Top Ten: British Television!

Welcome to our new Top Tens series in celebration of I Think, Therefore I Review's Tenth Anniversary! These monthly lists will highlight special themes and topics from our extensive archive of reviews. 

 

This time I Think, Therefore I Review presents in chronological order...

Our Top Ten British Television!

I, Claudius

Mr. Bean

Sharpe

MI-5

The Tudors

Merlin

Wallander

Whitechapel

Downton Abbey

Silk

Please see our British tag for yet more Anglo analysis or visit our Television page for more reviews!

I Think, Therefore I Review began as the blog home for previously published reviews and reprinted critiques by horror author Kristin Battestella. Naturally older articles linked here may be out of date and codes or formatting may be broken. Please excuse any errors and remember our Top Tens will generally only include films, shows, books, or music previously reviewed at I Think, Therefore I Review.

Wallander: Series 3

More Cop Quality in Wallander Series 3

by Kristin Battestella

In 2012 Kenneth Branagh returned to UK television as Hennin Mankell's Swedish detective Wallander for another trio of 90 minute cases mixing personal angst and gritty crimes.

New house, new gal pal – things should be looking up for our eponymous copper in this first episode “An Event in Autumn.” Unfortunately, a labyrinthine Baltic ferry, brisk waves, and a traumatized young stowaway gone overboard bring the wayward Wallander back into the police fold alongside gruesome propeller damage, dockside bleak, and a teddy bear charm bracelet. And did I mention there are few unpleasantries buried right in Kurt's own backyard? A lot has been dumped in Wallander's lap, and some plot ties or closed circuit footage may seem slightly convenient. However escalating circumstances, new victims, pregnancy twists, prowlers at home, and suspicious real estate keep the intrigue moving. Shady families, creepy old men, and prostitution have our detectives breaking the rules yet again – leading to some very upsetting canine scenes, surprising injuries, and bittersweet hospital moments. Questionably obtained evidence, unsure witnesses, and doubtful facts add to the tension while violent car interiors, congested filming, unseen killer perspectives, shadowed photography, and contrasting lighting reflect the sinister at work. Fishy phone calls don't help as the dead bodies mount, but the mix of gray amid this case both criminal and personal layers the well built suspense. Wallander narrows the locations and suspects, creating a history will out and superb, yell at the television drama.

Telemovie two “The Dogs of Riga” picks up where the previous episode leaves off and adds more seagulls, clouded dark skies, and bodies adrift. Wallander still isn't to grips with the ongoing officer recoveries and everything that has happened, but mysterious prison tattoos, Latvian connections, and unforthcoming foreign detectives certainly contribute to his professional and private angst. The nonchalant English mixed with other languages, lingering revolutionary feelings, and more international intrigue may not seem as heavy or as close to home as the previous events. Time transitions from one scene to the next also feel super fast – in less than a week people can travel to the continent and be killed and buried. Thankfully, the pains in Ystad and abroad parallel prior angst as the mystery deepens via sulfuric acid, cocaine heists, dead informants, and solemn funerary. Undercover drug details and suspicious superiors interfere with all the back and forth phone calls, missing faxes, and notes slipped under the door. This loose police work has even Wallander side eyeing his Latvian comrades over rules and regulations! Gangs, journalists, and remnants of KGB espionage simmer as affairs and corruption unravel amid abductions and missing files. The straightforward police stand offs are well filmed, yet hidden in plain sight clues, tender moments, and clever deductions raise the bar.

“Before the Frost” begins with beautiful nature and things looking up until disturbing violence, animal abuses, and former friends unable to deal with past traumas shatter all positive strides. Yes, it is again convenient that a childhood friend of Kurt's daughter shows up at his new house out of the blue but with a seemingly related piece of case. However, this familiarity layers more history and clues on the crime while a missing grandmother, maze like trails, and scorched, shallow bodies belie that nuclear safety and the lakeside lovely. Danish suggestions, Biblical evidence, fundamental churches, painful animal traps, and aliases add to the confusion as a shootout siege goes wrong and scarred suspects watch the police mistakes from within the trees. More family surprises and previous relationships elevate the high speed chase through the countryside, and the pursuit is well edited to parallel the dangerous trains and hate crimes. Abortion talk, changing Christian ideologies, and Creationism in schools are big background topics, but the personal struggles and deep conversations anchor the investigation at hand as people are burned alive over differing spiritual thoughts. Tense one on one scenes work well with smartly used video clips, audio calls, and secret bank accounts as cults and following in the family footsteps go to extremes. Amid all the fires, multiple attacks, and warped dangers, Wallander keeps the individual reflections and bittersweet memories at the forefront for a layered finale that is both sweeping with hostage toppers and an intimate denouement.

Wallander producer and star Sir Kenneth Branagh returns as our titular but crusty copper who just can't get his life together. It's so pleasing to see Kurt cleaned up and happy to start this third season. He's well adjusted and centered at home in the beautiful country complete with a family dog. But of course, that immediately recognizable mobile ringtone just won't quit, and if his family couldn't handle the detective life before, why is there reason to think a new one would now? When your cases are so sickening, it's no easier for Wallander to go home at the end of the day even to a happy place – not that he can catch a break when there are literal skeletons buried on his new idyllic property. He may have left drowning himself in the bottle behind, but his work will always find him, causing him to miss his daughter's nuptials and fall asleep in his favorite chair as usual. Kurt has several cute and endearing moments with his dog, for whom he can leave his work at the door and not have to talk about his day. However, this companionship isn't peace enough for him when his recklessness gets a fellow officer hurt and resolving a case will always be more important than calling home. Wallander yells at the perpetrator instead of shouting at himself over his own mistakes, but strives on with his own breaking the rules kind of righteous. Kurt needs the validation of finding himself at the end of the investigation and refuses to believe in coincidence when crime is in play.

Saskia Reeves (Luther) is a little under utilized as Kurt's new girlfriend Vanja Andersson, but she provides the right too good to be true balance against Wallander's prior despairing. Vanja and her blink and you miss him son seem too sweet and innocent – they will not be able to handle Wallander's personal heavy nor the work burdens he places upon himself and thus them. Ironic counseling symmetry accents Wallander's ongoing tug and pull between work steeped in life and death daily. We viewers see the writing on the wall as soon as Kurt thinks something bad is happening to him which Vanja corrects as “us.” She says what we are thinking, whether it's what she wants to hear or not. Lithuanian actress Ingeborga Dapkunaite (Hannibal Rising) as Baiba Liepa adds a new and interesting dynamic for Kurt as well. Here is a former freedom fighter from a rebuilt country who understands how to take the simple day to day moments when you can get them rather than making domestic demands. Will that hopeful stick for Wallander? We shall see. On her game as always, Sarah Smart continues to tread carefully alongside Wallander as the level headed inspector Anne-Britt Hoglund. She's both sensitive to Kurt's new life but has been promoted and is ready to move on herself. Of course, Wallander won't actually say he doesn't want her to transfer, but he makes things right when she sticks with him even at extreme risk to herself. We don't see her as much in this Wallander, but Anne-Britt remains a superb catalyst over these three episodes.

Likewise, Jeany Spark as daughter Linda remains on terse terms with Wallander in Episode Three. There's bitterness over her wedding fallout and she is also trying to move up in the world, but their love for each other ebbs and flows alongside investigations that push them apart or bring them together for some very beautiful moments. Perhaps Wallander is missing Tom Hiddleston this season, but Rebekah Stanton (Raised by Wolves) isn't as dynamic or given enough to do as new paper pushing detective Kristina Albinsson compared to the ornery Magnus Martinsson. However, in a season of strong female characters, she oddly doesn't seem to mind her backseat role and accepts being relatively ignored by Kurt. This season, Wallander is definitely about the man himself rather than any squad room interplay or ensemble uplift. Was Kristina even necessary? Maybe not, but Barnaby Kay (New Tricks) as new boss Lennart Mattson is also lacking compared to prior team leader Sadie Shimmin. He's a yes man in a suit who doesn't appear often much less have time for any good repartee with Wallander and ultimately feels more like a rookie than the authority figure meant to reign in Kurt's wayward. It's horrible to say but Mark Hadfied (Into the Woods) as Stefan Lindeman and the returning Richard McCabe as Sven Nyberg are also treated as interchangeable this season. Both are good with procedure, know how to work the case the right way, and provide steady detective exposition when needed yet I had to double take each time one of them came or went.

Fortunately, the look and feel of Wallander is once again on point with unique Swedish scenery and on location Latvian filming. Assorted European accents and Scandinavian names may be confusing at first, but the vocals add flavor alongside well placed foghorns, phone rings, and gunshots contributing to the sharp editing and suspense. While its not in your face, Wallander provides some surprising violence and shootouts to fit the plot. Harsh outdoors, cold winds, and bitter landscapes provide realism while dark, grimy interiors sell the shady. Older technology, dated cameras, flip phones, and fax machines, help keep the investigations somewhat more downtrodden despite the lovely photography and cinematic design. Compared to the same old downhill Law and Order: Special Victims Unit or the always up intensity of the 24 styled, action oriented detective dramas stateside, I'll take Wallander win win for its intelligent manner and angsty casework. Audiences have to pay attention here, almost becoming interactive as we spot clues alongside the cast, deduce, and gasp over the twists, turns, and outcomes. Rather than dumb down its entertainment, Wallander is a well woven tapestry remaining sophisticated for viewers seeking a more meaty detective drama. 

 

Wallander: Series 2

Wallander Season 2 Continues the Quality

By Kristin Battestella

After a fine first season for Wallander, this second trio of British episodes from 2010 continues to adapt the Swedish Henning Mankell novels into gritty detective drama.

Year Two kicks off with “Faceless Killers” and the dual murder of a rural elderly couple, eerie heavy breathing, bleak isolation at the crime scene, dim lighting, and dim chances of survival. Why this couple? The age of the victim makes a senseless crime even more difficult to accept – not to mention the possibilities of prejudice or racism as motivation for the attack. The sad, symbolic white horse is a familiar trope, but it creates an extra layer of lonely, bittersweet, and free against the secrets, revelations, finances, and mistresses unraveled in this investigation. Translation troubles, press leaks, and phone threats interfere with the case and up the ante for Wallander. Whether it is a life taken by wrong means, natural causes, or erroneous retaliations, this is an intriguing look at ageism and new family dynamics – touchy, timely topics still relevant despite the five year date on these episodes. Wallander has a bit more action here as well, with some truck chases and shootouts, yet the one on one intimate and personal reflection remain as the 90 minutes mount. Does one project his own anxieties onto the investigation, jump the trigger, misinterpret the case, and influence secondary crimes? When mistakes are made as the violence escalates, who’s to blame, the cops or the criminals? Wallander provides no easy answers, but offers plenty of a self-doubt and drama.

Next, Wallander tackles spiritual elements and a sense of reflection in “The Man Who Smiled.” Opening prayers, rosaries, and crosses on the wall lead to personal loss for our titular copper after a friend asks him to investigate a seemingly simple car accident. Time moves quickly here, but consequences from the previous episode create a jaded mood – the electric is turned off, mail is piling up at home, and quiet, dark, pensive scenes let the brooding simmer. On the job trauma and the awkwardness in returning to the squad room bring change to the inter office dynamics as investigators argue amongst themselves. Things seemed to be a-okay without Wallander and his unstable inability to cope, imagine that! Wallander skips some of the unnecessary details or by the book steps –Kurt never says when he is officially back to work and there are probably technicalities about taking up arms again. The crimes may not be as severe this outing as well and big topics such as white savior African causes, corrupt foundations, and black market trade have varying heavy moments here. However, the hesitancy of wearing a side arm and the questioning of when a case isn’t personal add excellent humanity. What does the gun have to do with the mental solving of a case? Must police be totally on form and always at the ready? Is there still room for internal inspection and examination when a case doesn’t get to you or when the crime doesn’t touch your soul? Red tape and technicalities become pretty irrelevant when criminals are choosing who lives and dies and measuring the scale of right and wrong by the body count.

“The Fifth Woman” begins with a somewhat mundane murder, but Wallander excels at having such routine death, gruesome crows, abuses, and torture as the catalyst for an assessment of the living. More family heavy throws a loop as a seemingly simplistic case escalates towards more tragedy. When does the body of a person become a corpse? For some numbed by dealing with death daily, a dead body is always just a body – but what of those who grieve too much or never mourn at all? Some scenes here are so still they look almost like freeze frames portraits. The detectives tell the bereaved that they understand the difficulty of one’s loss, but they can’t quite accept their own cynical inability to cope. Rifts and familial relationships help Wallander in discovering oneself, but often the realizations come too late. The show’s taut design belies the falling apart nature of its eponymous detective and the seemingly random series of events – serial killers and international shenanigans galore yet Wallander is taking justice into his own hands. It’s okay to kill those who deserve to die, right? Honestly, I was shouting at the television during this finale!

Now that he’s diabetic and has had a vacation between Series 1 and 2, Wallander is a little more sensitive with witnesses – but not by much! Kurt had a pleasant family trip last hurrah, but dealing with his father’s illness is anything but healing for him. He’s still wearing his wedding ring yet allows the racial aspects of a case to influence his personal views about his daughter’s new relationship. However, when Wallander says he’s interested in the truth, not what’s the proper or politically correct thing to do, we believe him. Of course, that doesn’t mean he can handle his family, do what is medically necessary, or accept help during an investigation much less give up on a case if he is personally targeted or in over his head.  At times, the viewer has to wonder how Wallander is still a detective! Aged friends and acquaintances in worse circumstances remember him in younger and happier times, and everyone except him knows he can’t sustain this burning it at both ends lifestyle. Kurt doesn’t notice how death shadows him unless he’s on a case – to him a piece is missing if there is no crusade. Whether he has a badge or not, Wallander admits mistakes are made, but may absolution yet be found? Kenneth Branagh again exemplifies this frazzled state of mind with stuttering and a drunken, ill look. The physical tolls of the job are made visual as the tears and breakdowns mount. But hey, Kurt finally takes a shower this season!  

Well, well, Tom Hiddleston’s sophomore inspector Magnus Martinsson hasn’t grown up much since we last saw Wallander either. He jumps to an easy conclusion and blunders the case yet again in what feels like a character reset after some positive strides to end Season 1. Magnus is wearing more button down shirts and sport coats – he looks like a detective instead of tech support and gets himself together away from Kurt. However, if he hasn’t advanced in the squad room by now, he’ll probably always be the ho hum cop answering phones, doing paperwork, and playing secretary. Fortunately, Magnus again provides much needed moments of humor, rolling his eyes at Wallander’s personal crap and sentimental interference. He may complain at some of his menial investigative chores or grow frustrated when others succeed over him, but Magnus doesn’t let a case get to him, which is something Kurt should learn. Wallander does admit that he trusts Magnus, which ultimately says a lot – whether or not they make mistakes, the two are a lot alike and work well together. Hiddleston looks great thanks to the leftover bulk up from his Thor auditions with Branagh, but I swear, not only must he have kept some of Magnus’ clothes, but I also think he might still wear them. And my goodness that hair enters the room before he does! Richard McCabe (The Duchess) as Sven Nyberg likewise knows how to bounce with Wallander, providing important analysis or ballistics information. Though Nyberg is solid crime scene support for Wallander when we do see him, he unfortunately seems to be off screen and referred to more than he’s seen and sometimes feels like a composite wunderkind catch all – he handles medical examinations and forensics, too!

Sarah Smart as Anne-Britt Hoglund is also on form, unafraid to go searching for the information needed on Wallander. She’s strong in the office but sensitive to life beyond the case, and has even had the rest of the Ystad crew over for dinner. Anne-Britt continues to prove a balance between work and life is possible – she gets home on time and puts her kids to bed. Sadie Shimmin toes the line, too, reining in Wallander as boss Lisa Holgersson. She wants more people on the case and chews Kurt out for his behavior but often gives his tenacity the benefit of the doubt. These ladies look and act realistically – they are dressed in appropriate work attire and don’t wear badass tight leather or sassy badges on their hips. Again, Wallander is obviously not about the secondary cast, but it might have been nice to go home with the rest of the squad in comparison to Kurt’s topsy-turvy. His daughter Jeany Spark is grown up with a new man in her life. It’s not easy for Wallander to accept and his opinion is not the one she wants to hear. Guest star Vincent Regan (300, Troy) also creates an antagonistic yet bittersweet ex-cop equivalent for Wallander, but dad David Warner again delivers a wonderfully tender performance. He’s pitifully ill, clinging to his art and dignity while losing his sanity. It’s upsetting for a son to see the source so broken, but the realistic, difficult pleas and loss of faculties don’t stop him from seeing life more clearly than Kurt can.

The bleak palette, bitter landscapes, windy desolate, and an ominous nighttime carnival give Wallander some edge to match the crimes and pathos, and a crisp mood accented with animals and the outdoors creates a natural feeling amid these fine cinematic values. Older cars, dated phones, non-digital finger printing, and a general lack of technology or technology not being critical to the case is also very pleasing to see and leaves the resolution up to one man’s deduction instead of gadgetry. Granted, there are some unrealistic investigational aspects in Wallander – paperwork, legal process, and consequences for police shootings go unresolved unless it is convenient to the plot at hand. Some audiences may also be bothered by the anglicized update of the Scandinavian trimmings, but I like when we can still see the Swedish writing and sources onscreen. Besides, we’ve been doing The Three Musketeers in RP since the thirties, so British retention in the spirit of the original is nothing new. I’ve quibbled previously about Wallander not being a more traditionally shaped regular serial, but the telemovie format allows room and depth no longer found on American channels such as A&E, where reality programming has pushed aside award winning cinematic tellings like Hornblower. I also don’t understand why the British programming I want to see is also never found on BBC America, but that’s another essay!

Wallander’s cop work may seem typical, straightforward, or may be too simple for viewers expecting finite forensic analysis or twisting and turning police thrillers. However, great character analysis and performances continue to shine in this second series. In fact, the psychological depth here may even be too highbrow for some audiences used to more action-oriented fare. Fans of the cast or intelligent drama should raise the personal stakes and dig down deep for Round Two of Wallander ASAP.

  

Wallander: Series 1

Wallander Series 1 Surprisingly Quality

By Kristin Battestella

Shakespearean thespian Kenneth Branagh produces and stars in the 2008 British television debut of Wallander, based upon the Swedish novels of the same name from author Henning Mankell. Now, Swedish is truly Greek to me, but despite a solid literary pedigree and prior Swedish television adaptations, this trio of 90-minute episodes packs some contemporary suspense and delightfully bitter detective examinations for English speaking audiences.

The disturbing, fiery suicide to start Episode 1 “Sidetracked” quickly introduces audiences to a melancholy, downtrodden police existence, and Wallander provides a universal realism with bizarre deaths and relatable, depressed, strung out investigators piecing together the serial killer crimes. Although the Swedish setting is not immediately apparent thanks to the British forefront, names and places, blue and yellow flags, and newspaper hints do subtlety suggest Wallander’s Scandinavian roots. Pleasing investigative touches, media interference, and corrupt politicians go hand in hand with squad room dynamics, layers of mystery, and an ever-deepening scandal. Sure, there are the usual cop show tropes or common lines of questioning – “Does he have any enemies?” – however, the flawed, in over their heads detectives tie the abuses, dirty details, and cover ups together in a well done examination accented by artistic elements and fathers and sons analysis. The personal touches and focus on the people and not necessarily the case balance the twisted criminals and well edited, suspenseful killings – we almost don’t blame this killer of killers for taking out the trash thanks to all the gray complexities. Terrified witnesses, surprising clues, and the highest corruption all come together for an intense finale.

Now that we know Wallander’s bleak style, Episode 2 “Firewall” gets right to the bloody crimes, seemingly random stabbings, and young delinquents with attitudes that say something more. Contrasts between the killer mentality, disturbing violence, and innocent pink bedrooms reflect the personal amid the crimes and witnesses, and it seems divorcées and grieving families are no better or worse than our titular copper. Naturally, with a title like “Firewall” one can deduce the technological terrors amid the personal here. Online technology, power outages, security failures, and computer troubles are both a help and hindrance in life or investigation – our reliance on machines assists in the criminal activity or tosses a wrench in the case. Such contemporary technological statements may not be as thematically disturbing as the abuses and violence of the first episode, but the topics are handled better than American detective dramas where a team of heroes has everything resolved in an hour. While it sometimes seems very impractical – how do these people never have backup?! – Wallander’s handful of cops must deal with everything in their jurisdiction. They are under the gun, cases crisscross, and my goodness, bodies mysteriously leave the morgue!  More family parallels and heavy backstory unfold, but Wallander tells the intersecting oddities of life and investigation in an ironic, linear fashion, smartly allowing the catastrophic clockwork to simmer and sneak up upon the viewers.

“One Step Behind” opens with a deadly costume party, and some are handling the situation better than others are. Family may move on but some take the ultimate way out in this third episode and the squad room deals with internal heavies as the cases go on. Cops must trust each other with their lives, but do they really know one another? Wallander takes more personal time here to reflect on the job and state of not so well being with therapy sessions and an investigation of self. Less music, innate silence, and diegetic sounds add emphasis to the emotional parallels, ill health, and regretfully missed clues hidden in plain sight. What if one person thought you were his best friend and you never even noticed because the case was always more important? Seemingly random moments or supposedly separate plots interweave well on Wallander, and no fluff camerawork is needed when mistakes are made and the tale is told like it is. Where stateside shows are 40 minutes with precious little time to mount a case – much less a pause or go over the breaking point – this serious, pensive 90-minute finale does much more than a big shoot ‘em up blowout spectacle. There isn’t a reset button or a chance to do better next time when kids and cops are dying, and the crimes come home in a fitting gunpoint conclusion.

Well, Kenneth Branagh’s (Hamlet, Henry V, Othello, Much Ado About Nothing…) eponymous detective is certainly unkempt and crabby –and he’s only made more unstable by his caseload. This isn’t the robust or lighthearted we have known from Sir Ken but rather a five-o-clock shadow and defeated, ongoing weary. Kurt Wallander has a lot of pain and tears yet he remains lovable and relatable because he’s just trying to keep it together as the ghoulish deaths increase daily. He refuses to realize that it’s okay to be off duty and let your own life take priority. Wallander’s a signature away from divorce but still wears his wedding band, he doesn’t always get along with his daughter or father, and usually spends his free time silently zoning out in his chair. He pesters, nay, berates the bereaved, gets slapped a few times, admits to feeling old, and most likely resents the young spitfires about him. Why wake up when this job is your life? Though it consumes him, Kurt needs a creepy heavy case to solve – it keeps him from his own issues and seemingly preferred torment whilst covering up his mistakes and bang up interrogations. Wallander has tough, desperate choices to make. He won’t open himself up and can’t see anything positive after so much pathos. There’s no time to pussyfoot in the quest for so called justice, but Kurt’s gruff charm and endearing awkwardness with family and peers keep Wallander must see.

Balancing Wallander’s glum is a fine ensemble including Tom Hiddleston (Thor, The Avengers) as the young wannabe hot shot cop Magnus Martinsson. Although he actually spends most of his time as a complaining messenger boy or taking crap from Kurt, Magnus provides some sardonic humor amid the tedious paperwork and easy desk duties. He comes in handy at times but botches his supposed computer expertise and wastes time on useless or ultimately irrelevant tangents. Such elements would seem superfluous, but Magnus makes an interesting secondary father and son parallel for Wallander. He learns the hard way that the cases outside are very different from the safety of his desk. Perhaps the seeming importance or ready for more eagerness is part of the character, but the pre-Marvel Hiddleston also seems underutilized or limited by the role. As Magnus he is literally and figuratively ready and waiting to kick the door down, but bemusing quips and the subtly of his facial expressions accent Wallander well. I must however confess that I don’t care for the crazy curly blonde hair. He looks like a nineties kid playing at cops and robbers, but again, that fits the character, too. Tom Beard (Whitechapel) as Kalle Svedberg likewise provides detective exposition. However, he looks more like a cop and is capable of being at the crime scene reflecting the ebb and pull behind Wallander’s often extreme tactics. A dorky, stereotypical profiler, drunk, broken journalists, and cliché teen hackers also provide Wallander with the straightforward, plot advancing details on a case-by-case basis. Stateside, we perhaps expect longwinded spotlights and episodic focus on such trite cop show elements, but here the medical examiners get in and out of Dodge, no fuss.

Sarah Smart’s (At Home with the Braithwaites) Anne-Britt Hoglund is as close to a partner as Kurt has, but she also keeps it together despite being well aware how deep the investigative rabbit hole goes. Anne-Britt is sensitive and does the quiet things during a case –which may seem the little woman tender formula. However, she also laments how her work adversely affects her home and marriage, doing a lot with only a few scenes or dialogue and providing honestly and a grounding element to Wallander. Of course, Sadie Shimmin (Mr. Selfridge) as squad boss Lisa Holgersson doesn’t want to hear Kurt’s drama yet remains smooth and unflustered whilst also giving him a wide berth and reminding him that there are indeed rules to follow. Daughter Jeany Spark (Da Vinci’s Demons), unfortunately, doesn’t have it easy balancing life and single dad Wallander. In fact, all her troubles in life stem from him, but she remains a pleasing example of the positive Kurt could have at home if he just took a gosh darn moment to pay attention. Likewise, David Warner (Titanic) is simply excellent as Wallander’s aged, ill, and bittersweet artist father. In some ways, I do wish Wallander was a regular, hour long, six or eight episode series that gave more time to this lovely support and the coming and going guest players – say hey it’s Nicholas Hoult (X-Men: Days of Future Past) and shout out to Blake’s 7’s Steven Pacey! And I confess, I did fall for a few character red herrings!

Wallander has seascapes, outdoor filming, and sunshine, but the pretty scenery contrasts the bleak plot and gruesome crime scenes. It’s nice to see a relatively obscure to us Scandinavian location, too, keeping the dynamics fresh instead of the same old bad ass, New York, suave cops winning the day. The cinematic flair, boats, cars, and people on the move add to this rugged sense of chill and northern dreary. The design is non-static but not a busy, herky jerky in your face shock editing dulling the senses. The score adds a bit much to the harsh landscape – it’s heavy and intrusive at times – but this matches Wallander’s melancholy tone. The phones, err “mobiles” as they say, however, are already dated by a decade, along with big computers and now millennial retro fashion and makeup on the ladies. These cops can’t have a warrant instantly emailed to their smart phone, gasp! This is a police department with one crappy guy on a computer instead of an entire IT unit, no wonder our eponymous inspector is so darn frazzled.

I like British detective shows and watch my fair share of them, but Wallander may be for a niche audience here across the pond, filling the void for viewers seeking a well done, entertaining crime drama. Again, I have no Swedish frame of reference with the books or prior Scandinavian television productions, but this Wallander is A-okay stuff thanks to a gritty focus on character, performances, and the toll of the crime – not the action and gore. Viewers searching for an intelligent, sophisticated investigation need look no further than this Wallander debut.