I don’t know if someone here both above and below the Equatorial divide watches or have watched the following TV series:
“The Killing”
“Wallander” both the BBC production and the Swedish original
“Spiral” a French series
I know “The Killing” was remade in the USA and was not a success
I like all of them.
I watched the BBC version when it came out and liked it so much that I searched out the Swedish series. I watched all of the episodes and absolutely loved them. (This was the series starring Krister Henriksson as Wallander, not the earlier made-for-television movies.) Having done that, I was really looking forward to the second set of three episodes from the BBC but found I couldn’t really enjoy them. I found Kenneth Branagh’s take on the character too hammy when compared to Henriksson. There was just too much time spent with the camera focusing on Branagh’s face while he emoted.
I tried watching the U.S. version of The Killing and didn’t enjoy it. I may look into Spiral if I can find it subtitled.
I watched the original movie versions of the books by Stieg Larson.
Because of it I read an interesting article about Larson, and his writings. The article also mentioned the mood, the style of Swedish and Danish thrillers and why they had become so popular worldwide. As anecdotal evidence of their popularity , the article mentioned that the wool sweaters the protagonist of “The Killing” wears became a fad and the manufacturer couldn’t keep up with the demand for them.
When I learned that the second season of “The Killing” was about to begin in Australia, courtesy of SBS (our version, sort of, of your PBS) I watched one episode and got hooked on it, so we bought the DVD of The Killing, seasons 1 and 2.
Wallander, the Swedish version that you mentioned was also on in the early hours of the morning on SBS, while in UK TV (cable channel) Mr Kenneth Branagh was impersonating Mr Wallander. We also bought both seasons in DVD.
Tonight on our ABC (BBC downunder) begins the second season of the “British” Wallander.
I wholeheartedly recommend “Spiral”, that has a Gallic woman as a counterpoint to the Danish woman in The Killing. Here, two weeks ago began the third season of Spiral, I have ordered the DVDs of the first two seasons.
In Australia, dubbing is a no-no and rightly so. Subtitles it is.
I agree that Branagh’s Wallander is more emotive than his Swedish’s counterpart. I haven’t read any of the books the TV series are based on, so I cannot judge which Wallander is the ‘real’ one. I’d say the Swedish one, of course.
What I like very much from the BBC production is the cinematography, those Swedish landscapes look beautiful but desolate and ground the series; the musical score is also good. I like the inventing close-ups. Yes, Branagh’s existential angst is sometimes overdone and the ongoing disastrous relationship with his father interrupts the flow of the investigation.
Please, don’t judge the original The Killing by way of the copy. If you like Wallander’s world you would also appreciate the cold, rainy dark atmosphere of the land of the Danes.
My favourite of all of the above, “Spiral” by a whisker ahead of the first season of The Killing.
I have generally enjoyed the American version of The Killing. I’m not going to be especially upset after its almost-certain cancellation, but it’s been pretty good. I didn’t feel the same sense of betrayal many viewers did when Rosie Larsen’s killer wasn’t revealed at the conclusion of the first season; I was as annoyed as any viewer is to have to wait until next season for a big reveal, but that’s only natural, I think.
I also watched some of Branagh’s Wallander. I liked how it took its time with the mysteries. The episode with the hackers worked least well for me; the show seems suited for something on a slightly smaller scale than worldwide financial apocalypse.
The Swedish TV series are different in character and look from the BBC series, they are and look like a TV show, whereas the BBC series are a movie in look and production. I like both.
Because, as you said, the America series ended up in a cliff-hanger I didn’t buy it. Although I was curious to see how different it was. It was also expensive.
Usually I prefer the original European and Japanese movies or TV series to American remakes, although, occasionally I prefer the Hollywood remake, for example “The Next Three Days” starring Russell Crowe, to the French original.
To be honest, the episode of the hackers I found it a bit too much “James Bondish” and out of character with the other episodes. But, that’s just me.
As I said previously, “Spiral” is my present flavour of the month.
Spiral is fab, easily my favourite thing on TV. And the reason why ‘PUTAIN!’ is a common thing to hear in our house.
If you liked Spiral and the original Killing, I’d certainly recommend ‘The Bridge’ to complete the trio of weird female detectives.