Borgen Series 2

[Bellebelle]

Anyone else looking forward to this starting tomorrow night (BBC4, 9pm)?

I loved the first series and have been using serious willpower to stop myself buying the second series or looking up spoilers online (Denmark and some other countries are a year ahead of us). Have to confess that I have read some articles which give info of some of the plot lines but I won't put on any spoilers other than to say that it sounds good but a bit hard going at times, a lot darker than series 1.

Seriously don't think I've ever been this excited about a television programme, I actually wish the BBC would just show one episode a week rather than two back to back to draw it out for longer!

[DonkeysDontRideBicycles]

poor Kasper.

He trusted Katrine enough to share that secret.

Glad Sanne is back.

[teejwood]

does anyone else have a sneaking suspicion that Katrine might be pg? the whole kaspar does not want children thing has just been expressed too often tonight. obviously it's integral to tonight's storyline but i did wonder if she was willing to take the role with hasselboe because she needed to be in a job for more than just financial reasons iykwim...
also - i was slightly worried when Birgitte put the anti-d's in front of the picture of her son. it crossed my mind "i hope they aren't foreshadowing there..."

[teejwood]

Just started reading the thread from the start - Happy Birthday *Belle!"
and

[teejwood]

That should have been Belle, of course

[MooMinCow]

Wasn't she pregnant and MC in the last series too Teej?

That Sven Age creeped me out

[teejwood]

moo she was, but iirc that was to Ole.

Sven Age - a "country bumpkin" version of Nigel Farage - we're not very far off having people with that type of outlook in our own Parliament....

[Bellebelle]

Thanks Teejwood

Also delighted that Sanne is back, I felt a bit sorry for Jytte though. She was obviously 'old school' and had no idea what it's like to have children. The writing was on the wall for her in episode 2 when she was giving Magnus a drink in Birgette's office though.

I mentioned when I started this thread that I'd seen a couple of things in articles about S2 and one of them was that Kasper's story was more horrific than we had seen in S1 so I knew it was bad but as soon as there was mention of his father's 'friends' my heart sank. I hope that Birgette's comment about giving him a day to think to Niels Erik was the indication I think it was that Kasper will be back, it wouldn't be the same without him.

Not sure about Katrine being pregnant or not although I thought that the fertility symbol statue Kasper gave her for her birthday had to 'mean' something so maybe there's something there...

Sleep now although I'm sure I'll be back with more to witter on about later in the week.

[DonkeysDontRideBicycles]

Winced when Torben invited Katrine to cover that other employee's job to cover 6 months' maternity leave.
Nice and loyal of her to insist on Hanne getting work too.

Poor Lotte.

Happy birthday BelleBelle

[Bellebelle]

MooMinCow she had an abortion after initially wanting to go ahead with the pregnancy. She changed her mind through a combination of her Mother telling her how hard it would be on her own and then being confronted by Ole's widow at his grave. That's why I'm not convinced she would be pregnant again now, feels too soon as far as the scriptwriters would be concerned.

[teejwood]

I love Spiral - but it def wins the award for gritty and explicit over the scandi dramas
I also love Montalbano, though. It's a different vibe - the sunshine, the endless eating, the resident fool, everyone being over-dramatic
Most of you already know my feelings on TKI, II and III and The Bridge...

[Bellebelle]

Thanks Donkeys Had a great time sledging, eating, generally being spoilt and of course getting tickets to see Sidse.
Emotionally wrung out now though

[teejwood]

omg had forgotten about the fertility statue - there has been so much action packed into these episodes! yy - Katrine will be pg by the end of the series if she isn't already.

I deliberately have read nothing in the papers (saving them up to read at the end) so I'm not spoiled, so tonight was a complete and

Need to think of a q for you, Belle. Am v jealous you'll be seeing her in person. I did see Krister Henriksson (Wallander) walking out of a hotel in London with his wife, but decorum prevented me from ambushing him so I could start asking questions

[teejwood]

Oh - and anyone else think Jytte might end up leaking the details of Laura's issues to Laugesen, just the way the fling with the driver didn't remain secret from him?

[DonkeysDontRideBicycles]

Sounds great fun Belle you should sleep soundly after that lot.

Back in Borgen world, do we think all is well with Philip and Cecilia (sp?) or is it not quite as perfect as it seemed? When he suggested sitting and talking after their daughter went to bed, Birgitte was quite brusque telling him he should go.

Then when she broke down sobbing whilst cleaning her teeth afterwards I was reminded of that remark "no-one can hear you scream" - she has to maintain her cool all the time.

[DonkeysDontRideBicycles]

Jytte could run to the press teejwood but I thought she was a cold fish, professional civil servant who probably wouldn't, (probably proved wrong next week!).

[teejwood]

yy - glad you had a great day, Belle

Donkey I couldn't help but feel that Cecilie is a right kick in the teeth to Birgitte. Younger, blonde, and a child specialist - could Philip have picked someone more ideal to undermine Birgitte if he tried? I'm just waiting on him to suggest she is too busy to look after the Dcs and he and Cecilie should have them when they move to the back end of nowhere. Probably after one of the children OD on the anti-d's. Because the writers are that cruel to Birgitte. I'd love to think he's having second thoughts - but I doubt it. I think he's just trying to salve his own guilty conscience.

[teejwood]

Donkey Agree re her being a professional and I don't think she'll run to the press per se, but Laugesen has a lot of contacts and seems to have his ear everywhere so I suspect he will get to Jytte somehow and thus find out about Laura.

[DonkeysDontRideBicycles]

You're probably right and by end of the previous episode, I thought Philip would suggest the children move to new love nest on the coast. School issue would probably prevent that but PM's losing out to Saint Cecilie at present. The children do deserve a fair amount of attention and time from both parents.

[Sugarice]

Brilliantly acted and directed again

The way Kaspar relieved his abuse was so subtle yet horrifying as was Brigitte's breakdown in the bathroom.

It's so sad to see Laura in turmoil, I hope she's going to be ok.

Thank god he told katrine he loved her although it'll still be rocky I'm sure.

Can't wait for next week

[VestaCurry]

Thanks Donkeys - Spiral is fabulous too, totally different of course. It's just great to have some really superb drama series to watch. I really really look forward to these subtitled series.

[vjg13]

That was an amazingly good episode last night. The acting is incredible. Kaspar's story was so much worse than we thought.

[DonkeysDontRideBicycles]

Pined for these foreign dramas over Christmas, not one box set was I given. Yes the acting is exceptional.

[guineapiglet]

Yes,I agree with you all, these two episodes were really compulsive viewing, my husband has given up on any conversation with me whilst it is on, just have to watch - but spend a lot of time thinking about it afterwards, it is so 'real' - all things pointed to Kasper's horrific past in the last series, and when he handed over his box of memories to Katrine it was so heartbreaking - they did it with great depth of feeling, very convincing.

Birgitte's handling of Laura was so real to me, having had similar problems with my own daughter, denial ( ish) initially 'you will go to the camp and enjoy yourself' and then overwhelming guilt and disbelief at everything breaking down when you feel you can't hold it together - when she was cleaning her teeth, I wept with her! I hated her having to be almost bullied into accepting the Anti depressants - as her mother it would have been so much to bear. Still think Philip is gorgeous but his character seems very mean and self centred. Not sure Cecile is all she appears either, hated it when she had to collect Laura and assumed the moral high ground.

Is this why we all respond to Birgitte? She is so normal and human - I cannot imagine the Camerons living in normal house with little or no security, and with no childcare arrangements to pick up the kids in case of a crisis.... also delighted to see the return of Sanne, she was a wonderful character in the last series, treated very badly at the end.

[thepeanutsparent]

Oh oh oh! Gosh I'm rung out after those 2. I had to wait and see it on catch up in the week.
Poor Kaspar, love him. That last scene between he and Katrine... Beautifully done wordlessly.

Ok I had a thought there about the significance of kaspars back-story to his current job: the deceptions, cover-ups, contrasting loyalties and twisting of truths.

I agree Philip will try to take the kids away from birgitte. Was proud of her for changing her mind re the antidepressants, having done research and thought it over. Despite everything she is a good mum.

[minxthemanx]

OOh, just found this thread! I ADORE Borgen, the best programme I've watched in a long time - I'm new to this series, and am addicted. Like you all say, brilliant acting, script, storylines. I just can't wait for Saturday nights. Is it worth me getting the first series on DVD or waste of time now the story is developing in this series? I just LOVE it. And really like her.