The Golden Age of Danish Public Service Drama Series

Geopolitical Television Drama Within and Beyond the Nordic Region

“…In general, when we look at the historical, institutional, and cultural conditions for crime fiction -and, later, television drama -from the Nordic region, there is an ambition to address ethical, societal, and political conditions in contemporary culture via the stories, distinguishing such fare from similar content elsewhere in Europe or North America, particularly those produced by commercial broadcasters. However, since these two forms of popular culture have become heavily consumed outside the region, a reflexive narrative layer has begun to emerge: the international fascination about anything Nordic -geography, culture, or politics -has emerged as a key marketing strategy for getting these stories made (Agger, 2020;Waade & Jensen, 2013;Roberts, 2016). A case in point is the significant use of the region's topography and climate, like the rainy, dark November setting of Forbrydelsen, the majestic Norwegian fjords of Frikjent [Acquitted] (2015-), the glaciers and snowstorms of Ófaerð [Trapped] (2015-), the endless days of Arctic summer in Midnattssol [Midnight Sun] (2016), the iconic buildings and bridge of Bron/Broen, the skerries of Morden i Sandhamn [The Sandhamn Murders] (2010-), as well as languages, rituals, food, and music from the region (Waade, 2017;Hansen & Waade, 2017).…”