I just discovered Borgen at Link TV. It’s the Danish answer to The West Wing or Commander-in-Chief or The Thick of It. It’s pretty good. The actress playing PM Nyborg reminds me of a younger Mary McDonnell. Anybody else seen it?
(bump) In case anyone’s interested starting tomorrow the episodes stop being available on LinkTV.
The view after S2E6:
It’s none of the above or close, but it is intelligent, treat-em-like-adults drama that’s very well constructed and presented: Very high quality.
In terms of the Scandie drama genre (and excluding Anglo remakes), it’s not The Killing - tbf nothing can be the Killing, but it’s stronger than The Bridge and the more episodic Wallander. That’s not to say The Bridge isn’t worth viewing (it has a great lead combo).
Yes, it’s subtitled. You need to get over that.
I know it’s much better, but those were the closest things I could think off. There’s a marathon coming up in a few weeks so the episodes will avaible to watch on LinkTV again. There were (are?) plans for a US remake, but that would suck if it happened. I don’t even know how an adaptation would work considering how very, very different the American & Danish political systems are.
Those adaptations never seem to work, never mind well. What they did to The Killing needs to be investigated by a Statesminister …
Fwiw, I’m finding S2 is getting stronger as it progresses. In fact Borgen might be as good now as it’s ever been - still showing S2 in the UK (and perhaps elsewhere as well).
Hope you enjoy it again on your marathon!
Tak!
Just finished S2 - God that was good.
highly recommended - watch it anyway you can, from S1.
In case anyone’s interested Link TV is airing the 3rd & final season. I just finished 3.01, In Demark I was Born.
The election she called in 2.10, An Extraordinary Remark, didn’t work out for her, and after 2.5 years in the private sector she’s getting back into politics by forming her own party. And now it looks like Kasper will be the journalist & Katrine the spin doctor; did I get that right?
I just finished the finale. Very good show. I’m still a little confused about TV1; it’s an expy for Denmark’s public broadcaster, and TV2 is a commercial one right? So why exactly Alex so obsessed with getting into a ratings war with them? 
His “resignation” at the end was pretty funny; go Hanne & Ulrik. Was that weird political game show based on a real thing? And Birgitte finally gets back into the cabinet with Hesselboe of all people. In a prominent role that gives her next to no domestic influence. Almost like a Danish Hillary Clinton.
Bump. Great show; I’m almost through with season two. Shame on the whole lot of them for not making it more easily viewable. People might turn to crime to view it.