About 10 days or so ago my youngest sister dropped off a boxed set of 4 series of 'The Bridge' (named after the Denmark - Sweden bridge). It was a couple of days later when I checked the back of the box to see the running time was 2022 minutes over 13 DVDs. This equates to nigh on 34 hours of viewing and I'm not sure I'll live long enough to watch it all, especially as my GP has advised me not to purchase any long playing records or unripe bananas
I have watched series 1 and 2 and found it most excellent, especially the lead characters.
No doubt many have seen this (and perhaps other Nordic series) so opinions would be welcome please.

Me and the wife watched every episode earlier this year, throughly enjoyed it.. If you like Scandi Noir then yeah worth watching, i think 1st series will do a good job of sucking you in.

Once you have watched the whole 5 series you can move over  to other Nordic dramas.BBC4 at 9pm on a Saturday is often home to the genre - The Bridge was shown there. BBC Iplayer has some other series, and the current offering is "Wisting". Worth watching series 1 before the current series.

I am a fan of the Bridge. Saga Noren mellows slightly as the whole drama evolves.

Mick, well worth the watch, not sure if Saga can replace Liz for you. The original Swedish Wallander was also good.Also Spiral a French series is worth a watch.

"The Bridge" is excellent. My wife and I have watched them all. As @woodbury22uk says there are a number of equally good Scandinavian crime dramas available on the iPlayer. We particularly enjoyed the Dark Iceland series that was available a couple of years ago.

Stuart

There's also an English/French remake of it set in the Channel Tunnel.

Quote from: Nbodger on October 20, 2022, 10:18:01 PM
Mick, well worth the watch, not sure if Saga can replace Liz for you. The original Swedish Wallander was also good.Also Spiral a French series is worth a watch.

Spiral is definitely the antidote to the rumour that the French are chic dressers. While we are at it, I'll put a word in for More 4, and the whole Walter Presents franchise on the Channel 4 streaming site. What my wife used to call the Fore Fourplayer.

I understand that many people miss out on these foreign crime series because the cannot cope with subtitles. For me, watching a dubbed soundtrack programme is much more of a challenge.

Thanks for the recommendations, Chaps. I have no issues at all with subtitles and sometimes put them on in place of the mangled 'English' used in some UK programmes
I did enjoy the Swedish Wallander @Nbodger

Quote from: woodbury22uk on October 20, 2022, 09:34:21 PM
Saga Noren mellows slightly as the whole drama evolves.

@woodbury22uk Not too much, I hope, as her take on things has been a highlight so far, Mike

Well I've told Mrs B about this, and she is VERY interested.

Wonder how I get it here in Oz.

I'll work it out. 

Quote from: Bealman on October 21, 2022, 09:39:42 AM
Well I've told Mrs B about this, and she is VERY interested.

Wonder how I get it here in Oz.

I'll work it out. 

There's a very handy service called smartdnsproxy.com which makes the TV channels think you're in the appropriate country. Then you just use the All4 app

Hi,
'Most Excellent' series, the first couple of seasons in particular as the highly flawed personality of the male detective behaving in 'typically male' mode contrasted well with the Saga at times completely mystified at how to function but adapting in the world around her.
This put me in mind of the very early second iteration of Spock in the revamped TOS (in the pilot episode he was a much more outgoing character and quite the smiley Vulcan, it was the human 'Number 1' who suppressed her emotions - versatile Majel Barrett who returned as Nurse Chappel and the computer voice when it was tweaked into the series we most remember). Spock's character then was developed into the emotionally challenged Vulcan/Human hybrid we all(?) loved.
After the lead male character in The Bridge was sidelined the actor wasn't at all happy and left, changing markedly the direction of the storyline and adding, initially at least, a somewhat surreal detective partner for Saga to work with, the writers/actor did a great job with that enforced change.
English language copies of 'The Bridge' were attempted but without the depth of characterisation and quality of writing the original consistently delivered.
Wallander I rank generally very highly in all 3 productions. The first, shown typically after the second version by the BBC because of the initial success, was visually the grittier of the 2 Swedish productions, the writing in the second (shown first, remember) went quite wayward towards the end and the lead actor refused to do any more of those, although he did say he would come back if they did the final story properly, which did happen bringing it to a polished conclusion.
I thought the English language production was very successful, Branagh and cast, as with those of the Swedish productions, were excellent throughout, I could quite happily watch by now very familiar storylines very happily, they seemed to stick very much to the books so didn't lose on writing standards, On the plus side I could appreciate the Branagh character portrayal more fully, possibly because I wasn't having to shift focus to the subtitles (something, by the way, I have always found natural as when I was a kid the then newly introduced BBBC2 showed many foreign language films). On the slightly negative side it looked as if it could have been shot in a "very flat" Norfolk, although the filming reportedly often took place overlapping the final Swedish production.

Anyone know where I might get hold of a Wallander Snr art print?

Regards, Gerry.

?? 

Just watched first episode because of the stuff I've read here.

My verdict, ok but nothing great.

I much prefer Minder or New Tricks.

You have definitely dipped into my favourite genre. I loved The Bridge, and Spiral.

But why stop at these. Why not go back to the start of it all and try "The Killing". You will fall in love with Sofie Gråbøl as Sarah Lund and her patterned knitted jumpers.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Killing_(Danish_TV_series)

I was also disappointed that "Below the Surface" season 2 has not yet been shown on the BBC.

And for something better than the last 45 days at No 10, see "Borgen".


Bob

Quote from: Bealman on October 21, 2022, 12:32:40 PM

Just watched first episode because of the stuff I've read here.

My verdict, ok but nothing great.

I much prefer Minder or New Tricks.

One episode will not do anything for you @Bealman
When it was first shown on telly I watched that and gave up on it before the end. I urge you to watch the series.
Sorry, but comparing it with the likes of Minder or New Tricks is just comparing chalk and cheese
You obviously have something for Denis Waterman

Wasn't comparing them, Mick... just my preference. 

Anyway, I'm going to give The Bridge a second chance tonight.

Denis Waterman is deed anyhow.