so much distance, geographically as well as emotionally, that to describe it to the uninitiated reader would be to put them at risk of instant narcolepsy.

There are scenes I enjoyed in both these Season 2 premieres -- but did I absolutely love either of them? No. Follow your heart on both shows.

For a full review of both The Killing and Game of Thrones, listen to Friday's Fresh Air with Terry Gross on NPR, which I'm hosting, or catch it on the website after about 5 p.m. ET Friday HERE.