I won't get into too much comparison between the BBC version and the Swedishversion. They both have their strengths. Personally, I prefer the slow,deliberate pacing of the Swedish version but I can understand why most Americans would prefer the faster paced BBC show. My praise, though, is for Krister Henriksson as Kurt Wallander who captures the main character and Fredrik Gunnarsson who plays Svartman, a supporting role. In their hands, these are real people. You should watch the show just for their acting! The plots are intricate, the characters real and filming is superb. Underlying many of the plots are some of the hidden tensions in Swedish life such as tensions caused by immigration, skinheads, and even the role of the Lutheran Church. All these issues are handled subtly and tend to form the background for a particular episode.
