Karen Porter – Google

I had to stop watching after a few episodes. First, I have watched some really terrific “female lead boss cop” series - this is not one. The lead is just too young for her role. There is no background about why a person (woman or man) this young should have a position of responsibility. Her right hand guy seems more mature and capable than she is. Second, the idea that she’s having an affair with her boss raises a lot of question - how can they carry on in the open? There are legality questions, not to mention propriety questions. One of them should resign from the police department! It also makes people naturally ask about just how such a young person rose to this level...when sleeping with her boss. Third, the story line about the mother is nothing but frustrating. They are stretching it out too much - just get to the point, and clear it up earlier! I found it too much of a “tease” with no substance. A really disappointing series.

Just coming off the wonderful Spiral and gorgeously produced “Murder in....”, I was ready for another French series. This is not it. The scenery is wonderful, some decent plot lines...but the main character is horrid. Although she says in Episode 1 that she’s not Columbo, that’s exactly what she strives (and fails) to be. The hat drives me nuts. Throw it away! The laughing and ridicule at murder scenes is obnoxious. In fact, she’s an obnoxious character and doesn’t get better. My guess is that the writer/producer got some of this criticism early on and just ignored it. This could have been a really good series if the main character were not so silly and downright rude and obnoxious. I really wish this were a good series. I really wanted to see a terrific female detective (which there are in numerous other series), but it’s a failure.

More a soap opera than a mystery, kind of so-so. Watched both seasons just to see what happened…but….. Aksel, the main character, is not likable. He’s selfish in business and in his personal life - and that never goes away. He is totally self-absorbed and does not appear to care much for anyone else, disloyal to everyone, always me-first. I think this makes you go back and forth on his innocence/guilt. Actually, I didn’t really like any of these characters - all very selfish, dishonest. The scenery is probably what kept me watching - it’s fantastic, just gorgeous, and the best thing about the drama. Toward the end, the story veers away from what is probably most important: the success of the village and the difficulties of the workers there. The plot in Season 2 is totally about Aksel and the ultimate trial, and we never see anyone really care what happens to the village economy, which I think should have been in sharper focus. All in all, unless you want a Norwegian travel film, not recommended. There are also some really weird plot lines - as, one character being totally disgraced, then back (with no explanation) in the same job he had before the disgrace. Like, what? Also, oddly, a couple of characters simply disappear with no explanation. Not well done.