AVERAGE

The sequel to Death of a Pilgrim (2013) also hops between three different time periods, depicting intrigue behind the 1975 occupation of the West German embassy in Stockholm; a murder in 1989 (which the irresistibly offensive Bäckström (Claes Malmberg) quickly views as a row between two ”fags”; and a present-day appointment of Johansson (Rolf Lassgård) as new head of the Swedish Security Service.

Better plotted than the last miniseries, even if clues that lead higher up in the organization are pretty obvious from the start and don’t offer much tension.

Well made, with good supporting characters; the series serves as an entertaining illustration of political naïveté and incompetence within the police.

2014-Sweden-Denmark-Norway-Finland. 174 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by Kristian Petri. Teleplay: Sara Heldt, Johan Widerberg. Novel: Leif G.W. Persson (”Another Time, Another Life”). Cast: Rolf Lassgård (Lars Martin Johansson), Helena af Sandeberg (Jeanette Eriksson), Claes Malmberg (Evert Bäckström), Per Svensson, Henrik Norlén, Shima Niavarani, Jacob Ericksson, Helena Bergström, Kjell Bergqvist, Johannes Brost, Sten Ljunggren, Jonas Karlsson, Ida Engvoll, Erik Johansson, Claes Ljungmark, Etienne Glaser, Ingela Olsson, Filip Berg, Bahar Pars.

Trivia: Original title: Den fjärde mannen. Originally shown in three episodes. Followed by The Dying Detective (2018).