As I’ve mentioned before, on my own blog, one of the advantages of living in Australia is the access it gives you to European films and television programmes (odd, really, considering our geographical position, but no-one seems to be complaining). As a result, Danish programmes have become a staple of the Australian telly-viewer’s menu and, of these, the best so far has been The Killing, which screened here last year and is showing right now on the BBC (Saturdays, 9pm on BBC4 and you can catch up on the iPlayer).
Set in Copenhagen, The Killing tells the tale of a single murder investigation. There are 20 episodes in the series and each episode corresponds to a single day. Unusually, the series does not merely detail the investigation of a crime – in this case, the murder of a teenage girl – but also introduces the viewer to those affected by it. This means the show has a complexity that is often missing from TV whodunnits. As well as following the efforts of the policewoman in charge of the investigation, (an increasingly compelling figure called Sarah Lund, whose life contains only one reliable element – her trusty collection of hairy Nordic jerseys), we also become closely involved with the parents of the murder victim, Theis and Pernille (I love that name), discovering in the process just how a violent crime sends ripples through the lives of all those connected with its victim. We become familiar with a number of other intriguing and well-drawn characters as well and find ourselves sucked into the world of Copenhagen politics, via Troels Hartmann, an attractive mayoral candidate with a hinterland darker than the bog at Baskerville Hall.
The leisurely way in which the story – with its many twists and turns – is unfolded allows for an increasing emotional involvement with the various actors in the drama, while the endless surprises of the plot only make the viewer more anxious to know the truth about the crime. The acting and scripting are both terrific. The shots of Copenhagen – both exteriors and interiors (would a family that made its living through trucking in the UK or Australia ever have such an attractive kitchen as Theis and Pernille’s?) – add considerable charm to the programme. With each new episode, the thing becomes more gripping. To steal the words of my father, recommending a book he’d been reading, ‘I was glued, my dear fellow, I was absolutely glued.’
So far i’ve remained unmoved by all these skandi-murder things, but my wife loves them, so I shall seek this out!
I wonder if they showed Taggart and Cracker in sweden about 10 years ago, and these shows inadvertantly inspired this whole grim and gloomy genre?
The French series ‘Spiral’ is pretty good, too. I think that’s on BBC4 sometimes. The first season was marred a little by the unconvincing female cop lead, but they beefed her up for season 2 which was excellent (if obviously heavily influenced by The Wire).
Thing’s one ought to know about the Danes, Denmark and the German problem.
They extrude an awfully large amount of placky pipe.
They give us streaky bacon.
Many of ’em have odd names…’Tage Bottum’…. ‘Lars Tharp’
They have inbuilt, weapons grade design flair.
They want to build a whacking big tunnel, connecting to the Germans.
Which is odd because, in their own words, they “can’t stand the effing Krauts.”
Because, again in their own words, “they are buying up the entire east coast and hiking the prices beyond the locals pockets and, just like the effing Dutch they come here in summer in droves, with their campervans, bring their own food , spend nothing but leave their turds behind”
They absolutely are at one with the British, they are in effect, us, a few miles east, personally I think that they are the greatest thing since sliced bread.
They make and build first class television receivers so why can’t the dopey sods make decent programmes.
Just my humble opinion, you understand.
In my experience, Danes seem to have a pleasantly cynical sense of humour.
Re Malty’s point about them being ‘us’. Of course, we were ruled by Danes once, and by one with one of the oddest – and perhaps riskiest – names ever: Cnut.
Re Malty’s points on the Danes
1. They’ve proved they can make good telly, via the Killing – it really is a riveting programme (I mean, let’s not get things out of perspective – it is still only telly, but it is very entertaining telly.)
2. This has nothing to do with anything really, but I gather their royal family behaved quite well in the war – perhaps I have succumbed to their spin machine but , as I understand it, they all donned yellow stars when the Nazis decided Danish Jews should wear them. Sure, it was only a gesture, but it was quite a good gesture.
And, apropos of the risks inherent in Cnut, Gaw, did you ever hear Humphrey Lyttelton introducing I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue for Scunthorpe?
Brit – my mother was telling me how good Spiral was, just this weekend.
Worm – what we love about Taggart is the way they say ‘murder’. When we run out of conversation in our house, we just say ‘murder’ to each other in a competitively Taggart way.
zmkc, suffering from post Vallanduhhhh depression, hence jaundiced outlook on viking/scandivision.
Obviously we are into subjective judgement here, best TV cop, Maigret, both Rupert Davies and Michael Gambon were excellent, dark, paced, psycological drama that did not stray from the original stories, underrated, Simenon not the flavour of the moment.
Although his books have sold 500 million copies
Funnily enough, z, worm’s comment had me reflecting on how every trailer for Taggart I’ve ever seen contains the word ‘murder’ pronounced in a gruff, Glaswegian growl: sort of “Murrduh”. I’m glad others have picked up on this. It’s obviously something of a jaunty catchphrase.
Rumour abounds that Taggart is not a TV drama series but in fact a Scottish TV weekly news round-up. Phrases such as ‘well past sell-by date’ pervade the ether, well, well past.
Bring back Z Cars, Fabian of the Yard and Dixon of Dock green, that’s wot I say.
Broadcast on the Luddite channel of course.
I see that the bloke off the tele who isn’t the bloke off the telly is on the telly shortly, on the one show. You know, the programme that’s on the telly when we are eating our din-dins in the room next door.
”There are 20 episodes”
Sorry, but by my reckoning that’s a soap opera.
But a ‘very tasteful’ one, Ian
Malty, my brother and I used to have competitions gargling the Z Cars theme tune (what the young of today are missing, eh, with none of the simple pleasures of yesteryear.)
Murduh, Gaw, Murrrrduh, that’s all I have to say.
news just in: found out that my TV package currently has first 6 episodes available – watched the first two last night and I must say it is very good!!!
While we are on the subject of splendid scots terms for violence lets not forget Rab C Nessbitt’s beloved ‘the malky’
zmkc…for the first time in months I am seriously impressed with that feat, it equals, in my book, the cowboy knack of rolling a cigarette, with one hand, awesome, have a drink on me.
watched episode 3 last night…seriously addicted now
Malty – it’s the first thing you learn at Girl Guides in Australia – rolling a cig while riding a horse (you get a medal if you can do it in under 20 seconds and Brown Owl takes you out for dinner)
Worm – you are a man of taste.
Don’t usually watch crime dramas (either formulaic or nasty or both). But having seen this recommended, watched 6 episodes and can’t wait for more! Intelligent compulsive viewing (and gawd knows, there’s little of that about).