This is the third and final review I'll be doing for Borgen; the series was ended by DR after this run as the network doesn't like to run ideas into the ground.
Which means we sadly won't be getting any more of a wonderful political series.****
At
the end of Season 2, Birgitte Nyborg called a general election, while
spin-doctor Kasper Juul and TV journalist Katrine Fønsmark decided to
have a baby together. Things, we soon learn, did not exactly go to plan -
for one thing, the former lost and the latter two broke up.
Two and a half years later, ex-PM
Nyborg (out of the Folktinge, plus no longer party leader) is now a
highly paid business speaker with handsome English boyfriend and Kasper
Juul is now a media pundit at TV1... while his ex-partner Katrine is
having to juggle her job with being a single mother. Then a
controversial new immigration bill from the Liberal government of
returned PM Lars Hesselboe changes things for two of them, especially
when Nyborg's Moderates back it.
Birgitte returns to Denmark where
she tries a leadership challenge, recruiting Katrine as her spin doctor
(an interesting role reversal)... which fails. So, Birgitte Nyborg
decides to set up her own party and the New Democrats begin their
attempt to change Denmark for the better from a ramschackle office
(which once had a Nazi collaborator for an owner), but something is
wrong with our politician...****
We get an updated title sequence here to reflect the changes of the characters - it's one of the best things about the show.
Birgitte's family doesn't play as big
a role here as in Season 2, although it does remain a crucial one. Her
ex-husband and her get along (which is more than can be said for many
divorced couples), while her daughter appears to have resolved her
mental issues. Jeremy, a new character arguably added for the show's UK
audience is enjoyable and has some great lines, but to be honest, he
wasn't really needed. Nyborg's health issues are sensitively and well
portrayed by Knudsen; she experiences something that many people have
gone through, personally or through relatives having it - it mostly
feels convincing, bar a final bit about it.
As
for her party, the New Democrats, they do seem to be a bit wishy-washy
in their policy, trying to occupy the centre ground when in reality it
tends to get you shot at from both sides. They seem to chop and change
their policy pretty quickly (the episode on prostitution, while very
thought-provoking is no doubt an example of this). While there are an
number of great characters in there (Bent, Nete, Jon) one doesn't help
feeling that this party is getting its popularity from being the
Birgitte Nyborg party that isn't the "Right Moderates" and a crash is
looming for them. Perhaps.
TV1 provides us with another
interesting take on the principles versus popularity issue; some of the
funniest moments in this run involve that station and Hjort's quest for
ratings, although TV 2's handball game really takes the cake... I
thought they were joking when it was first mentioned. Torben's affair
and the ramifications of that is also well handled. Do Danish party
leaders really have that many television discussions?
The overall plot and storylines are very good, even if the rise (well,
relative rise) of the New Democrats isn't entirely convincing... but
then again, sometimes elections do turn on single events, the 2010 UK
one being a notable case. The prostitution episode as mentioned got me
thinking my own views on the issue and the episode on pig farming was
great for humour, albeit with a sad twist at the end. The Kasper-Katrine
relationship was again well done; kudos for not taking an obvious
solution, as this isn't a rom-com.
The final four episodes deal with
a snap election called by Hesselboe and the New Democrats eventually
playing a major role. The final 30 minutes twist and turn, with Birgitte
facing a tough decision. Her choice was probably the best one for
Denmark and I say this as someone who would vote for the Social
Democrats (the RL equivalent of Borgen's Labour Party).
Conclusion
An
excellent third run of a series with strong storylines and a lot packed
into its ten episodes. It's a shame it ended, but it had run its course
- reviews in Denmark were not as positive for this as the previous run
and dragging this out for a fourth go might have been too much for it...
like a certain show I'll be reviewing.
Tak, Birgitte. You'll be missed.9/10
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