Borgen: How the Danish political drama was "rediscovered"
Written byTimes Magazine
The Danish political drama Borgen returns to the small screen after a hiatus of almost a decade. The discovery of a fictional oil in Greenland sparks the plot, and the idea comes to life after a sitting politician meets the writer at a cooking show.
Running from 2010 to 2013, Borgen's breakthrough came as the Scandinavian dramas The Killing and The Bridge also enjoyed international success.
This drama follows Danish politician Birgit Nyborg, an idealistic outsider who climbs the political ladder.
"When the show ended, we said we could bring it back if the right story came out," Danish screenwriter Adam Price told the news.
He remembers actress Sidse Babette Knudsen joking with him, "Well, see you in 10 years, Adam." Over the three original seasons of Borgen, viewers watched Nyborg become a prime minister before accepting a new political party being founded. Knudsen's screen character is already the Secretary of State in the new series.
In eight new episodes, the plot focuses on the consequences of discovering oil in Greenland. Newborn faces climate and security-related dilemmas. Old alliances and ties between Denmark and Greenland are at stake as much larger powers - the United States and China - compete for influence.
Several years ago, Martin Lidegor, a member of parliament and chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Danish Parliament, was invited to a cooking show hosted by Prince (who is also a Danish TV chef).
"We made quiche," he recalls. I said, "I think I have a great idea."
The two envisioned a new political thriller and developed the main plot, which Adam Price adapted into a story for Borgen several years later.
Lider was Denmark's foreign minister from 2014 to 2015 and minister of climate and energy before that.
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