This is a new must-see TV series showing on SBS on Saturday nights. It is the improbable story of Frank "The Fixer" Tagliani, a New York gangster who turns Crown witness and goes into witness protection in Lillehammer, Norway after falling in love with the place during the 1994 Winter Olympics. As Giovanni "Johnny" Henriksen he lives in a humble abode next door to the Chief of Police and drives an electric car. He is often seen out and about wearing headphones in an effort to learn Norwegian.
Right from his arrival in Norway we start to see why he is called "The Fixer". He rights wrongs perpetrated by youths on the train and already makes some useful alliances. Proving himself to be a gangster with a heart of gold, he saves a wandering sheep, takes a posse out to kill a marauding wolf which later killed the aforesaid sheep (despite the group being warned off by the Chief of Police) and explores "cultural differences" with the local public servant in the employment agency, using some naughty photos found in a local cabin as persuasion to do a favour for the mother of the boy who lost his sheep and to help him get a bar licence (previously "too complicated").
He seems quite keen on Sigrid, the single mother, in a gentlemanly sort of way, so it will be interesting to see where this leads.
The language effortlessly shifts from English to Norwegian and back again (sub-titles are supplied) and this is really no impediment to understanding. For the most part, the Norwegian is clearly spoken and it is possible to pick up a reasonable amount of the meaning if you have an everyday knowledge of the language. There is a little bit of low-level swearing in both languages but not enough to be offensive.
Having lived in Norway and experienced the scenery, climate and culture it is just hilarious at times to see Johnny challenging the law-abiding status quo and appealing to the rebel within. He gets things done in a way that looks after "the little people" and protects the disenfranchised and vulnerable.
Steven Van Zandt is perfect as the gangster, reprising a similar role that he played in the Sopranos, and he is also a writer, producer and music consultant for the series (also being a long-time Bruce Springsteen band member). The Norwegian cast members are very believable as ordinary small-town citizens.
It has been a very promising start and well worth continued viewing. There were two very good reviews of the series in "The Age" recently, including a feature article in the "Green Guide". Both gave it a good rating.
Showing posts with label Television Series. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Television Series. Show all posts
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
The end of "Merlin" - "Say it ain't so"!
Over the past five years this fantasy take on the Arthurian legend has been a viewing staple at a family-friendly time on Sunday afternoons.
At its heart was a classic tale of good versus evil, and the value of love and true friendship. It is also a cautionary tale about the power of magic and its eternal corollaries, suspicion, fear and prejudice. The underlying message, which becomes clear in the last couple of episodes, is that magic itself is not evil but bad things happen when it is used for evil purposes. It comes from the earth and life itself, so it can never be destroyed and those who are gifted with it should not be persecuted. There are also a couple of dragons thrown in for good measure! The young Merlin grows over the years, both as a person and a physician and a powerful sorcerer. He lives a double life - on the one hand as Emrys (“immortal’ in the Druid tongue), a dragon whisperer and the most powerful wizard who ever lived, and a humble servant and friend to Arthur and his Queen Guinevere. Arthur only becomes aware that Merlin 'has magic' in the final episode in which Arthur meets his fate (as in the legend, killed by Mordred) and not even Merlin can save him. After the Great Dragon delivers them to the shores of Avalon and Arthur is fading into the shadows of death, Merlin throws into the lake the sword Excalibur, forged in a dragon's breath and recently used by Merlin finally to dispatch Morgana, who had devoted her entire energies and magical powers to trying to kill Arthur so she could assume the throne of Camelot, and the hand of the 'Lady of the Lake' rises up to take it into the depths. The high priestesses on the island in the centre of the lake were supposedly the only ones who could save Arthur from the fragment of Mordred's sword (also forged in a dragon's breath) lodged in his chest and working its way towards his heart.
The Great Dragon tells a crying Merlin that Arthur is a "once and future king" and he will return again when Albion needs him most. Merlin places the dead (or dying) Arthur in a boat and sends him across the lake (presumably to the high priestesses).
Abruptly in the next scene a lorry roars by the lake, and an old and wizened Merlin is seen walking along the side of the road, and pauses briefly in silhouette in front of the citadel across the lake, and then disappears into the distance. It appears that he has been alone and watchfully waiting to serve Arthur again for hundreds of years.
Suddenly it was over and gone, and I think on analysis the overwhelming feeling I had was grief and loss. Without seeking in any way to trivialise meaningful grief and loss, it was as if you had both lost some people you had come to know and like and feel an attachment to over time, and not only that but it had finished on such a tragic note. Arthur was gone, his great love Guinevere had been left behind to rule Camelot on her own, and over time Merlin would also have lost everyone else who has dear to him. Centuries later the seemingly immortal Merlin, who considered his life's destiny and purpose to serve Arthur, seems lost and alone and without purpose. One can only hope that one day Arthur does indeed rise again.
I have had this feeling once before when the Scandinavian crime series "The Eagle" unexpectedly finished after three seasons. There had been the same sense of being comfortable with the characters who were on the side of good, and looking forward to finding out what happens next. At the conclusion of the last episode of the third season screened, the troubled and Aspergers-ish eponymous lead character Halgrim Halgrimsson (nicknamed "The Eagle") at last has his own home in Denmark and is sitting in the kitchen bathed in sunlight and sheer white curtains fluttering in the breeze whilst he looks contentedly at a photograph of his baby daughter who lives in Sweden. It is as if there is now closure on a whole chapter of his life and hope for the future. As a result I was disappointed but not surprised to look online and discover that the series had wrapped up on that note. I very much fear that the outstanding Danish series "The Protectors" (which was made by the same team) has met the same fate after only two seasons. Let's hope not!
I suppose it is the mark of a good drama when it draws people in to follow it and to become attached to the characters. Over the past twelve months in addition to "Merlin" and "The Protectors", I have enjoyed watching the other Scandinavian series "The Bridge", the American series "Homeland" and the quirky Australian series "Offspring".
At its heart was a classic tale of good versus evil, and the value of love and true friendship. It is also a cautionary tale about the power of magic and its eternal corollaries, suspicion, fear and prejudice. The underlying message, which becomes clear in the last couple of episodes, is that magic itself is not evil but bad things happen when it is used for evil purposes. It comes from the earth and life itself, so it can never be destroyed and those who are gifted with it should not be persecuted. There are also a couple of dragons thrown in for good measure! The young Merlin grows over the years, both as a person and a physician and a powerful sorcerer. He lives a double life - on the one hand as Emrys (“immortal’ in the Druid tongue), a dragon whisperer and the most powerful wizard who ever lived, and a humble servant and friend to Arthur and his Queen Guinevere. Arthur only becomes aware that Merlin 'has magic' in the final episode in which Arthur meets his fate (as in the legend, killed by Mordred) and not even Merlin can save him. After the Great Dragon delivers them to the shores of Avalon and Arthur is fading into the shadows of death, Merlin throws into the lake the sword Excalibur, forged in a dragon's breath and recently used by Merlin finally to dispatch Morgana, who had devoted her entire energies and magical powers to trying to kill Arthur so she could assume the throne of Camelot, and the hand of the 'Lady of the Lake' rises up to take it into the depths. The high priestesses on the island in the centre of the lake were supposedly the only ones who could save Arthur from the fragment of Mordred's sword (also forged in a dragon's breath) lodged in his chest and working its way towards his heart.
The Great Dragon tells a crying Merlin that Arthur is a "once and future king" and he will return again when Albion needs him most. Merlin places the dead (or dying) Arthur in a boat and sends him across the lake (presumably to the high priestesses).
Abruptly in the next scene a lorry roars by the lake, and an old and wizened Merlin is seen walking along the side of the road, and pauses briefly in silhouette in front of the citadel across the lake, and then disappears into the distance. It appears that he has been alone and watchfully waiting to serve Arthur again for hundreds of years.
Suddenly it was over and gone, and I think on analysis the overwhelming feeling I had was grief and loss. Without seeking in any way to trivialise meaningful grief and loss, it was as if you had both lost some people you had come to know and like and feel an attachment to over time, and not only that but it had finished on such a tragic note. Arthur was gone, his great love Guinevere had been left behind to rule Camelot on her own, and over time Merlin would also have lost everyone else who has dear to him. Centuries later the seemingly immortal Merlin, who considered his life's destiny and purpose to serve Arthur, seems lost and alone and without purpose. One can only hope that one day Arthur does indeed rise again.
I have had this feeling once before when the Scandinavian crime series "The Eagle" unexpectedly finished after three seasons. There had been the same sense of being comfortable with the characters who were on the side of good, and looking forward to finding out what happens next. At the conclusion of the last episode of the third season screened, the troubled and Aspergers-ish eponymous lead character Halgrim Halgrimsson (nicknamed "The Eagle") at last has his own home in Denmark and is sitting in the kitchen bathed in sunlight and sheer white curtains fluttering in the breeze whilst he looks contentedly at a photograph of his baby daughter who lives in Sweden. It is as if there is now closure on a whole chapter of his life and hope for the future. As a result I was disappointed but not surprised to look online and discover that the series had wrapped up on that note. I very much fear that the outstanding Danish series "The Protectors" (which was made by the same team) has met the same fate after only two seasons. Let's hope not!
I suppose it is the mark of a good drama when it draws people in to follow it and to become attached to the characters. Over the past twelve months in addition to "Merlin" and "The Protectors", I have enjoyed watching the other Scandinavian series "The Bridge", the American series "Homeland" and the quirky Australian series "Offspring".
The Almighty Johnsons
Last year this quirky NZ fantasy series surfaced on late night TV (probably as part of the Australian content requirements). It is about a family of four brothers (Mike, Ty, Anders and Axl) who are part of a collective of Norse gods living in human form in New Zealand. The underlying premise is that when the youngest brother, Axl, who is Odin, finds his soulmate Frigg, the gods will regain their full powers. In the first series, the brothers spend a lot of time trying to avoid being killed by a group of goddesses, one of whom turns out to be their mother. Mischievous god Loki (a lawyer!) gets up to lots of mischief.
In the second series, which screened recently on Australian TV, Axl discovers that this flatmate Gaia (who he truly loves) is the one who will morph into Frigg on her forthcoming 21st birthday. One of his brothers decides to lose his powers in order to gain the woman he loves (this fails as she no longer recognises him), Loki causes more trouble, a god-slayer arrives from Northern Europe, some local Maori gods also believe that Axl's flatmate will become their equivalent of Frigg and there is an unexpected ending. One of the goddesses, who is infatuated with Anders, is slain and her spirit enters "the chosen one" during the 21st birthday ceremony instead of Frigg. Gaia heads for Anders, Axl looks on in disbelief, and the Maori gods shrug their shoulders nonchalantly and leave.
This leaves the door open for a third series, as Frigg is still "out there" to be found. Aside from an enormous amount of gratuitous sex and alcohol consumption (which does become a bit tiresome at times) the series is quirky, clever, imaginative and well-acted. Worth a look, especially if you like something a little bit different.
In the second series, which screened recently on Australian TV, Axl discovers that this flatmate Gaia (who he truly loves) is the one who will morph into Frigg on her forthcoming 21st birthday. One of his brothers decides to lose his powers in order to gain the woman he loves (this fails as she no longer recognises him), Loki causes more trouble, a god-slayer arrives from Northern Europe, some local Maori gods also believe that Axl's flatmate will become their equivalent of Frigg and there is an unexpected ending. One of the goddesses, who is infatuated with Anders, is slain and her spirit enters "the chosen one" during the 21st birthday ceremony instead of Frigg. Gaia heads for Anders, Axl looks on in disbelief, and the Maori gods shrug their shoulders nonchalantly and leave.
This leaves the door open for a third series, as Frigg is still "out there" to be found. Aside from an enormous amount of gratuitous sex and alcohol consumption (which does become a bit tiresome at times) the series is quirky, clever, imaginative and well-acted. Worth a look, especially if you like something a little bit different.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Scandinavian Crime Drama - "The Bridge" and "The Protectors" (paying homage to "The Eagle")
SBS has recently been screening some high-quality Scandinavian crime drama in the form of the Swedish and Danish co-production "The Bridge" and the second season of the Danish drama "The Protectors".
One of the things that I have always liked about the Scandinavian storylines and casting is that they portray people who are "ordinary" in appearance and their foibles, and not all "beautiful people" as is often the case in American-made series. In "The Bridge", one of the two key detectives is a Swedish female with distinct Asperger Syndrome characteristics. She is very good at her job but a bit of a disaster when it comes to interpersonal relations. The storyline is still unfolding, but it is cleverly written, with lots of twists and turns in the plot, and clever linkages between characters that initially appear to be almost randomly introduced into the story.
"The Protectors" has been screened in two-hour blocks, allowing a complete story arc to unfold, and this has been very satisfying from the viewer's perspective. At the conclusion of Season Two, several career changes for key members of the cast are foreshadowed. The writers some years earlier also wrote another outstanding Scandinavian crime series "The Eagle". This was based around a charismatic (but also somewhat Aspergers-ish) male detective who was the lynchpin in a task force investigating transnational crime in Europe and based at Holmen in Copenhagen, Denmark.
In an interesting twist, actor Thomas Gabrielsson played one of the arch villains in "The Eagle" but was head of the Protector unit. At the end of the second season of "The Protectors", he drives his wife to that same location at Holmen and explains to her that he would like to take up a job as head of a new transnational crime task force to be based there! It was a lovely thought to imagine that there might be new adventures for The Eagle, but sadly it probably isn't going to happen.
From an internet search, it appears that there may be a third season of "The Protectors" yet to come, but regardless all three series are recommended viewing!
One of the things that I have always liked about the Scandinavian storylines and casting is that they portray people who are "ordinary" in appearance and their foibles, and not all "beautiful people" as is often the case in American-made series. In "The Bridge", one of the two key detectives is a Swedish female with distinct Asperger Syndrome characteristics. She is very good at her job but a bit of a disaster when it comes to interpersonal relations. The storyline is still unfolding, but it is cleverly written, with lots of twists and turns in the plot, and clever linkages between characters that initially appear to be almost randomly introduced into the story.
"The Protectors" has been screened in two-hour blocks, allowing a complete story arc to unfold, and this has been very satisfying from the viewer's perspective. At the conclusion of Season Two, several career changes for key members of the cast are foreshadowed. The writers some years earlier also wrote another outstanding Scandinavian crime series "The Eagle". This was based around a charismatic (but also somewhat Aspergers-ish) male detective who was the lynchpin in a task force investigating transnational crime in Europe and based at Holmen in Copenhagen, Denmark.
In an interesting twist, actor Thomas Gabrielsson played one of the arch villains in "The Eagle" but was head of the Protector unit. At the end of the second season of "The Protectors", he drives his wife to that same location at Holmen and explains to her that he would like to take up a job as head of a new transnational crime task force to be based there! It was a lovely thought to imagine that there might be new adventures for The Eagle, but sadly it probably isn't going to happen.
From an internet search, it appears that there may be a third season of "The Protectors" yet to come, but regardless all three series are recommended viewing!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)