Having produced a superb story last episode, devoid of ethnic propaganda and unnecessary melodrama, the filmmakers turned right around and dumped so many soap opera scenes into this story, for the first time ever, I had to fast-forward through a Foyle's War episode.
Sadly, this is the standard trajectory for crime dramas. Even the acclaimed Borgen suffered from this treatment. In fact, that was what made Bron/Broen SO special. They never went down the melodrama road. It started out as a crime drama and continued as such all the way through.
One reviewer described this episode as "emotionally rich", so apparently some people buy into the melodrama shtick. What was particularly sad was devoid of the melodrama, this was a very good mystery. The revelation of "Pip" at the end was particularly satisfying.
But I'm just NOT interested in Sam being interested in Andrew. Who cares? Other than drinking, have we ever seen them sharing some overarching common interest?
And, of course, there was the lack of realism just to serve the plot. That mechanic would have been court marshalled and thrown in the stockade for dereliction of duty. He might have been murdered. But it would have happened while he was behind bars.
This story had the makings of an excellent mystery but it was ruined by soap opera diversions that drained the story of its power.
Sadly, this is the standard trajectory for crime dramas. Even the acclaimed Borgen suffered from this treatment. In fact, that was what made Bron/Broen SO special. They never went down the melodrama road. It started out as a crime drama and continued as such all the way through.
One reviewer described this episode as "emotionally rich", so apparently some people buy into the melodrama shtick. What was particularly sad was devoid of the melodrama, this was a very good mystery. The revelation of "Pip" at the end was particularly satisfying.
But I'm just NOT interested in Sam being interested in Andrew. Who cares? Other than drinking, have we ever seen them sharing some overarching common interest?
And, of course, there was the lack of realism just to serve the plot. That mechanic would have been court marshalled and thrown in the stockade for dereliction of duty. He might have been murdered. But it would have happened while he was behind bars.
This story had the makings of an excellent mystery but it was ruined by soap opera diversions that drained the story of its power.