Wallander 

A TV program centered on a soul-searching Swedish cop.

Stars:

Kenneth Branagh, Richard McCabe, Jeany Spark

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 12 wins & 28 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Kenneth Branagh	...	Kurt Wallander 12 episodes, 2008-2015
Richard McCabe	...	Nyberg 11 episodes, 2008-2015
Jeany Spark	...	Linda Wallander 10 episodes, 2008-2015
Sarah Smart	...	Anne-Britt Hoglund 9 episodes, 2008-2012
Sadie Shimmin	...	Lisa Holgersson 6 episodes, 2008-2010
Tom Hiddleston	...	Magnus Martinsson 6 episodes, 2008-2010
Barnaby Kay	...	Lennart Mattson 5 episodes, 2012-2015
David Warner	...	Povel Wallander 5 episodes, 2008-2015

Storyline

Existential detective Kurt Wallander must battle his own demons as he works to solve a series of bizarre crimes in southern Sweden. This series is made up of four distinct films, each one a mysterious journey into murder, deception, and baffling crimes. Follow Inspector Kurt Wallander - a disillusioned everyman - as he struggles against a rising tide of violence in the seemingly sleepy backwaters in and around Ystad in beautiful southern Sweden. Brilliantly acted and visually dazzling, Wallander is based on the bestselling Swedish crime novels by Henning Mankell.

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Plot Keywords:

sweden | running on empty | alzheimer's disease | tragic hero | police station | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Country:

UK Sweden USA Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 May 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Epitheoritis Wallander

Filming Locations:

Ystad, Skåne län, Sweden

Company Credits

Production Co:

Zodiak Entertainment,ARD Degeto Film,BBC Scotland

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jeany Spark (Linda Wallander) & Sarah Smart (Anne-Britt Hoglund) also worked together on episode 1.5, Death in Paradise: Spot the Difference (2011), of Death in Paradise (2011) as Emilie Saunders & Suzie Park respectively.

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Connections

Version of Wallander (2005)

User Reviews

Very good made-for-television mysteries

I usually enjoy British-made mystery series, and "Wallander," starring Kenneth Brannaugh, is one of the recent series that particularly stands out.

Based on the mystery novels by Henning Mankell, "Wallander" maintains the Swedish setting of the novels, and the slightly moody tone of the books. Wallander is a complex character with many foibles, but he remains sympathetic, and Brannaugh's portrayal is spot-on. The relationship of the title character with his daughter and his colleagues rings true both to life and to the original novels.

As to another reviewer thinking it's odd that they're speaking English when it's set in Sweden, unless it's being dubbed from English into another language (particularly Swedish), I would find nothing odd about it. I wouldn't expect a British series to be written in Swedish, regardless of the setting or the original source. No more did I expect "The Last Emperor" to be filmed in Chinese or the characters in "I, Claudius" to be speaking Latin. The Swedish setting is highly evocative, and the series is true to the spirit of the books.

I highly recommend "Wallander" for anyone who likes character-driven detective mysteries. (ETA: BTW, anyone who has a chance to see the original Swedish "Wallander" series, it is somewhat different, the drama more implied through the circumstances of the particular crimes, and is more subdued; there's also more of a "police procedural" feel to it. They're sometimes shown on U.S. television w/ English subtitles. I don't know if it's available dubbed or not -- but as I prefer not to watch things that are dubbed even when I don't speak the language, I'm very glad to say that I'm only acquainted with the subtitled version. I'd say that the Swedish version picks up more the plot and action of the books, whereas the British version is more interested in the characters, particularly Wallander, but also the characters and motivation of the perpetrators.)