Muristek
Borgen again! The most prescient show on TV is back – and still working its magic
The stunning Danish political drama made many major predictions that ended up coming true. Ahead of its return, its stars and creator talk about their moody update – and why they seem more clairvoyant than ever
Borgen snuck into the UK at the start of the last decade among the great wave of Scandi – or Nordic – noir, instigated by the likes of The Killing and Wallander. Only Borgen was nothing like these shows – no grisly murders, no unexpected deaths, minimal knitwear, and zero high-stakes shoot-outs. Instead, it was a deftly written, stunningly shot political drama, following Birgitte Nyborg – played beautifully by Sidse Babett Knudsen – who unexpectedly becomes Denmark’s first female Statsminister (prime minister).
Focusing not only on the political machinations of Borgen (literally “the Castle”, the Danish nickname for Christiansborg Palace, where the government – run on a system of proportional representation – resides), but also the personal lives of the politicians and journalists in its orbit, it quickly became a firm favourite in the “golden age” of TV. This was a remarkable achievement, not only because it was Denmark’s first attempt at a political drama, but also because it focused on the minutiae of Dansk politik, such as pig farming and oil revenues, and somehow took international viewers along for the ride – with some excellent Danish interior design thrown in for good measure.
Continue reading...