The Minister

Ráðherrann aka The Minister This engrossing 8 part political drama from Iceland has all that one has come to expect from this country.

Ólafur Darri Ólafsson is quite superb as the eponymous character (Benedikt), the newly elected Prime Minister of Iceland.

The problem is that he is bipolar, a hereditary disease he has inherited from his mother who as a result committed suicide when he was young.

What unfolds is a thoughtful drama about not only the illness but also the was the way Benedikt sees through the politics and makes decisions which are more logical to his mind, despite being against his party's politics and in some cases law.

If it can't be done, make up a new law!

The viewer is behind Benedikt for the most part, but the last couple of episodes sees a shift in this view.

Behind the scenes, the party politics is as you would expect, all self serving manipulation towards personal gain, so nobody really has he countries' or Benedikt's interests at heart, just their own. No change there!

The supporting cast is very strong. Where do they find so many good actors in such a small country?

If you were a fan of TV series, 'Borgen' - I believe you will enjoy 'The Minister'. Writing, directing, acting, scenery, photography wonderfully capture the essence of the person vs. the politician as well as provide a travel log of Iceland and insight into local / EU politics.

I wish more people would watch scandi shows regularly.

This show is a fine example of a tight script accompanied with fantastic acting - in particularly the lead, he is truly amazing - and an amazing setting of the island itself, Iceland.

Again we see the power of good writing. Icelandic TV RUV in cooperation with the other 4 scandi TV channels - SVT (Sweden) NRK (Norway) DR (Denmark) and YLE (Finland) served us with yet another masterpiece.

I would definitely watch more Icelandic film and TV in the future. I enjoyed the wonderful Icelandic language as well. It gives the story an air of being from strange, far away land which is an added bonus to the plot.

Go and watch this - it's good.

I'd definitely recommend this if you are trying to find the next bingeable show. I came to watch Ólafur Darri Ólafsson and stayed because it's a poignant portrait of mental illness blended with political intrigue. There were a few too much cringey over the top scenes, but that's my only criticism.

9.5 stars. Outstanding at every level. Ólafur Darri Ólafsson delivers a brilliant absolute tour de force performance breathtaking in alacrity and range. Don't miss the opportunity to see this production.