By JESSE KORNBLUTH
Season 3 of “Borgen” ended nearly a decade ago, and as the years passed, the series loomed larger. Those who watched it knew it was a rarity: brilliantly written, acted and directed, and smart about politics and people in a way American shows just aren’t. Well, good news — Netflix launches a fourth season on June 2, with the cast and creators intact. If you missed every plea from me to watch the first three seasons, you have homework. Here, in the Times, is a preview.
“Borgen” is shorthand for “the castle,” the home of the Danish Parliament and the government’s executive offices. It’s where Birgitte Nyborg — in the series, Denmark’s first female prime minister — spends every waking hour, trying to keep the support of her modest majority and move the country forward. It’s not an easy task, and it’s not her only task. She’s married, with two children, and her husband and her kids also need attention.
“Borgen” is some of the smartest TV ever made.
America missed the “Borgen” phenomenon. It riveted 40% of the citizens of Denmark — okay, the population of Denmark is only 5.8 million — and was a major hit in Europe. In the United States, Stephen King beat the drums for it, calling “Borgen” the best show of 2012.
“Borgen” asks compelling questions. One, can you acquire power and still be yourself — and is there a psychic law that says you lose some connection to yourself every time you gain more power? Two, is it possible to have a career and a meaningful family life and marriage at the same time?
There’s no Danish actress better suited for the role of prime minister than Sidse Babett Knudsen. (You may remember her as the rich man’s wife in After the Wedding.) In the beginning, Knudsen was surprised that “Borgen” became a phenomenon: “Our language is one of the most ugly and limited around. You can’t seduce anyone in Danish — it sounds like you are throwing up.” Later, she understood: “There are great dialogue pieces with wonderful characters. And it was about the nature of political compromise, and that rang a bell.”
“Borgen” will ring many bells for you.
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This post was previously published on headbutler.com
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Photo credit: iStockPhoto.com
