Borgen: finally caught up, but wished I hadn’t

Series 1 of Borgen, a Danish political drama focusing on the female leader of a centre party, is best summed up as West Wing with subtitles, Nordic stylishness and less optimism.

Although The West Wing managed the occasional moment of tragedy, it was fundamentally an optimistic series in which nearly everything turns out for the best and nearly every problem is fixable by a combination of soaring oratory and efficient politicking. Borgen, as perhaps befits a program located in a rather smaller country, is much more about politicians buffeted by events – both political and personal – outside of their full control and without the future being simply theirs to make before the next ad break.

Great viewing, especially given the UK’s recent experience with coalition government, making as it does many of the scenes rather pointed or poignant as a result.

Hence, on finishing Series 1 of Borgen I was keen to move on to Series 2, even though – as is common with sequels to successful first series – the plots became somewhat less plausible and the distinctive characteristics of the first series a little muted. No longer is this a new, inexperienced person finding their way in politics; by Series 2 Birgitte Nyborg is more like a standard politician from many a TV drama or film.

Yet what continues to distinguish the series is how politicians are neither all heroes or villains, with most of the characters rather more rounded and with personal lives which are buffeted by politics.

But then there was Season 3. On its own it would have made for an intriguing and promising TV series. Coming after the first two series really highlights its flaws, alas, especially the waning of an accurate political setting and procedures into a slightly farcical version of how you go about setting up a new political party and then fight a general election campaign. Season 3 is at its best outside of political news, charting the developments of the private lives of several characters. It does this rather better than an election campaign which involves remarkably few staff in the national campaign HQ (only two of whom get to be anything more than an occasional face in the background during the campaign) and indeed remarkably little in the day to take up the time of politicians too. Enjoyable, but rather a let down if you want your political drama to be plausible.

I doubt I could have resisted the temptation to watch the final season, knowing it existed, but I can’t help thinking that the memory of the first two seasons would have been better left as they were, with their extra political verisimilitude.

If you like this, you might also be interested in King’s Game, a great Danish political thriller.

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Buy the Borgen Trilogy here.