Wallander - Series 2 on BBC1

Excellent, great books and great series........... I've read that one and can't remember what happens so it should be a good watch

Love the series, especially the stuff in Swedish. Very sad to hear of the death of Johana something, who played the daughter of Wallandar.

Great TV - a rare thing.

All set up to record it later. We have the first series on dvd and watched it again over Christmas. Astonishingly powerful acting performance by KB. I hadn't read that the eactress playing his daughter has died. That is very sad.

I never saw the first series and have been thinking about buying the DVD.

Would I spoil/not fully understand things if I started with series 2 and then worked backwards soon - is there a strong storyline throughout? Or can these be watched as individual episodes.

Ta.

quote:

Originally posted by Chris Kelly:
All set up to record it later. We have the first series on dvd and watched it again over Christmas. Astonishingly powerful acting performance by KB. I hadn't read that the eactress playing his daughter has died. That is very sad.

Thats the Actress who played the daughter in the Sweedish series not in the UK / Brannagh series (I think).

Eloise

quote:

I hadn't read that the eactress playing his daughter has died. That is very sad.

Thats the Actress who played the daughter in the Sweedish series not in the UK / Brannagh series (I think).

Correct. Jeany Spark the actress who plays Wallander's daughter in the BBC series is alive and well in Series 2.

quote:

Originally posted by Lontano:
I never saw the first series and have been thinking about buying the DVD.

Would I spoil/not fully understand things if I started with series 2 and then worked backwards soon - is there a strong storyline throughout? Or can these be watched as individual episodes.

Ta.

Adrian, I don't think the series 1 stories link with s2, but I reckon the 2nd series are linked together. Look here for each synopsis. The memory I have of the first series was KB's ability to portray tiredness like no other actor i've seen.

I agree with Dennis' point about KB's acting. It is extraordinary. Adrian you could buy the series 1 dvd set without spoiling series 2. However, I would suggest watching series 1 in the right order. Don't wish to say more than that!

And thanks for clarifying the issue about his daughter. I have only seen the KB versions.

My great grandparents were Swedish. Came here, had kids, went back to Sweden. There is a thread of bleakness that runs through me that I attribute to that. Watching Wallander, it all becomes perfectly understandable.

It (last night's) was gripping and very well done indeed. But it certainly wasn't sponsored by the Swedish tourist board!

Makes early Lars von Trier films look like holiday camp brochures. Sweden isn't entirely brown - you only need to go to Ikea to prove that!

The programme had a wonderful sense of period without really expressing which period it was, and managing to be contemporary in its issues - not an easy thing to pull off but was a terrific success.

Best line: "What colour was his hair?"
"Swedish colour"
"Oh... Blonde."

Thanks to whoever started this thread - I wouldn't have watched it otherwise and I'm glad I did.

With the exception of Wallander himself, the characterisations within the BBC version come a poor second to the Swedish version.

The BBC version is all about Wallander--in the Swedish version (at least, in the first half of the 13 episode series recently shown on BBC), the other characters in the police office were believable, well-rounded people, even though they sometimes only received snippets in a scene or two. 'Fraid they're distinctly wooden in the BBC version (the supporting acting is mediocre, but I suppose the actors aren't given much opportunity with the dialogue they've got).

While I agree that Kenneth Branagh is good, he's given sooooo much screen time, that his performance is bloated: in the earlier episodes of the Swedish version, Krister Henriksson is able to convey much of the same world-weariness with succinct expressions and mannerisms, freeing up more screen time for the other characters.


Half time score: Sweden 1, England 0

The second half of the Swedish series deteriorated, so BBC, you've got a chance to pull back: better scripts please!

Thought it was wonderful......... agree with Nathaniel that it is mainly a one man show.... his father is good tho

Nostalgia by Emily Barker is the Wallander theme - listen here - gorgeous



Diccus

Here's my earlier thread

I watched some of them here on PBS Sunday nights, it was just depressing, yeah he's good but I don't feel compelled to see this next season. A Swedish version? wow, sounds great.

Have to agree with Nathaniel re the superiority of the original, good though KB is. It seems - to an outsider, at least - that it gives a real insight into Swedish culture, both the melancholy and the humour. The tolerance of silence is very noticeable!

Very sad indeed to learn of Johanna Sällström's alleged suicide, possibly a result of post traumatic stress disorder arising the Indian Ocean tsunami. Her acting was excellent.

quote:

Originally posted by Diccus62:Nostalgia by Emily Barker is the Wallander theme

It's on her album, Despite The Snow, which is consistantly excellent, well worth seeking out.

quote:

Originally posted by Bhasi:
Have to agree with Nathaniel re the superiority of the original, good though KB is. It seems - to an outsider, at least - that it gives a real insight into Swedish culture, both the melancholy and the humour. The tolerance of silence is very noticeable!

Very sad indeed to learn of Johanna Sällström's alleged suicide, possibly a result of post traumatic stress disorder arising the Indian Ocean tsunami. Her acting was excellent.

I agree also, I love the Swedish version - Krister Henriksson is excellent and the supporting cast are/were all very watchable. I'm also saddened by the untimely loss of Johanna Sällström. As it turns out, a second series of the Swedish series is currently being made and released at the rate of one film per month in Nordic cinemas. I hope that UK viewers get a chance to see these new episodes one day - it's just shame that they will no longer be graced by the character that is Linda Wallander.

BTW, I only caught the last 20 minutes or so of the new Branagh episode that was on the other night, but was interested to see the appearance of 'Svartman' (the uniformed copper in the Swedish version) playing a henchman!

Well I finally got round to seeing all of series 2 this week. Without doubt the father & son performances of David Warner & Kenneth Branagh were superb. I hope the BBC keep spending my license fee on future series of Kurt and the team. I will have to catch the swedish series, when hopefully repeated.

The First series is being repeated this Saturday,13 Feb, 21:00 on BBC Four

Reminder if you missed the 1st series.

I preferred the original Swedish series Denis though must admit to quite liking Branagh as Wallander.