Honestly, this is my very first Danish TV Series. I have never visited Denmark before and what I know of this country is very little except for their famous butter cookies (please excuse me for my poor jokes). But as an introduction to Danish TV and films, this series really impressed me. In fact, I'm looking forward to Season 2 of this series which I think is very likely to happen since there is some indication in the last episode that the story so far is still unfinished. As always, I stumbled upon this series unintentionally while feeling very bored with the many investigative crime dramas that has inundated me lately. Finally, a series without cops, private detectives, crimes or murders. Don't get me wrong, I happen to love crime dramas especially good ones like British series Luther and Strike but they tend to overwhelm me sometimes. So if this series is not about cops and private detectives, what is it about? The answer is chefs. Yes, this series is not a crime drama but a restaurant drama about the shenanigans in a small but high end restaurant in Copenhagen named 'Vaerk'. Instead of bullets, be vary of flying knives.
Without revealing too much, the series is about Michael, the head chef of Vaerk ,who has worked hard and sacrificed a lot to build up the reputation and success of Vaerk over the years. He also considers the restaurant his home turf. In fact, he frequently sleeps there in his office. Although he maintains a good relationship with his boss, Vibeke, his assertive leadership style often causes friction between him and his subordinates. Things start to get interesting when unbeknownst to him, Vibeke decides to hire a new female sous-chef, Naja, to give the restaurant's image a face lift. From their very first meeting with each other, it becomes apparent to the viewer that these two are not going to get along well. Naja's modern views on management soon clashes with Michael's more traditional style and her emphasis on gender equality in the workplace seems to chaff the misogynistic Michael even more. Later, the animosity between them worsens when Michael discovers that the ambitious Naja is also eyeing to replace him as head chef . Eventually, this leads to a series of one-upmanship between them.
What I found appealing about this series is that it is not your typical battle of the sexes story with romantic overtones but instead a realistic (albeit exaggerated) commentary on men and women in the modern workplace. A relatable topic that is handled very delicately and intelligently here. Since all 8 episodes only lasts half hour, the story line is fast paced with no boring moments. In fact, the other reason I was attracted to this series is because of its short half hour episodes which I found easy to view instead of long episodes that are difficult to finish in one sitting especially on tired nights after work. The humor in this series is very tongue in cheek and the characters and their quirks well played by an established Danish cast (which I will talk about a little more below). Produced by Drive Studios, the series has a high quality look and feel to it.
Lastly, if you have seen the series, you would have noticed the names Julie Rudbaek and Jesper Zuschlag mentioned in the closing credits, the actress and actor who plays Naja and Michael. However, they are also both credited as writers for the series. After some digging around, I found out that this multi talented duo who are actors, screenwriters and directors themselves have collaborated before on many past projects such as the satire/comedy series '29', another highly rated and award winning series produced by Drive Studios. This series revolves around 2 high school friends in their late twenties/ early thirties who are still struggling with single life and career choices. Now in its fifth season and still on going, the series has garnered quite a following and can be found under the titles '30', '31', '32' and '33' which is apparently the age of the titular characters (rather cute and clever). The fifth season '33' premiered in January 2021. Unfortunately, I'm not sure whether this series is available on any major streaming platforms and whether it will be released with English subtitles. Which is a shame, really. If anyone has more information on this series, your contribution would be greatly appreciated. So, Rudbaek and Zuschlag, they are quite a big deal in Denmark and after this series I will be looking forward to more future content from them.
Final thoughts, this unassuming TV series has all the hallmarks of immersive TV and it deserves a view especially if you like an intelligent TV series with satirical comedy. For those who would like to know more about this series, I have provided links to a short review in English from Variety.com and a brief description in English of the series courtesy of DR Sales.
No comments:
Post a Comment