Friday, February 08, 2013

Annika and Barnaby

   At The Cinema                           


It's Murder



I haven't spoken of it, but Midsomer Murders has been, along with Top Gear re-runs, my go-to feel-good entertainment source.  Like Doc Martin (which series MoSup has now watched twice), it's holding power
over me has much to do with the ensemble of regular characters, and interesting if somewhat obtuse murder mysteries, and understated humor.. 

But that's not what this is about.   Annika Bengtzon: Crime Reporter is (I love the name Annika). But, just when I got to where I couldn't get enough of it, it was over.  Just six episodes.  Damn Damn Damn. 

Unlike the video sample, it's subtitled of course.  Unreliably so.  Is there anything worse than white or yellow subtitles against a white background?  Or black against black?  If the United Nations wants to do something useful, it ought mandate that all subtitles be yellow with black borders!  So there's that.  Sometimes the same subtitled dialog will stay on the screen  while a boatload of Swedegibberish is being spoken; and then,to catch up, the next four flash by in one second.

Don't matter. I loved it. 


Oh, and one more thing.  It seems that Sweden have sunshine laws that allow any citizen, at anytime, to look at the public records of any government employee, including the police.  I mean everything.  Annika is able to go to a clerk in the Swedish government and peruse an up-to-date elected politician's expense report, and submitted receipts.  Can you imagine?  Our politicians can, so you'll never see it here.



10 comments:

DougM said...

Scandinavian mysteries?
Well, okay, I watched Wallander.
I hated hitting the play button, 'cause it's soooooo deeepreeessssing; but it's sooo captivating.

Anonymous said...

We've just finished Annika Bengtzon and it's a great series. However, even better are the Danish series, "The Eagle", and "The Protectors." The French crime series "Spiral" is spectacuar.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the tip, Rodge. I'll pick up on that one for sure, because I think I've seen all the Midsomer's twice, already.

I do recommend Morse, tho, if you haven't already seen them and the "Inspector Lewis" after Morse, uh, left the series.

And, of course you've already seen all the Jeremy Britt "Holmes"...

jd

leelu said...

I've been enjoying "Kingdom" w/ Steven Fry, and "Case Histories". Both BBC, both only first season w/ 6 episodes. Inspector Lynley, and "Whitechapel"too.

Domestically, "Body of Proof" with Dana Delaney, "Numbers", and "My Own Worst Enemy" w/ Christian Slater.

All thru Netflix.

I'm at least a season behind, because I don't watch TV much, mostly because I can't stand the frikkin' commercials.

Tom Mann said...

I'm looking forward to viewing this. I just finished reading and then watching the Swedish versions of the Millennium Trilogy.

What's with everyone watching all of this foreign film action? That used to be the bailiwick of champagne socialists and other common garden type liberals.

Are conservatives baling on Hollywood?

ps - The double NFL heiress chick in the American version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is kinda hot.

Anonymous said...

Roger mentioned watching "Doc Martin" on TV. My wife and I watch nearly all of the program every Saturday night on PBS. The Docto reminds us both of the grouchy old fart that was in our hometown in northern Montana back in the 40s and 50s. In is show, Doc Martin doesn't seem to drink much, if any, alcohol. But old Doc Olson did his best surgical work after he had put in a long session in the Elks Club bar. He was called out of the Elks Club when my now wife needed an appendectomy. Today there is virtually no scar remaining, as there seems to be with most similar surgeries.

Scottiebill

Anonymous said...

New season of top gear started monday feb. 4 on BBC America. New episodes on at 9pm Mondays. You can catch the series first episode at 8pm this Monday the 11th.

Rodger the Real King of France said...

Are you sure it was an appendectomy old Doc Olson tended to? Just sayin'

Hodja said...

Most - if not all Scandinavian Crime mysteries are leftist agitprop written by upper-class red-wine-socialist millionaire writers, who hate the common people. Liza Marklund is a very good examp+le of these people. Yes I live in Denmark.

Rodger the Real King of France said...

Thanks Hodja - yes, it's blatantly apparent that the author i sympathetic to commies (like Annika's commie radical friend in the newsroom. Still, by American standards, where every show goes out of its way to bash conservationism Christians, and real Americans, this is a cupcake. BTW, what Danish movies/TV series would you recommend?

ALSO - while I'm at it. DOUG M-
I watched the first two Wallander's, and talk about depressing. Not a second of levity; not a single smile that wasn't ironic; and the most gruesomely depicted homicides extant!

I find that each episode must be followed by two Prozac and three fingers of red whiskey.

Do we ever see his daughter naked?

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