Pigerne fra Englandsbåden

I can't even begin to describe what a massive disappointment this show is, no amount of words would be too much.

I remember reading an uncomplimentary review and thinking 'it cannot possibly be this bad, I watched many shows that others thought to be bad but I enjoyed', and I started watching the first episode, and it looked bright and well made and I thought 'this is going to be an interesting watch' but then I got to episode two and it's all slow talking and slow thinking and slow standing and slow looking at things, and there is no reality in which a child goes missing and the police doesn't even bother to investigate, that's when I realised I was watching not only the most boring show in the history of television but also the most unbelievable one.

I hope you read this and go 'this was the most boring review I ever read'. I'm sorry, I was only trying to give you an idea what it's like watching this trash.

I had really been looking forward to this, nordic crime, as so often before, and hopefully as good as usual.

But despite a good story, based on a popular book, a cast that seems to deliver, even if not big stars, it ends up boring, because so little happens, way to many empty pauses, and characters that stare empty into the void. If the series was shorted by one third, it would work.

On top of that, lines that is too much, that no one would say in real life, and is too clumsy. Sometime I wonder if the book has a deeper layer, that the movie never dig enough into and we therefore do not understand. Instead we hear actors say sentences that is not really connected to anything and sound like a cliche.

It is not all bad, after all I watched it to the end. It's just never really good. Maybe I should read the book.

So they skimped on an editor - a shame. Could've worked in four episodes. Way too slow paced. The last two episodes, where you'd expect it to become exciting, 'thrilling' it completely deflates and leaves the viewers in this household yawning and glancing at their phones. The author surely can't be pleased with the result? The actors all do their best to make this glacier-moving narrative work, but have apparently all been told to speak excruciatingly slowly. If you have the time, then give it a go, but if you don't need to have everything repeated and regurgitated for you again and again, then give it a miss.

This is a slowly evolving narrative. It's not anything like as bad as some suggest. There is nothing doubt some scenes are on the ponderous side so the direction is a bit at fault. The story is credible and interestingly convoluted. There's definitely a number of points where you try to get Nora to behave a bit more rationally. Lisbeth is played with some menace by Susan A Olsen who stands out here compared to other roles she has been given in Borden or The Eagle. Over all worth watching. It is important to accept the play is about the character development and underlying psychology of the individuals here. I enjoyed it even with the slow pace.

Streaming on Channel 4 (UK) made the slow paced thriller even slower.

The frequent adds, and the glitches at times in the streaming made this a difficult watch. I can't really take away stars from the film for reasons outside the film makers control, but it did impact on my enjoyment watching this.

I'll take one star away because of the ending, as it it just didn't meet my expectations.

I'll take another because it simply was a tad to slow at times. Like unnatural long pauses in phone calls. Only example I can give to avoid spoilers.

Another star is deducted because of the filming. At first I made excuses it was an old production but it appears from 2023, so a bit too old school or low budget.

The story line had potential but falls short at times, the yet another star deducted.

The acting is not great performance either, a final star deducted.

I'll leave the remaining 5, as I did watch it to the end. The plot delivers twists and turns and all sorts that belongs to a decent thriller, and it could have had great potential. At least it's a mini series with no cliffhangers.

I'll give it an extra star because it is a Danish series jumping it to six stars.