Annika Bengtzon, Crime Reporter: Episodes 4-6

Happy to receive brand-new copy of the Annika BENGZTON CRIME REPORTER dvd. By coincidence I am currently reading the Liza MARKLUND book "Red Wolf"--which happens to be disc one on Crime Reporter dvd. The journalist rents a car while it is -28 degrees; it is necessary to plug a cable into an outlet in order for the car battery to start the engine. Sweden -like John Sandford's Minnesota- proves to be fertile but frozen territory for crime fiction.

I'm so hooked on this Swedish series. Malin Crepin plays the haunted crime reporter with just the right amount of pluck and compassion. Can't wait for the next installment. In the meantime, I'm reading the Liza Marlund books.Update:Many characters solve mysteries, but reporter protagonists can make their own headlines. One I’ve come across lately is Swedish writer Liza Marklund who created Annika Bengtzon. Bengtzon works for the Stockholm publication Kvällspressen where she covers the crime beat.Bengtzon, who is haunted by her past, is only comfortable as she unremittingly pursues her assignments, often risking her own life to get the story. At home where she is the mother of two young children and the wife of an impatient husband, she is much less confident. It is this juxtaposition that makes this series so interesting. She obviously loves her children, but doesn’t seem quite sure how to fulfill two full-time jobs; that of parent and reporter. Annika can’t seem to please her husband regardless. Her job is just too consuming for him.At work, although the editor in chief Anders Schyman can be gruff, Annika is in her element. The work, however grim, nourishes her fragile ego. The reasons for this unfold as the series continues. But her pursuit of a story is engrossing. There is another question around every bend in the plot and questions are the best tool of a reporter. Unfortunately, sometimes the answers are dangerous, even deadly.Liza Marklund is a journalist turned author and goodwill ambassador for UNICEF. Her books have been translated into some 30 languages. It is reported that ABC-TV in the States will debut a series based on her novels starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead of A Good Day to Die Hard. But until then check out the excellent movies starring Malin Crépin as Annika. They are available at Amazon, in Swedish with English subtitles.Marklund is a deft writer who tells a taut entertaining story with believable characters. She divides her time between Stockholm and Marbella, Spain. The first book in the series is Studio 69 (Studio Sex in the US).

At first I found this series wonderful. Beautiful young crime reporter with lovely family, but who has an obsession with nosing out the most muderous anddangerous crimes and not only writing them up for her byline in her newspaper but dashing headlong into danger single-handedly, after which she comes out -- unscathed! And not even dirty.The plots are uneven in quality. Some go by so fast I barely remember them. The characters also don't seem to have a scratch on them after a scuffle, leaving a bit of a surfacy, or cartoonish, sense and not a realistic one.'Production values' are high: sets, locations, and cinematography. Actors are all good. So directing is good. It's the stories that could use more imagination and plausibility.I was kept watching by the evolving story of Annika's family, particularly her husband. Her kids as actors are equal to the other crew members. At her work I kept looking out for Annika's cohort, an older woman, who, as a character has first-hand history Annika doesn't have, helps her selflessly with research, and is an excellent actor.At work, as with the police, we don't see sexism. Respect is always welcome.The episodes become repetitive and predictable. A murder happens. Annika abandons family plans and runs to cover it, gets in as deeply as she can, sees a plot snag that needs to be untangled or rushes in to save someone, 'almost gets killed', gets saved at the most breathless moment by the police (who share information with herfor the most part freely). Again, if Annika has been just been ruthlessly kicked by a criminal she nonetheless gets up and saves the day and her body shows no signs of wear.I like series which change and move the character along in her life, a bigger story within which the episodic stories are contained. But there is not much of a macrostory, just self-contained episodes -- plus family. So, with the unimaginative plots, I would rate the two seasons 3 1/2. 4 for the official rating.

I hesitated to watch this series because so many Swedish shows are noirs. This series isn't. It's short, just 6 episodes, and each is sufficiently different to keep them interesting. Also, Annika herself is likable despite being terribly flawed. That's a difficult balance to achieve as a writer or actor.

Enjoyed this DVD immensely and ares seeking to purchase the following episodes.R Thompson

Actually, I had seen the series on Netflix (no longer carried). I thought it was such a great show that I wanted to have my own personal copy. Highly recommend the series especially if you have seen the Swedish shows Wallander and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Plots tend to be thin, but characters well-drawn and interesting and filming artful. I like that the series seems to be slanted towards female viewers (me), as opposed to other mystery series. Annika struggles to find balance between work and family and has female reactions to situations.

Good crime dramas; I had seen a few on TV and wanted to see the rest. These were better than episodes 1-3; in those episodes, I found the Nobel Prize one far-fetched and the TV crew one slow.

loved it !

Very good