TV detectives

[antongould]

Dare I ask if anyone watched the latest 3 Wallenders and if so if they have any views thereon?

[Northender]

I watched last night's episode. It was ...well, better than OK, but there were a lot of devices - cars speeding along empty roads, stills showing lakes and other bleak landscape - that were familiar from what I would call the 'definitive' Swedish series. Kenneth Branagh (whom I basically admire) seemed to spend much of the time trying very hard not to be to 'actorly' and/or not Kenneth Branagh, which - perversely - served to remind me that it was Kenneth Branagh I was watching. The father-and-daughter relationship was well done. I missed the world-weariness of the 'original' Wallander - Branagh's just seemed to be miserable for no apparent reason. The sociological aspects of the crimes seem to have been downplayed somewhat. I gather that Henning Mankel is a great fan of KB's depiction of Wallander. I wouldn't like to say which 'Jussi' was better
To sum up: worth watching, but it doesn't displace the original in my affections.

[Caliban]

Dare I ask if anyone watched the latest 3 Wallenders and if so if they have any views thereon?

Scandi-faux-noir... Doesn't cut the mustard after the real thing. I found the first two rather tedious.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

Branagh's portrayal of Wallander is so dysfunctional one wonders how he would hold down a job as a street sweeper .......

[Caliban]

Branagh's portrayal of Wallander is so dysfunctional one wonders how he would hold down a job as a street sweeper .......

Quite.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Branagh's portrayal of Wallander is so dysfunctional one wonders how he would hold down a job as a street sweeper .......

Yes. And North's description of him "spend[ing] much of the time trying very hard not to be to 'actorly' and/or not Kenneth Branagh, which - perversely - served to remind me that it was Kenneth Branagh I was watching" is right on the money.

Still much better than "man-boobs" Wallander", though.

[Pegleg]

Naff and naff, and ... well I haven't watched the third one. Perhaps "nothing" was better after all.

[Anna]

I haven't seen the original Wallender. I watched the Branagh first episode, I think The Bridge and The Killing were too fresh in my mind. I didn't bother with the other episodes and I missed the subtitles. Why can't Branagh learn Swedish?

[Northender]

Have you tried googling 'Wallender' [sic], by the way?

[Anna]

Have you tried googling 'Wallender' [sic], by the way?

No, I hadn't. I now realise I was very foolish in expecting the original Wallender (that I had not seen) was, in fact, not what I thought was a film noire involving Swedes, talking Swedish. I shall now retire in total disarray! And admit my ignorance. I'm not proud, I can do humble.