Thank you Denmark!

Until recently I have avoided at all costs a certain kind a TV program, the European police drama. The sort that the middle aged are going crazy for. Often they come with short, dramatic or gloomy titles that promise a deary setting with characters wearing mute drab colours so dampen any high spirit that you might have upon tuning in. All of the critics give them high reviews and describe how they rush home to watch it with a bottle of wine -despite the fact that they proudly crow about how they have mastered iPlayer (as if to make up for the long standing joke of the 90's, having a VCR but not knowing how to use it).

But after watching Homeland (not European, I know but the groups slightly lesser American cousin. But perhaps that's just my taste) and loving it, I sat down to watch with my parents The Bridge. For once characters that just get on with the story, no token/pointless characters (you know the sort that I am talking about-there is one in every program) or female characters that have to be oppressed because they are women or men that have to be stupid .Or even the very worst, futile subplots about their family;they are in the middle of a divorce, their mother is a cougar that wishes to be known by the name Barry. Yes these things happen in real life and if perfectly pulled off with the right balance it can work. But all too often in England, it just doesn't. Perhaps because there is too much concern with pumping out enough episodes to hang on to ratings. It is possible for us to get it right. Look at Sherlock, less than ten episodes over nearly four years but as an audience we are more satisfied than the random failings of a fairly successful stand up who is given his own family sit com. Please. No more.

Again and again watchers say that they would prefer a four part decent drama than the poorly made dragged out things. Look at the BBC HYS section or the back of the Radio Times. Things are getting violent, and these are the moderated comments.

To be fair, when I started to type this post it was half way though 2012, its now spring of 2013. Britain has started to catch on, although I have not personally watched it ,many praise Broadchurch and we were getting the prime cuts of foreign tell. I have moved on to the delights of Borgen, and I am more than eager for the third series. The success of The Killing brought new life to our television but also to our opinions, we are starting to see how other Europeans live normally and that we are facing similar social and economic problems.  In an increasingly euro-septic country, its a reminder that we are not alone in our grievances and its being presented in the least aggressive format possible. And for this understanding (and for improving television) I will always be thankful to Denmark.