Borgen – Power & Glory comes 12 years after the original series as Birgitte Nyborg serves as the Foreign minister in a new cabinet that has to contend with an international crisis within their backyard. The episodes are now streaming on Netflix.
Story
Birgitte Nyborg is the Foreign minister of a coalition government which means she maintains a shaky relationship with the Prime Minister. When oil is discovered in Greenland, it is up to Birgitte to handle the situation, which leads down a rabbit hole she’d rather avoid.
As the situation boils over, Birgitte finds herself changing stances and even her approach to politics which causes some friction among her party members and her family and friends.
Kristine is appointed the head of news for TV1 but as the days go by, she realises the stresses of taking on such a high functioning job and it eventually takes a toll on her.
The oil situation in Greenland means that Birgitte has to deal with multiple countries and keep everyone in check while maintaining the policies of her government.
Birgitte slowly realises what the job is doing to her and learns that gaining power is not worth the cost of losing her identity and ruining her bonds with her family and friends.
Performances
Sidse Babett Knudsen is the star of the show. Her nuanced portrayal of the ageing politician finds herself out of touch with the times and her constituents.
Birgitte Hjort Sørensen is the other key focus as she takes on the role of a woman in power who can’t seem to find a way to win no matter what decision she makes. She conveys the emotions of stress to a troubling degree that many people will recognise.
Mikkel Boe Følsgaard plays a smart civil servant who is well-read and quick on his feet. He exhibits a wit that adds some quality to the series.
The entire cast pulls their weight in this intriguing series that includes a variety of characters that occupy the world of politics.
Positives
The dialogue deserves credit for its all-around brilliance. It puts across the right tone and message and never shies away from the hard truth.
The cinematography was absolutely brilliant, the series captured the beauty of Greenland perfectly and gave the audience a real reason to care about climate change and what it affects.
The role of women in politics and positions of power, in general, is displayed wonderfully. Telling the story of these women with the right amount of sensitivity is what makes this series great.
Negatives
There are pacing issues at times. Some small subplots are not explored satisfactorily and either required better sequencing or should have been cut out.
The editing is sketchy throughout. Scenes are not given time to breathe and the transitions are uncomfortable.
Verdict
Borgen – Power & Glory takes a while to get going but once it settles down, it gets the audience hooked on every manoeuvre and powerplay that Birgitte has up her sleeve along with her capable support staff. This series is highly recommended for those keen to see the ins and outs of politics without a safety veil to bother about.
Rating: 4/5
Also Read: Borgen – Power & Glory summary and ending explained