Annika Bengtzon is a character that (based upon her irresponsible behavior) must have been a C- student in school.
When we first see Annika, she is given the opportunity to be the head of a department in her newspaper. She shrinks from her good fortune, choosing instead to continue being a roving reporter. These are the values of a teenager in the 70s. What is called maintaining your "freedom" is just an excuse to justify acting irresponsibly.
And this immature propensity for reckless behavior soon manifests itself when we see Annika hop into bed with the very first Prince Charming that comes on the scene. In fact, the Swedes engage in sex SO often in these Euro mysteries, one would think sex is part of the Swedish minimum daily dietary requirements along with protein and carbs. Lol
This Annika character is fundamentally stupid. She asks stupid questions and she does stupid things. Her most egregious character flaw is: she lacks survival skills. For example, she manages to wack a bad guy with a crowbar who is out to kill her. Now remember, he's out to KILL her. So then what does Annika do? Instead of finishing the bad guy off, SHE JUST STANDS THERE, like a pathetic dazed deer. And, of course, the bad guy regains his consciousness and begins to terrorize her again. NEWS FLASH: If you don't value your life enough to kill an immanent deadly threat, then neither do we. After that insane scene, I no longer cared less whether Annika lived or died.
Annika Bengtzon is fundamentally a rich man's wife. Someone who operates under the delusion she is "free", when actually she is highly dependent upon others to support her and save her from herself. When a fight breaks out, she runs and hides. There's nothing heroic about this character. She's NOT a young Miss Marple solving crimes using a combination of crystal-clear thinking and insightful intuition. To the contrary, Annika Bengtzon is a cowardly female bull in a china shop who stumbles to and fro breaking all manner of things until she accidentally discovers the truth sticking out of the pile of rubble she has created.
I don't sympathize with the many weaknesses of this character, especially her narcissism and irresponsibility. The Road to Hell is paved with good intentions. And that is an apt description of Annika Bengtzon.
When we first see Annika, she is given the opportunity to be the head of a department in her newspaper. She shrinks from her good fortune, choosing instead to continue being a roving reporter. These are the values of a teenager in the 70s. What is called maintaining your "freedom" is just an excuse to justify acting irresponsibly.
And this immature propensity for reckless behavior soon manifests itself when we see Annika hop into bed with the very first Prince Charming that comes on the scene. In fact, the Swedes engage in sex SO often in these Euro mysteries, one would think sex is part of the Swedish minimum daily dietary requirements along with protein and carbs. Lol
This Annika character is fundamentally stupid. She asks stupid questions and she does stupid things. Her most egregious character flaw is: she lacks survival skills. For example, she manages to wack a bad guy with a crowbar who is out to kill her. Now remember, he's out to KILL her. So then what does Annika do? Instead of finishing the bad guy off, SHE JUST STANDS THERE, like a pathetic dazed deer. And, of course, the bad guy regains his consciousness and begins to terrorize her again. NEWS FLASH: If you don't value your life enough to kill an immanent deadly threat, then neither do we. After that insane scene, I no longer cared less whether Annika lived or died.
Annika Bengtzon is fundamentally a rich man's wife. Someone who operates under the delusion she is "free", when actually she is highly dependent upon others to support her and save her from herself. When a fight breaks out, she runs and hides. There's nothing heroic about this character. She's NOT a young Miss Marple solving crimes using a combination of crystal-clear thinking and insightful intuition. To the contrary, Annika Bengtzon is a cowardly female bull in a china shop who stumbles to and fro breaking all manner of things until she accidentally discovers the truth sticking out of the pile of rubble she has created.
I don't sympathize with the many weaknesses of this character, especially her narcissism and irresponsibility. The Road to Hell is paved with good intentions. And that is an apt description of Annika Bengtzon.