The 3-part BBC series of Wallander came to a close last night and, like last year’s predecessor, it was outstanding television.
Each part, lasting an hour and a half, was an adaptation of a Henning Mankell novel. These were, in order: Faceless Killers, The Man Who Smiled and The Fifth Woman.
Kurt Wallander is a depressed, middle-aged Swedish detective whose life is a mess. He is divorced, lives alone and has a father who suffers from dementia. The bleakness of his life is matched by that of the landscape in which he is often seen. The murder cases in which he is involved are always grisly. This may not sound too promising but it added up to compulsive viewing.
Kenneth Branagh’s performance, in the title role, of a man on the verge of a nervous breakdown is very impressive and the regular supporting cast is consistently good.
The BBC has clearly lavished time and money on this series. It contrasted strongly with the recent ITV offering, Above Suspicion, a 3-part serial by Lynda La Plante that was shown on consecutive nights. I only watched it to the end because I was ill and did not have the energy to do anything more taxing. I wish I had not bothered.
The previous series of Wallander won the 2009 Best Drama Series BAFTA. It would not surprise me if the second series won the award for this year, unless there is a rule prohibiting this.
For anyone who missed Wallander, the first series is available on DVD and the second series is, I understand, due for release early next month.
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