This is the second round of the BBC/PBS/Branagh version of Wallander (there is also a Swedish TV and film series). Bottom line: this is a great show that should be watched by everyone. There are a few clichéd moments that made me think of The Simpsons' McGarnicle - I wouldn't have been surprised to hear Branagh say, "I'm trying to get out but they keep pulling me back in!" - but these are few and far between. The cop show tropes are all there - Kurt has a boss who respects his skills but doesn't always want to put up with his inability to function like a normal human being, a coroner who does all the creepy stuff like figuring out just how and when somebody died, a younger investigator who also respects Wallander and is even more annoyed by him, even a female inspector that looks a little bit like Jill Hennessy. Even when Wallander goes to a bar or restaurant, there are never more than one or two other people around. The pace of life in Sweden seems slower, and as presented here, this is a country of vast open spaces and very little in the way of crowds. Wallander isn't light-hearted viewing, but it also isn't as intense as 24 or Law & Order: SVU. The rest of the cast is equally solid, with special mention going to David Warner as Povel Wallander, who is heartbreaking as Kurt's rapidly deteriorating dad. Branagh is a great actor who blends in smoothly with the other performers, something not every star is able to pull off.
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