Let me start by saying that I just love this production. It is a corporation between the national Danish, Swedish and Norwegian TV stations but placed purely in Denmark.
The story evolves around two friends struggling to get their dream restaurant off the ground.
One is a former top (hipster) chef straight out of prison, a ladies man with a drug habit and debt to all the wrong kind of people.
The other is a top sommelier, dyslexic with an alcohol problem mourning his wife who died in a car accident. Since the accident his son has not uttered a word.
It is jam packed with good Danish actors and solid acting, with only a few exceptions. Each and every character is somewhat of a cliché but all are portrayed with nuance and great charisma.
The main storyline is also a bit of a cliché but it is webbed with surprising detours and humorous in its absurdity. However, it is not a comedy as such and the show takes itself seriously. There are no punch-lines or gags, just peculiarities and absurdities that will make you smile.
The show comes across as some kind of modern urban western. It is filmed without the use of nothing but small sets, which gives a great intimacy with the characters and story. The cinematography is really impressive in its purity and with a great grading that fits the western genre. The directing is also very consistent with focus on a good manuscript/story and acting rather than unnecessary bells and whistles.
I have been trying to think of reasons to dislike the show but I just loved every 8 episodes in each of the two seasons. As a bonus the end is both in spirit with the whole show and it also actually works (which I think is rare).
A nice little gem that deserves airtime outside Scandinavia :-)
