Borgen, the hit Danish show about an idealistic female Prime Minister (“Birgitte Nyborg”, played by Sidse Babett Knudsen), her spin doctor (“Kaspar Juul”, played by Pilou Asbaek) and an ambitious young political journalist (“Katrine Fønsmark” played by Birgitte Hjort Sørensen), ended after 3 seasons in 2013. With a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and boasting fans such as Hillary Clinton, Borgen has been hailed as one of the best and most realistic political shows created-all without the dramatics that infuse House of Cards. Unfortunately, in order to see Borgen, you have to buy it. It isn’t included on any subscription plans as of now. That may change when a new fourth season airs on Netflix in 2022. A fan of the blog graciously translated an interview with Borgen creator Adam Price for us, and here are some excerpts.
About the plot of the new season:
“I don’t want to go into too much detail about the plot, but one has to say it is, politically and journalistically, a completely different world compared to 10 or 12 years ago when the new and untested Birgitte Nyborg took to the stage. Now she’s 10 or 12 years older. She’s a woman in her early 50’s and in a completely different place in her career and has become a different politician.”
About Birgitte’s political status in season 4:
“She has been in opposition for a number of years and now a new government is in place where she is the Foreign Minister which is a huge and important post, but the question is if it is satisfying enough. At any rate she makes sure she’s in the midst of things as we start this new story which is about power.”
About Katrine Fønsmark’s position in season 4:
“Now she returns as head of new at the big national public service channel. She is also in a completely different place in her career and she has to learn in this new season that news are also highly political, when it is political in itself to convey them in a big organisation.”
About the idea of power in Borgen
“Power is of course the central story of Borgen and the interesting thing about having been in the centre of power for such a long time as Birgitte Nyborg has, that it can become its own purpose. As a young idealist you can say “I choose power in order to get things done”. But what happens when you have drunk from this slow working poison which power also can be in political life, so that for you have got used to your words having influence, you can get things done. Can it be that now you crave power for its own sake?”
Borgen is in our top 10 list, and we will be impatiently waiting for this new season!
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