Prisoner

"Prisoner" as this has been renamed for the showing in the UK, is a dark & difficult but thoroughly engrossing viewing. There's been plenty enough prison series over the years, but this one takes a different take, mostly concentrating on the dramas of the four key prison wardens rather than the prisoners themselves.

As this follows in the tradition of prision dramas, you know some of the obvious events that will occur, but the truth is that its emphasis on the prison wardens is an interesting departure that makes a big difference in what we encounter. From the mother with the drug addicted son, the new warden who finds his friend behind bars and so on. This all leads to a major collision, as sins & crimes are covered-up with more sins & crimes, and it all gets out of hand. Hanging over the heads of the wardens, is the threat of the possible closure of the prison with the the head warden under pressure from the inspectors.

This series is for me one of the best Scandi Noir series. Generally, I've not been as impressed as others with Scandi Noir but this is an exception. A dark, nasty and very intelligent bit of drama that makes you question morality in these worlds.

I don't want to give anything away, although some things are well sign-posted from early on but that doesn't devalue the series in any way.

I'd recommend this very highly to everyone.

I am a retired UK prison officer and hardly ever watch prison drama's, but watched this because I thought it would be interesting to see how another European country, Denmark, runs their jails, albeit in a work of fiction.

The story concentrates on four officers and their interactions with the prisoners and to a lesser extent with their families. The prison appears to be an old establishment, not too dissimilar to the one I worked in. All the usual ingredients of prison dramas are included, violence, drugs, staff corruption and trafficking. Sophie Grabal plays the mature officer who has problems with her druggie son, David Dencik is the officer who turns a blind eye to the drug culture to have a quiet life, Youssef Wayne Hvidtfeldt is the naive rookie and Charlotte Fitch is in charge of the wing who has to oversee the clampdown on discipline to please the prison inspectors who are threatening to close the prison down.

One thing I found odd is that all the staff had the same rank insignia, including Fitch who was the boss.

Anyway, despite the usual cliches in this sort of drama, I found it an enjoyable series and at just six episodes never drags.

I have no idea if this is a realistic depiction of a Danish Jail, but certainly many of the procedures would not be permitted in a UK establishment. All the actors were good, particularly David Dencic as the unlikable Henrik.

A slightly grim, but entertaining series.

A dark tale of people going down, because conditions, because they are trapped in a fight they can't win, a game where everyone loose. Where there is only bad choices and you are doomed no matter what you do. Where humanity and good is always seen as weakens and punished.

There are small clues on how to escape, that the house must be torn down, but it seems a little bit out of context.

But does it work then. Well, yes and no. I have problems with credibility. I don't really think that everyone in that world act that stupid. I don't believe that Danish prisons are like that.

I have a problem with the scenography. It seems too ordinary, too much like every day. It does not set a scene in which the events seems likely. The characters seems to much like you and me, to act like they do. Maybe a slight touch of darkness and some background noise could do it.

It is probably a educated choice of the creators, to make the events happen in a recognizable world. But the distance, verfremdungseffekt, that could make me believe in the story and the characters are missing.

But still, it is a good series, it is worth watching. Well done.

There have been so many prison dramas over the years, but creative writers and producers continue to breathe life into the subgenre. 'Wentworth' brilliantly remade Australia's true original 'Prisoner Cell Block H', while Jenji Kohan's 'Orange Is The New Black' used storytelling to explore the lives of the women in Litchfield's Penitentiary. Then there was Spain's prison thriller 'Vis A Vis', unsparing in its brutality and gory details, and more recently Jimmy McGovern's excellent 'Time' mini series for the BBC which focuses on how lives of prison officers and their charges overlap. So many prison dramas!

Kim Fupz Aakeson's Danish DR 'Huset' ('Prisoner' although it translates as 'The House') really ratchets the tension up over its 6 episodes. Dark and claustrophobic, The lives of 4 prison officers are profiled and in the background the prison is under threat of closure as authorities struggle to deal with a whole range of 'internal' issues. Fine performances are supported with 'ground level' production values. You often feel you're right there, a real credit to the directors! Officers Henrik (played by David Dencik), rookie Sammi (Youssef Wayne Hvidtfeldt) and Prison Warden Gert (Charlotte Fich) all make 'Huset' highly exciting, but the Danes also wheel on their secret weapon Sofie Gråbøl who many will know as Detective Sarah Lund in earlier series 'Forbrydelsen' ('The Killing'). Gråbøl is electrifying as the decent guard Miriam having to make tough decisions because of people getting to her 'on the outside'. Without giving anything away, the similarity with Stephen Graham's Eric McNally in 'Time' wasn't lost on me.

'Huset' clearly raises issues related to prison life, but at heart it's a classic 'noir' crime drama but set within the confines of a prison. And its protagonists all learn to their cost it's impossible to leave your problems at the prison gates. At times it's depressingly violent, understandably perhaps, and maybe plays too much on the stereotypes of corruption etc. Prison life is a messy business that's for sure! Who's to say it's not true to life? You probably learn more about the Danes and Denmark from events taking place outside (the way Gert deals with her husband's failing health tells you a lot about the humane side of Danish culture, for example), but the pressure these individuals are under is pretty universal. And in that, this prison drama never grows boring. I think overall I preferred McGovern's 'Time', particularly in the way it shows how individuals' lives become compromised in their actions and situation, but 'Huset' follows similar themes and is definitely worth a look. You can see it on BBC iPlayer until February 2025. Highly recommended.

The entire theme of this six-episode series was about choices and how to make a bad one every time. Betray your mate by having an affair? No problem. Work for drug dealers instead of going to the cops? Absolutely. Fall for a violent, dangerous prisoner while working as a guard? Bingo.

The welter of scenarios just wasn't real as were the decisions taken. Added to this was a portrayal of prison life where drug barons rule and the screws and governors let them that I doubt exists in reality in Denmark. It seemed more like an American prison with clearly racially-differentiated gangs.

I watched till the end but there was no real tension engendered. I wasn't dying to get to the next episode to find out what would happen next.

There is scope for a further season. I'll watch it if it happens but in the hopes that it's better than this one.