Borgen [** Spoilers **]

spank_inferno

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Do you think Birgitte having an English boyfriend is just fan service? Acknowledgement that there's a big fan base in the English speaking world? I can't see any other significance to him being English. He could easily have been a Danish business man. I don't like it when they speak so much English, it confuses me.

I think I read something in the guardian with one of its writers/producers who alluded the english stuff was a sop to their UK fans.

Birgitte pulls off a pretty good english accent, better than anything I could impersonate.

TwoShedsJackson

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Do you think Birgitte having an English boyfriend is just fan service? Acknowledgement that there's a big fan base in the English speaking world? I can't see any other significance to him being English. He could easily have been a Danish business man. I don't like it when they speak so much English, it confuses me.

The real Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt is married to Neil Kinnock's son, so they may be either trying to just have a parallel to real life in there, or want a chance for Birgitte to show off her posh English accent.

Poochie05

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Do you think Birgitte having an English boyfriend is just fan service? Acknowledgement that there's a big fan base in the English speaking world? I can't see any other significance to him being English. He could easily have been a Danish business man. I don't like it when they speak so much English, it confuses me.

He's come a long way from being Archie in Monarch of the Glen!

seligehgit

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

What's up with Birgitte's shaky hands? She dropped a box because her fingers were numb and then she kept clenching the same hand when her and Sick Boy were eating risotto.

I didn't like Kasper's new hair last week, but I really don't like his bald head. I assume we're seeing less of Kasper this year because he's been busy making films in real life, and I assume this is the reason for the new look too? Shame.

It doesn't seem quite as intense as it did the last two series. It's a bit strange for them to go this new route with Birgitte when this is the last series they're doing. It seems a bit like it's been tacked on at the end of her political career. Don't get me wrong, I'm still enjoying it but it's..... different.

Well spotted re Birgitte's hand problem, we can possibly see where the end game is leading in Borgen. It shall be really interesting to see who is waiting for her when she comes out of theatre. I believe it will be Philip, her ex husband. All pointers lead to a reconciliation.
I thought this week's episodes were a real tour de force.Birgitte opinions re prostitution were affected by the revelation that Jeffrey had frequented brothels on his travels.This really shocked her and was in sharp contrast to Philip's admissions. Although I thought he had slept with somebody else?
Really touching moment when Kasper admitted to Katrine that he fell out of love with her when he started seeing her as a mother rather than a lover,noting there's nobody he'd rather have a baby with.
Uncomfortable with the whole Torben Pia affair, does not strike me like something that Torben would do. Alex is taking full advantage of his knowledge of it to bring in his unpopular changes with no way out for Torben to the Express. It's a young man's game.
The second episode was like a flashback to The Killing(Forbrydelsen) with Troels Hartmann and his hot assistant.I believe it was the gay parliamentarian who instigated all the leaks. Definitely saw a potential affair between our economist friend Ravn and Katrine.
The TV1 studio has a bit of lads magazine feel about it at times.
As has been mentioned Borgen stylistically is very impressive.Denmark as a country demonstrates a self obvious level of affluence and the cast have an impressive wardrobe, Danish women are extremely attractive.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

seligehgit wrote: »

Well spotted re Birgitte's hand problem, we can possibly see where the end game is leading in Borgen. It shall be really interesting to see who is waiting for her when she comes out of theatre. I believe it will be Philip, her ex husband. All pointers lead to a reconciliation.

Thank you This week I noticed Katrine's hands being focused on a bit too, but that's probably just me noticing things that aren't there
I was hoping it would be Philip but her introducing Jeremy to her kids suggests she's pretty serious about him.

his really shocked her and was in sharp contrast to Philip's admissions. Although I thought he had slept with somebody else?

I thought that was just Philip's way of dismissing the question. He'd obviously slept with the woman he was dating last series, I assume so anyway, and was there an affair too?

Really touching moment when Kasper admitted to Katrine that he fell out of love with her when he started seeing her as a mother rather than a lover,noting there's nobody he'd rather have a baby with.

That scene was great. I went from being absolutely disgusted at Kasper to feeling so sorry for him. I really like the way they've gone with Katrine and Kasper. It's not exactly a fairy tale ending for them but it's pretty realistic.

Uncomfortable with the whole Torben Pia affair, does not strike me like something that Torben would do. Alex is taking full advantage of his knowledge of it to bring in his unpopular changes with no way out for Torben to the Express. It's a young man's game.

I agree, it feels wrong. I think they just stuck in Torben's affair in order to give Alex something to hold over him. It's a shame because I kind of liked how that story was going up until that point.

Mr Pseudonym

OMG...I phucking well forgot to record. Damn, damn, damn... and the worst thing is, I've missed two now.

brian_t

OFF TOPIC but no point in starting a new thread just yet.

Just to let you know the next potential hit coming from Denmark to the BBC.

The Legacy: Danish treat for BBC viewers to get teeth into post-Borgen

The 10-part series The Legacy – Arvingerne in Danish – was launched in Copenhagen this week, and will arrive in Britain next year.

The makers of The Legacy cite Downton Abbey and The Ice Storm, Ang Lee's 1997 film about a dysfunctional American family, as influences.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Only 2 episodes left now

I wonder how they'll wrap it up? It's felt a tiny bit flat this year. I don't mind the overall TV station story line, the ratings and all that, but the whole Torben thing I don't like. Also, I miss Katrine being there, I think I preferred her finding the news than spinning it.

Probably just as well they're ending it now. Only so much you can do with these characters and settings before it gets boring or repetitive.

seligehgit

Totally agree, those two episodes were very flat, it is definitely running out of steam. Possibly end up with Birgitte reclaiming the prime minister's position as a compromise if Hesselboe and Thorsen are deemed unacceptable for some reason.
Katrine was much more interesting in the newsroom, really miss Kasper as the Rasputin like spin doctor. Looks likely Torben may get the sack.
Borgen has failed to live up to the heights of season 1.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

seligehgit wrote: »

Totally agree, those two episodes were very flat, it is definitely running out of steam. Possibly end up with Birgitte reclaiming the prime minister's position as a compromise if Hesselboe and Thorsen are deemed unacceptable for some reason.
Katrine was much more interesting in the newsroom, really miss Kasper as the Rasputin like spin doctor. Looks likely Torben may get the sack.
Borgen has failed to live up to the heights of season 1.

I can't see that she'd get to be PM again. Her party is far too small. Best case scenario, I think, would be that the New Democrats are the swing vote for a new coalition and Birgitte gets to be deputy PM, maybe?

No sign of her dumping Jeremy and getting back with Philip either

I don't get why Katrine didn't use how the press treated Birgitte's daughter when she was ill as the reason she didn't want the GPS. It would have been a perfectly reasonable explanation and wouldn't really have drawn any more questions. I know it ended up not mattering as her illness came out anyway but still, Kasper would have had that handled.

seligehgit

Still have a niggle at the back of my mind,subtle hints that Birgitte and Philip might reunite. Possibly reading too much into it. In addition definitely thought Kasper was seriously put out when Katrine ran off with our economist friend Ravn. Surely Borgen doesn't do fairytale reconciliations as an end game?

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

seligehgit wrote: »

Still have a niggle at the back of my mind,subtle hints that Birgitte and Philip might reunite. Possibly reading too much into it. In addition definitely thought Kasper was seriously put out when Katrine ran off with our economist friend Ravn. Surely Borgen doesn't do fairytale reconciliations as an end game?

That was two minutes after he told her she stopped turning him on and he couldn't separate her as a mother from her as a lover! I'd imagine it's the typical response of "I don't want you anymore but you shouldn't be with anyone else either just in case, meanwhile I'm banging everything that moves...."

I thought that their conversation about him not finding her sexually attractive anymore wrapped their story up nicely. She could finally stop thinking they might work it out and move on with her life, but with the knowledge that they'd always be a part of each other's lives and that Gustav was the most important thing for them both. I'm not sure I'd want them to actually get back together now.

seligehgit

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

"I don't want you anymore but you shouldn't be with anyone else either just in case, meanwhile I'm banging everything that moves...."

Yeah wishful thinking on my behalf,Kasper can't have his cake and eat it too. He'd be only too happy to have an open relationship with Katrine although he'd expect her to remain monogamous.

expectationlost

just catching up on the start of series 3

they say its much later after nyborg quit politics after loosing to hesselboe

was nyborg elected always by being on a party list so she could choose not to be a member of parliment after her party not winning a place in government

her english speaking voice is so wierd

spank_inferno

Must be tough being Torben.

What with being an unnatractive middle-aged man having 2 attractive women want him.

Its an everyday dilemma that we all face in the real world!

patmac

Can't see how people can call this flat, I think this is definitely one of the best things on tv, Torben's mental breakdown at the end was very well executed, and Alex is a real bollix.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

patmac wrote: »

Can't see how people can call this flat, I think this is definitely one of the best things on tv, Torben's mental breakdown at the end was very well executed, and Alex is a real bollix.

It's still one of the best things on TV, it just doesn't feel quite as good as the first and second series, to me anyway.

I don't like Jeremy, at all, or see the point of him. I said it before but I assume he's just there as a nod to the English speaking fan base of the show. Him being English has absolutely no relevance to anything that's happening so it just annoys me a bit. Whenever he's there and they're speaking English it just takes me out of the show completely.

Eurovisionmad

What's bugging me a bit at the moment is how Erik seems to have no bother with the New Democrats policies; like while he's the exception to the New Right norm by agreeing with them on integration, only because of his personal situation, if he's a proper red meat right winger a lot of Brigitte's centrist policies shouldn't sit so well with him, but in the episodes he seems to have no issues.

expectationlost

uh its getting very simplistic again, the tv guy is silly and nyborg accepts money expecting no demands really?

Eurovisionmad

expectationlost wrote: »

uh its getting very simplistic again, the tv guy is silly and nyborg accepts money expecting no demands really?

I suppose this is why, despite the fact that I will miss it, DR are right to stop after the 3rd season, if this was an American programme there'd have to be at least 10 seasons, the storyline would have to be ruined and have no remaining viewers before the TV execs get the hint and stop. DR can leave behind 3 good seasons and not have them tainted by some very mediocre forced later seasons.

opus

Just finished watching Season 3 myself this week (don't worry won't say anything about the ending!) & will certainly miss it. Though the middle part of the series drifted a bit but it drew me in again towards the end.

For sure didn't really see the point of Jeremy.

I've a friend living in Copenhagen so have visited a few times so funny to spot all the places I've walked around in the city centre near the parliament.

What's left on the Scandi TV series now? Have already seen the Killing & the Bridge so any other suggestions are very welcome!

Edit: Just spotted mention of the Legacy earlier in the thread so will have a read up on that.

seligehgit

opus wrote: »

Just finished watching Season 3 myself this week (don't worry won't say anything about the ending!) & will certainly miss it. Though the middle part of the series drifted a bit but it drew me in again towards the end.

For sure didn't really see the point of Jeremy.

I've a friend living in Copenhagen so have visited a few times so funny to spot all the places I've walked around in the city centre near the parliament.

What's left on the Scandi TV series now? Have already seen the Killing & the Bridge so any other suggestions are very welcome!

Edit: Just spotted mention of the Legacy earlier in the thread so will have a read up on that.

Have you seen season 2 of Broen??

evilivor

Eurovisionmad wrote: »

I suppose this is why, despite the fact that I will miss it, DR are right to stop after the 3rd season, if this was an American programme there'd have to be at least 10 seasons, the storyline would have to be ruined and have no remaining viewers before the TV execs get the hint and stop. DR can leave behind 3 good seasons and not have them tainted by some very mediocre forced later seasons.

I was looking forward to the future episode where Birgitte defended her reputation after being snapped taking inappropriate selfies with world leaders at a memorial service.

brian_t

opus wrote: »

What's left on the Scandi TV series now? Have already seen the Killing & the Bridge so any other suggestions are very welcome!

With Borgen now ending, BBC Four have looked to other Scandinavian TV imports to fill their schedules. 1864 is an eight-part epic set in the dark days of Denmark's bloody battle with Prussia and tells of two poor Danish brothers who both fall in love with a beautiful intellectual. Among the cast is Sidse Babett Knudsen who has captivated British audiences with her performance as Danish Prime Minister Birgitte Nyborg in Borgen.

Meanwhile Crimes of Passion, based on the crime novels of Maria Lang, is a series of six whodunits set in the Swedish mining district of Bergslagen in the Fifties. Like Wallander before it, Crimes of Passion will follow the same 90-minute format.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10510717/Nordic-costume-dramas-replace-Borgen-in-BBC-Fours-2014-schedule.html

PeterDuggan

and The Bridge S2, starting on BBC4 on Sat, 4/1/14.

seligehgit

PeterDuggan wrote: »

and The Bridge S2, starting on BBC4 on Sat, 4/1/14.

Can't wait to see Saga Noren again!:D

evilivor

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/nov/26/bbc-borgen-radio-4

English-language series based on Danish TV show will start on 16 December, starring Tim Pigott-Smith as Hans Gammelgaard

The radio show, Borgen: Outside the Castle will feature several characters from the acclaimed BBC4 series, led by Gammelgaard, the private secretary in the ministry of the environment.

The five-part series is an English adaptation of a Danish radio show; unlike the TV series, which recently returned for its third and final run, it will be in English (subtitles not so effective on the radio).

opus

seligehgit wrote: »

Have you seen season 2 of Broen??

Nope but it will be my xmas viewing I think

Thanks for the heads-up!

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Eurovisionmad wrote: »

I suppose this is why, despite the fact that I will miss it, DR are right to stop after the 3rd season, if this was an American programme there'd have to be at least 10 seasons, the storyline would have to be ruined and have no remaining viewers before the TV execs get the hint and stop. DR can leave behind 3 good seasons and not have them tainted by some very mediocre forced later seasons.

And each season would be 22 episodes long with about 7 of them being filler episodes where nothing actually happens and there'd be endless close ups of iphone's or car logos throughout.

I agree completely though. If it was an American show, what we've gotten over the 3 series would only make up about a season and a half of American TV. The BBC are good at this too. 6-10 high quality episodes a year is better then 22 mediocre episodes. I was actually reading something the other day that suggested some networks in the US were starting to commission mini series rather than full season shows. I think the fact that cable TV is doing big things with TV now the networks are having to reassess.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Well..... that's that then

Last two episodes were good. I enjoyed the TV station stuff so much more in these two episodes than I did all series. I'm not sure Torben deserved a happy ending but his explanation to his wife about Pia thinking he was brilliant when nobody else did was kind of sad and Ulrik and Hanne standing up for him was great too.

I suppose Birgitte getting in as PM again would have been too happy an ending and she stayed true to her character by turning it down for the good of her country. Still don't see the point of Jeremy though, same role could easily have been played by a Danish actor, I really didn't like it when they were speaking English, found it really jarring.

All in all though, best show about Danish politics I've ever watched

spank_inferno

So a party returning 7% of the seats (13 / 179) elects the Prime minister & a few ministries.

And after getting tired of his mistress Torben d
Suddenly remembers he has a devoted wife & two sons.

Implausable ending.

seligehgit

Enjoyed the final 2 episodes, yeah it would have been a tad implausible if she'd been returned as PM after claiming only 13 seats.The use of the English language was a big negative and totally unnecessary.Fob to English speaking fans. Borgen has run it's course,roll on Broen.

patmac

spank_inferno wrote: »

So a party returning 7% of the seats (13 / 179) elects the Prime minister & a few

You obviously missed the recent elections in Ireland with Jackie Healy-Rae/Tony Gregory etc holding various parties to ransoms. I enjoyed the series and will miss Birgett,glad she didn't die of breast cancer in the end.

spank_inferno

patmac wrote: »

You obviously missed the recent elections in Ireland with Jackie Healy-Rae/Tony Gregory etc holding various parties to ransoms. I enjoyed the series and will miss Birgett,glad she didn't die of breast cancer in the end.

Which of the above were prime minister or held a cabinet post?

Not a legit equivalence.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

The only reason the other parties were offering her PM was because they were desperate to hold onto the power they had. The Labor (I think) guy was about to be ousted by his deputy and he was willing to forgo being PM to guarantee his party was in government and he held on to his position as leader. The Freedom party woman was just desperate to be in government and oust yer man as party leader. So while it's a bit ridiculous that a tiny part leader would be PM the reasons they gave behind the offer made sense. Birgitte herself was the one who actually took issue with her party only having 13 seats and in the end put the good of the country before her own ambitions. Perfectly believable.

DeepBlue

Series 3 was quite a bit weaker than the previous series. The TV1 plot with Alex Hort and Torben was too cartoonish to be believable. Unless some of those X-Factor style political shows are actually being made in Denmark then it just had no credibility.

Kasper was really missed. He just had a cameo role in this series (presumably due to other commitments) and Katrine was a poor substitute as she's just an unlikeable, judgmental character with little self-awareness.

Re: Jeremy - he's not as anachronistic as may appear because Neil Kinnock's (former Labour party leader in the UK) son is married to the current Danish PM so it's not all that far out there. Still I think most people were hoping for a Birgitte/Philip reconciliation.

I also think the series suffered a bit with Birgitte on the outside of mainstream politics and trying to get back in as there is a bit more glamour there when she was Statesminister and dealing with all the issues that arose out of that.

Still though a weaker than usual Borgen is still a lot better than most of stuff on TV.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

DeepBlue wrote: »

Re: Jeremy - he's not as anachronistic as may appear because Neil Kinnock's (former Labour party leader in the UK) son is married to the current Danish PM so it's not all that far out there. Still I think most people were hoping for a Birgitte/Philip reconciliation.

I bet Neil Kinnock's son can speak Danish though.

brian_t

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

I bet Neil Kinnock's son can speak Danish though.

How is his Danish?

Actually, he speaks remarkably good Danish.

http://cphpost.dk/news/who-is-stephen-kinnock.141.html

The Black Oil

Have been catching up here.

I did think Birgitte's very poor debate performance was maybe taken a little too far dramatically, though they discussed it in control room (where everyone has sex?) after, so I guess that evened things out a bit.

Torben was always for the chop, but had the last laugh. His duelling with Alex (plonker) was fun, if indeed stretched at times. Magnus's helium balloon brought a nice bit of levity and driving up to the Castle (great to see it again) with the family was a strong nod to the pilot. Loved the visuals of Bent and Birgitte's final meeting. She's far too principled to become PM with 13 seats, though. I would have liked to see Katrine have an opposite number - another spin doctor to fight with, but I guess Kasper (breadcrumbs/hints) and the media largely filled that role.

In terms of wish fulfilment, even though they show a good deal of the grunt work involved in politics, I think overall it's about on a par with The West Wing, and at times the outcomes were a little predictable. Think earlier seasons were stronger.

spank_inferno

The Black Oil wrote: »

I think overall it's about on a par with The West Wing

What fresh hell is this?

The Black Oil

I was referring to the wish fulfillment/idealism component.

DeepBlue

Looks like the series is coming to TG4 starting on January 30th.
I would assume that this is series 1.

brian_t

DeepBlue wrote: »

Looks like the series is coming to TG4 starting on January 30th.
I would assume that this is series 1.

I assume that will be in the Boss slot.

Mr E

Spoilers added to thread title. If anyone watching it at Irish pace wants to start a new thread at the end of the month, feel free.

Infoanon

Finally got to see the final 2 episodes.

Thought it was a very strong end making you wish there was a season 4!

Overall season 3 was weaker than 1 and 2 though the absence of Kasper and the English dialogue did not help.

I wonder did Gilmore and Enda have the same discussion re foreign affairs !

snubbleste

snubbleste in Feb 2013 wrote: »

Can we not petition/convince TG4 to buy it and screen it before then? :cool:

Yes we can. And yes it works

mafaa

HBO Planning A Remake Of 'Borgen'

'Borgen' Producer Discusses HBO's Deal For the Danish Drama

The Black Oil

Your link doesn't work there.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/borgen-producer-discusses-hbos-deal-673744

The US political landscape doesn't really suit coalition TV drama. Maybe there could be an episode where Birgitte calls over on a state visit. :P

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

This US remake has been talked about since the first series of Borgen. I don't know that it would work. Hard to make a show about US politics and not have it compared to The West Wing, plus there's that House of Cards show and Scandal too, which are politics based.

robjones1981

DeepBlue wrote: »

Looks like the series is coming to TG4 starting on January 30th.
I would assume that this is series 1.

Anyone know if this will be series 1, episode 1?