1864?

[Dave2002]

I thought we'd already started a thread on this Danish TV series, but I can't find it.

I've only watched one episdoe (number 1) so far - but hopefully the others are safely on my PVR. What is a slight concern is that the iPlayer is only showing the last 2 episodes, which effectively prevents people who have only just noticed this series from catching up.

I thought that the BBC had relaxed its policies to allow people to catch up even quite long series. This one is sufficiently obscure that without going back to the start it might not make any sense at all.

There do seem to have been varied views on this series, but I am at least intrigued by the historical details - about events which I hardly knew anything at all about.

[vinteuil]

... mme v (always up for a bit of scandiwegian stuff) and I had great hopes for this.

We gave up after episode 3.

The modern-day frame narrative did nothing for us; and the surprisingly one-dimensional - almost pantomime - portrayals of the baddies : the villainous son of the Baron, the mad bishop/politician egging on his countrymen to an insane war, the goody Romanies as opposed to the smug insular Danes; the clichés - Bismarck and Moltke knocking over the toy soldiers - were so below what we expect of Scandi drama : we were terribly disappointed.

[Nick Armstrong]

... mme v (always up for a bit of scandiwegian stuff) and I had great hopes for this.

We gave up after episode 3.

The modern-day frame narrative did nothing for us; and the surprisingly one-dimensional - almost pantomime - portrayals of the baddies : the villainous son of the Baron, the mad bishop/politician egging on his countrymen to an insane war, the goody Romanies as opposed to the smug insular Danes; the clichés - Bismarck and Moltke knocking over the toy soldiers - were so below what we expect of Scandi drama : we were terribly disappointed.

Same here, save that episode 2 was not finished prior to deletion along with the timer setting.

Looking forward to The Bridge 3 later in the year.

[vinteuil]

I thought we'd already started a thread on this Danish TV series, but I can't find it.

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... there is discussion of 1864 on the Eurovision thread.

Starting at #11 -

...1864, for instance. What possessed the BBC to buy that series?

I don't know whether a skilful Host could lift out the 1864-related items from that thread and bring them here? - [ Actually there were only three further contributions, so I'll add them here... ]

I think it's great - I like the frame work in which the developments around Schleswig-Holstein are set; the developments themselves and the main backgrounds of the Prussian-Danish war of that year are to the point. I prefer Bismarck and Wilhelm IV speaking German and Queen victoria and Palmerston speaking English in stead of all speaking the language of the film maker's country (I hate Germans speaking English or vice versa the German dubbing over of English-spoken films)

I think you have proved the comment made by one critic, namely that you need to have a genuine interest in the period and specifically events in Schleswig-Holstein to appreciate it! I agree with you re speaking in the actual language - which is why I rarely go to the ENO. Wagner sung in English ? Yuk!!

Re 1864 I agree its perhaps a little specialised for UK TV but we like it as my wife's great grandfather was an officer in the Danish army at the defence of Dybbol. Absolutley fascinating for her to see the uniforms and period detail.
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[johncorrigan]

Same here, save that episode 2 was not finished prior to deletion along with the timer setting.

Looking forward to The Bridge 3 later in the year.

I've been enjoying this - it didn't start well and I almost gave up after episode 1. Glad I didn't. Worth it for Søren Malling who I think has been terrific as the rather strange Johan, and Nicolas Bro looking like Charles Laughton playing the mad Monrad. I knew nothing about this event in history before the start and also the weapons in use then were frightening. It's been a wee bit 'Heimat' meets 'Band of Brothers' without being as good as them (what is?), but I am left considering how unusual for the Danish TV company to bravely cover such a national humiliation. I look forward to the final two episodes next week.