Borgen Season 4
Power and Glory: 'Gripping'
The fourth season of Borgen: Power & Glory touches upon several pressing current political issues, including the superpowers’ battle for control of the Arctic, and the relevance of the Danish Realm in the modern world. But most importantly, it is a credible portrayal of the hardships of women in positions of authority. Dr Ramandeep Mahal rates the fourth season as 8.5 out of 10.
The First season had begun in 2011 and, yes one can actually see a lot of transition in the character of Birgette Nyborg. The fourth season of 'Borgen' features a new character for Birgitte Nyborg. Having previously served as Prime Minister of Denmark, she is now responsible for international affairs in the current coalition administration. This new season of Borgen focuses heavily on the sacrifices one must make to hold on to power and maintain control, as well as the question of whether a successful leader can stick to his or her convictions. Nyborg announces, “I am having the time of my life. No kids at home, no husband who feels neglected. I have no commitments and I have so much energy that I can dedicate myself to the job”. Her new career gives her an opportunity to regain control over many things. The discovery of oil in Greenland presents a chance for her to restore her former splendor, but the trip is fraught with many hurdles. Well ten years and the series hasn’t lost its charm. It showed the world the strength of Nordic content. The drama depicted a world in which its protagonists’ visited passageways characterized by political maneuvering, as opposed to a more marketable world of gruesome murders in barren, frigid locations in Scandinavia. Her husband Philip (Mikael Birkkjaer) has gone on to a new family, her daughter is overseas, and her adult son Magnus (now portrayed by Lucas Lynggaard Tnnesen) has formed his own political conscience, resulting in substantial friction between mother and son. Magnus, a classic ‘apple didn't fall far from the tree’ type, is the only person in her life who is prepared to battle her corruption, but even he abandons her in disgust as it spreads.
In contrast to the first three seasons, which balanced Birgitte’s challenges with her triumphs, Power & Glory focuses on her failures as she gets more and more embroiled in a complex geopolitical tangle. She is divorced and unmarried, at conflict with her son in public, and losing the support of her political party. As the Prime Minister Signe Kragh (Johanne Louise Schmidt) informs her, “You’re alone on an ice floe now.” Knudsen succeeds in depicting Birgitte’s solitude and inner conflict as she becomes more career-obsessed at the expense of everything else. Hiring nemesis Mikael Laugesen (Peter Mygind) suggests a significant change in the agenda of the diplomatic politician. The situation becomes dire as Birgitte prepares to engage in criminal activity with him.
Katrine's narrative is also intriguing. She is now in charge and must cope with a stubborn anchor. Narciza Aydin (Ozlem Saglanmak) had a striking similarity to Katrine in Seasons 1 and 2 of Borgen, when she was in Narciza's position. Obviously, Birgitte is the primary protagonist, but there is a big cast of recurring and new characters in this story. The New Democrats are a liberal party with a strong emphasis on environmental protection and mitigating the effects of climate change, but Kragh and her supporters are eager to maximize the economic rewards of fossil fuel extraction in Greenland. The question of colonialism further complicates the framework of the political drama, since Greenlandic officials are likewise eager to dig for oil as a method of achieving independence from Denmark. Katrine, like Birgitte, is forced to make painful choices that jeopardize her journalistic ethics and put her in direct confrontation with Narciza Aydin (Ozlem Saglansak), the channel's star anchor.
The conversation and narrative remain fast-paced and alternate between Danish and English with the same stunning fluency as Knudsen's superior linguistic ability. Knudsen has once again excelled in the character of Birgitte Nyborg. In addition to reflecting her age, the wrinkles on her face also indicate the knowledge she has gathered through the years. It's a stunning performance, and the camera perfectly catches her frailties, revealing her human side as well. After four seasons, it is difficult to imagine another actor performing the role of Nyborg. All of the actors - Birgitte Hjort Sorensen, Soren Malling, Mikkel Boe Folsgaard, Svend Hardenberg, and Mikkel Boe Folsgaard as Asger, the new Arctic Ambassador (a new character) – live their roles and give it credibility and authenticity. However, one of the most riveting aspects of the series is its portrayal of the hardships of women in positions of authority. It is difficult not to sympathize with Birgitte and Katrine, even when they make choices which appear unethical, since they are often alone and swimming against the tide in turbulent seas. I would personally rate the fourth season 8.5 out of 10.
