This Danish/Swedish co-production starts in dramatic style when a body is found in the middle of the Øresund Bridge; half in Denmark, half in Sweden. Swedish officer Saga Norén claims the case should be dealt with by the Malmo police as the head is in Sweden and she recognises the victim as a local councillor. Martin Rohde, the Danish officer sent to the scene doesn't object and it looks as if that will be that until it is realised they are dealing with two half-bodies; the top is the Swedish politician but the bottom half belonged to a Danish prostitute who had been killed a year before! Clearly the killer had been planning this for a long time. It soon becomes apparent that the killer has no intention of stopping at two deaths; he has a series of events planned and each event is intended to highlight some perceived injustices in the two countries.
Saga and Martin are two very different characters; she is totally by the book, very direct but not at all empathetic... it is never explicitly stated but it seems likely she has Asperger syndrome; Martin meanwhile is far more relaxed about breaking the rules, he is also feeling rather sensitive in the early episodes though as he has just had a vasectomy! For a series with some fairly brutal crimes there are a surprising number of laughs; mostly because of Saga's behaviour. That might sound as they you are laughing at a disability but that wouldn't be the case; she may behave differently but her total lack of subtlety doesn't hold her back even if it does get her some funny looks; Sofia Helin is brilliant in the role, making her character one of my favourite TV detectives. While a more conventional character Martin, played by Kim Bodnia, is still entertaining to watch and makes the perfect foil to Saga. It isn't just a two person show though; the killer broadcasts his message by contacting a newspaper reporter and an early suspect is a Swedish social worker whose sister nearly becomes a victim of the killer. The mystery might be a little cliché... serial killers usually are... but the execution makes this series a joy to watch; there are plenty of twists and turns before we finally learn who the killer. Once we learn the killer's identity things do get a little melodramatic but that was okay as the conclusion was both exciting and shocking.
I would certainly recommend this to fans of detective fiction; particularly if you've been enjoying the various continental imports aired on BBC4... even if you are put off by the idea of watching something in another language give it a go... after a few minutes one barely notices that one is reading the subtitles.
Saga and Martin are two very different characters; she is totally by the book, very direct but not at all empathetic... it is never explicitly stated but it seems likely she has Asperger syndrome; Martin meanwhile is far more relaxed about breaking the rules, he is also feeling rather sensitive in the early episodes though as he has just had a vasectomy! For a series with some fairly brutal crimes there are a surprising number of laughs; mostly because of Saga's behaviour. That might sound as they you are laughing at a disability but that wouldn't be the case; she may behave differently but her total lack of subtlety doesn't hold her back even if it does get her some funny looks; Sofia Helin is brilliant in the role, making her character one of my favourite TV detectives. While a more conventional character Martin, played by Kim Bodnia, is still entertaining to watch and makes the perfect foil to Saga. It isn't just a two person show though; the killer broadcasts his message by contacting a newspaper reporter and an early suspect is a Swedish social worker whose sister nearly becomes a victim of the killer. The mystery might be a little cliché... serial killers usually are... but the execution makes this series a joy to watch; there are plenty of twists and turns before we finally learn who the killer. Once we learn the killer's identity things do get a little melodramatic but that was okay as the conclusion was both exciting and shocking.
I would certainly recommend this to fans of detective fiction; particularly if you've been enjoying the various continental imports aired on BBC4... even if you are put off by the idea of watching something in another language give it a go... after a few minutes one barely notices that one is reading the subtitles.