Wallander: The Original Episodes, Set 1

WALLANDER Shows The Police Procedural By Way of the Flawed Human Narrator
The beauty of the police procedural is that no matter where it's produced - the U.S., Britain, Japan, or anywhere else - is that, so far as the narrative is concerned, there are going to be some fundamental similarities: for example, there's going to be a crime - perpetrated by a criminal or group of criminals - and there are going to be victims. The basic formula - who did what, how was it done, all of the finer details, etc. - is also a staple. What varies (thankfully) is the stylistic approach incorporated by the people who wrote and assembled it - the characters, the culture, the morals or lessons learned, and so on and so forth.

Henning Mankell's seminal detective Kurt Wallander has been given some excellent treatment by both the Swedes as well as the Brits. While some of the stories were not crafted by Mankell, all of them (so I've read) maintain the central focus of Wallander, a flawed man as disillusioned with his work as he is with his life. This narrative...

Least of the three
This rendition of the Wallander is very well done production and direction-wise, but credibility is soon destroyed since they try to portray him as a sexually attractive man
with romantic scenes and obvious intercourse. it's ludicrous. The actor, Rolf Lassgard, is a gigantic 300 pound lumbering tank of a man and when hey pair
him with a slim, attractive, much younger women it totally detracts from the stories and makes the whole viewing unauthentic. The two other series with portrayals one with Kenneth Branagh is far, far better, tho he plays him too morose. By far the very best interpretation is the series starring Krister Henrikkson. I've watched 13 of these twice and find them far superior to either of the other two.

Second to None
Lassgard's interpretation of Mankell's famed Swedish detective, the tormented Kurt Wallander, is one of the two great ones, along with Krister Henricksson's.

If you like provocative storytelling, superb acting, mind-bogglingly beautiful scenery, unexpected plot twists, don't miss this Swedish series.

I have all the Wallanders (including the latest incarnation which, to me, doesn't compare to either of the Swedish versions) and can tell you that, although it has English subtitles, you don't really need them. You know what Lassgard's Wallander is thinking because you can read his expressive face.

Lassgard is an experience not to be missed, especially in this role.

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