Necrotongue

I was going to give this episode three stars but then the creative nonsense started piling up, and I quickly changed my mind. Nobody bats an eye at the two hunters of Germans wandering around Warsaw? I mean, I'd understand if they weren't using firearms, but this just seems a bit too far-fetched. I highly doubt every German in Warsaw is deaf. But what truly puzzles me is how those two Polish characters conveniently stumbled upon the British while on the run. It's a head-scratcher, really. For a moment, I even entertained the idea that I had dozed off and someone airlifted those two to France, but then I remembered that I'm not insane, unlike the screenwriters.

I never imagined a naval battle could be portrayed in such an intimate manner. I initially expected a grandiose war epic, but it seems to be more of a romance set against the backdrop of war events, filmed on a set. Still quite weak in my opinion.

I'm not entirely sure if I'd label the series as "bad" at this point, but I can confidently say it's not good either. We're taken on a journey following love sparks from Warsaw through London to Paris, with a lackluster plot and atmosphere. The horror of war is reduced to the shaving of a Jew's beard by Wehrmacht soldiers, which feels like a missed opportunity to truly delve into the darkness of the era that could have been brought about by the visits to Berlin if only the creators had the skills to achieve that. Overall, it's been a disappointment so far.

After the first episode, my initial impressions aren't exactly glowing. The onset of war seemed to serve merely as a backdrop for some romance and for establishing a clear line between good and evil. Yet, the plot felt strangely hollow to me. There was a lot of emphasis on personal issues; I get it, Sean Bean's character is dealing with trauma from the Great War, but it all felt rather unremarkable. The atmosphere didn't stand out, and the actors' performances weren't entirely convincing either. However, the main objective seemed to be met adequately. Lately, I've had this nagging feeling that movies and series are primarily crafted to tell the viewer how to think, ticking off certain checkboxes rather than focusing on storytelling. It's all starting to feel a bit familiar...

When I started watching Kastanjemanden, I got a little too excited, and I was quite generous in my rating of the pilot episode. The following episodes gradually brought me back to reality, and I started noticing logic holes. Plus, the members of the police investigation department were turned into hopeless pawns. Episode 5 seemed like a small miracle for me, but the very next one brought back everything that annoyed me. If there’s something I can praise, it's the perfect dark and grim atmosphere that lasted for all six episodes. I wasn’t exactly thrilled, but I certainly don't regret having seen this show. 4*-

I hate to say it, but my gut feeling was spot-on. The best episode was definitely the last one, and now it seems the creators have reverted to their old habits by making both investigators look dumb for the sake of drama. Sure, I could overlook many inconsistencies and those last-minute rescues, but the truth is, it could have turned out much worse.

Those sneaky Danes! First, they deceive with their seemingly incapable characters, then they deliver a rather unremarkable performance for four episodes (yes, I'm looking at you, screenwriters), and then they hit us with the fifth episode like a freight train. The plot was gripping, the atmosphere darker than I'd expected, and the tension just kept on escalating. To top it off, the exact person I had my suspicions on from the second part turned out to be the main suspect. That was just the cherry on top of my satisfaction. I'm afraid the finale can't possibly top this, but if I'm wrong, I'll gladly eat my words.

So, it's official: not only did the police fail in this series, but the secret service as well. If I ever decide to take the criminal path, I'm doing it in Denmark. I mean, let's be real, considering I'm not exactly built for running marathons and prefer lounging around, the Danish security forces would probably be the easiest to slip past without breaking a sweat. All jokes aside, I found myself more satisfied with this episode than the previous one.

After the third episode, my feelings are even more conflicted than before. I must admit, the atmosphere and tension in this episode were commendable, as they have been since the pilot. However, I can't help but feel the story is starting to lose its grip on me. The Danes, following the embarrassing performance of both investigators in the previous episode, seem intent on portraying the entire police force as incompetent. It's a peculiar approach, to say the least. 3*-

The second episode kept up the tense atmosphere, with moments of added suspense, and the case unfolded in an intriguing way. I was satisfied once again. I had a good time overall and was leaning towards another four-star rating. However, then came the conclusion... The writers did a number on the investigators and made them look utterly ridiculous, which was a bit of a letdown.