New Danish Political Drama On BBC4!

PoochJD

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Hi,

If you're a fan of foreign language dramas, and are missing BRAQUO, FORBRYDELSEN, ENGRENAGES or WALLANDER, then BBC4 have a new series for you to get your teeth into.

This time, it's a Danish drama called BORGEN, set amongst the world of Danish politics and govenment, and it's from the same team as FORBRYDELSEN. :smashin:

Season 1 runs for 10 episodes, and BBC4 are airing these at two episodes every Saturday night, between 9pm-11pm, from Saturday 7th January, for the next five weekends. There are already Seasons 2 and 3 in existance.

A brief episode guide can be found here.


Pooch
 
Thanks I'll set the Sky+. Forbrydelsen or The Killing as it's known here is excellent. A real masterclass in acting too.
 
Series link set here, also. Looks like a double-bill to start with, presumably the case for it's run, as with The Killing II.

Fear I'm becoming a bit addicted to foreign language drama. Enjoyed both seasons of The Killing, and Braquo (and can't wait for the second season of that). Wish I'd watched Mesrine or whatever it was called, too. About to buy the Millennium trilogy box set on DVD, so I can carry on indulging at my leisure.

Also find that you don't even notice the subtitles after a while. In the scene in The Killing II where Buch gets drunk, it was some time before I noticed he was speaking in English, and that was only when I wondered where the subtitles had gone.
 
I think it's great news that non-English speaking drama series are becoming more popular in the UK. I hope the BBC will cast their eye at other European countries. The German mafia series In Face of the Crime was a huge hit there and it would very much appeal to the audience for Spiral and The Killing

In Face of the Crime (TV Series 2010) - IMDb
 
Hi,

The one foreign-language drama I really, REALLY want to see either on a UK broadacst channel, or with English Subtitles on DVD, is the German action/thriller series ALARM FUR COBRA 11: DIE AUTOBAHNPOLIZEI, which ran for an astonishing 29 series, spread over 15 years, plus a spin-off show called ALARM FUR COBRA 11: EINSATZ FUR TEAM 2, which only ran for 12 episodes over 2 years.

Episode guides can be found here and here.

To see what it was all about, have a look at these clips off of YouTube. Apologies, but these are all in original German / dubbed-Spanish, with no English subtitles.











There is also an excellent Australian action/drama series called EAST WEST 101 which I can heartily recommend too. It's about the ramifications of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan through everyday crimes committed in Australia, and investigated by the Sydney Major Crime Squad. It's very gritty, and tough, and a bit like "24" mixed with "The Shield" and "ER".

Here's the first 10 minutes of the very first episode of Season 1, which someone has uploaded onto YouTube, for your viewing pleasure. :)




Pooch
 
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Hi,

Well, I've just finished BORGEN Episode 1, and it was fantastic TV! :clap: It's fast paced, intelligent, sophisticated, and very, very exciting. I can now see why it's been described as the "Danish WEST WING".

The subtitles were detailed and moved quite fast, so that'll keep you on your toes, but it was rivetting TV, and I can't wait to see how the remaining nine episodes pan out. (Episode 2 was also broadcast on Saturday night.) I also liked the fact the series was shot in 2.20:1 rather than the usual TV ratio of 1.85:1. It certainly gave the drama a more cinematic feel to it all. :)

If anyone missed it, BBC4 is repeating the episodes every Wednesday night / early hours of Thursday morning, around Midnight.


Pooch
 
I wonder if Ch4 have already bought it, and what will it be called ... Government / The Hill (too obvious, overused) / Capitol Hill / DC ??? ...
- NBC To Adapt Danish Drama ‘Borgen’ With ‘FNL’s David Hudgins And Jason Katims – Deadline.com (old news from last September)

Not to be compared, but I'll probably prefer Armando Iannucci's Veep, his new office of the Vice President based addition to his The Thick of It/In the Loop family (with Seinfeld's Julia Louis-Dreyfus, In The Loop's Anna Chlumsky and Arrested Development's Tony Hale) - picked up by HBO for a full 12-episode season, and the first major TV production in Baltimore since The Wire.
 
Azzin,

Sorry to hear your recording failed. At least you have another chance to catch the show, late on Wednesday night. :)

And, trust me, it's fantastic TV. I watched episode 2 last night, and I was gripped. One of those shows you just don't want to end, and I really wanted to see the next couple of episodes straightaway. :thumbsup: Alas, I've got to wait until Saturday now, for BBC4 to broadcast them. :(

I heartily recommend people try this show, as if you enjoy great dramas, or great political dramas (ala THE WEST WING), then this is simply must-see-TV! It's that good! :clap:

I just hope that the BBC will buy Seasons 2 and 3 ASAP! :)


Pooch
 
First two epsiodes recorded safely here, thankfully. Think I'm going to take the same approach with The Killing II and record the whole series, then watch the whole lot in a couple of days. Assuming I can wait that long...
 
I thoroughly enjoyed them too...who would have thought a subtitled Tv series about Danish politics would make gripping Tv...enjoyed seeing some old faces from "The Killing" too.
The acting is superb, the scene where the blonde Tv presenter came across the medallion and broke down brought a lump to my throat.
 
Hi,

Just bumping the thread, as I have a small bit of news, r.e. BORGEN. BBC4 is showing episodes 3 and 4 tonight - Saturday 14th Jan, with a repeat of the same two episodes, late on Wednesday 18th/early-hours of Thursday 19th Jan, if you should miss them.

Secondly, and more importantly: the BBC/Arrow Releasing are releasing BORGEN on UK DVD on 6th February 2012. :) You can pre-order it off of Amazon, here for £25.99. The DVD release contains the BBC4 British-English subtitle translation, and comes on 3-discs!

However, the show is also available on Danish Blu-Ray, and it appears to come with an American-English subtitle translation. See here for more info, courtesy of Warner's Netherlands! :clap: Alas, the price is £39-99, and comes on 2 Blu-Ray 50gb discs!

Lastly, BORGEN Season 2 is also out on Danish DVD, if you're eager to see it, but it comes at a hefty price - almost £60 - see here! :eek: Extras include Danish audio-commentaries, and deleted scenes. Like Season 1, it's also been produced and released in a 2.35:1 ratio! :thumbsup:

You pays your money, and you makes your choice, as they say. ;) Still, it's good to see this show out so soon in the UK, after its TV transmission. :)


Pooch
 
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Record bump for borgen back on TV BBC Alba are starting from the start at 11pm if like me you missed it and never got round to catching up.
 
Ah, but sub-titles will it have? English of Gaelic?
 
Good question! Previous foreign language series on Alba were English subs
 
You could also binge it on iPlayer, since it's all there for over a year, as is Forbrydelsen (The Killing)


 

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