Wallander

No, it's not just you Tegan - I had so looked forward to it but have found it very disappointing. I enjoyed Krister Henrikkson in the earlier series (especially his badly-dyed hair) but this final series seems so far from the Wallander of fiction that it just doesn't ring true for me. There have been some great touches, as in the photos with names he has hidden away as he realises he has problems, but on the whole the character seems to have little to do with the original, in its complexity and darkness. I'm almost bracing myself for a happy ending. I find his affair with the much younger teacher totally incredible. I'm also getting fed up of the blank stare when he can't remember something!

I appreciate that events have to be invented to stretch out the series, but I feel the makers of this series have turned Wallander into a happy, forgetful granddad. This isn't the brilliant, moody Wallander I know, with his insomnia, bouts of heavy drinking, stomach upsets, anxiety and ruminative self doubt. I shall plod on to the end but with a heavy heart.

Right from the first episode I liked this latest series. I find it gloomier, deeper, more brooding and more realistic.

Wallander has a difficult relationship with his daughter, even if he is a fairly fond grandfather. He's not all that happy and reliable, though. Didn't he turn up late to meet his GD from school?

And I wonder if he will be diagnosed with Alzheimer's. I found it touching (and a bit scary) that he keeps a secret aide-memoire at the back of his wardrobe with photos of his colleagues and their names printed on the back.

Is that what the photos are, petallus? I'm really enjoying this series as well - but am I mixing this up with something else - was his daughter not a lot younger in the last series, and he was still (sort of) married? Wonder what the letter was that he threw down as he stood at the water-side? Maybe a diagnosis, perhaps?

I actually much prefer the current actor he has a twinkle in his eye wheteas the one with the badly dyed hair was just a sleazy lard-arse. The incipient dementia is saddening and even frightening and I find it very credible and realistic

Soutra - the badly dyed hair one and the current one are the same - Krister Henrikkson. His hair now looks quite blond, whereas it had a touch of auburn before.

Marelli the actress who used to play the daughter unfortunately committed suicide, poor girl.

This actor has always been my favourite Wallander [I don't like the one with the man boobs] but there was an [slight] element of humour in the previous series. I thought he'd retired at the end of that last series as well [?] and it bothers me him having this young girlfriend. I hadn't twigged about the photos. Maybe it's the fact that Henning Mankell is gravelly ill himself that is clouding my feelings towards the new series.

I see, vegasmags. I hadn't known that Henning Mankell was ill, Tegan?

They weren't going to do a third series because of the actress committing suicide; then I thought that Henning Mankell had decided to do this last series because of his illness, but he has only recently been diagnosed. Don't wish illness on anyone but HM is one of lifes good guys and that makes it even worse. It all seemed a bit confusing, with Linda having fitted in marriage and having a child in before this series starts. And I keep wondering who's looking after the dog most of the time [bit like the babies/children in Eastenders on the rare occasion that I watch it, that only appear onscreen when needed. The rest of the time they appear to look after themselves. But I'm being picky .

If you read the books, there are big gaps between, with a glossed-over brief resume of things that have happened in between. The tv series sticks to the plots roughly, but not always to the descriptions of the characters. I haven't read any later books, so was quite surprised by this storyline, but his father had alzheimers for years, of a very slowly progressing variety, so I suppose it's a plausible storyline. Also, his father married his much younger carer!

As for men marrying women much younger than themselves, I'm afraid I am acquainted with quite a few of them. It rarely seems to work.

The last book in the series, The Worried Man, makes it quite plain that he has developed Alzheimers and is very dark in tone. I found it a wonderful read and part of my disappointment with the current TV series is that I don't think they are doing the original justice. They have borrowed incidents from the book - Hans' parents and the time Wallander leaves his gun in a restaurant.

I agree about HM - he has done so much for charity, especially in Africa.

I'd forgotten about his father. I think I've loved the Wallnader series so much that, when it did resume I wanted some sort of a happy ending. Or maybe a comforting ending of some sort.

vegasmags I don't think the actors are the same.

There is another Scandanavian one, Rolf Lassgard, who has badly dyed blonde hair and is a little on the (shall we say) heavy side.

It's quite confusing with three Wallanders on the go.

My favourite is Henriksson. Not sure about Branagh.

It is confusing petallus especially as they all seem to go to the same bad hairdresser! Rolf I remember as the one with the moobs, but Krister's hair has certainly had a few incarnations! He is my favourite too - I felt so-so abut Branagh, although I think the scenes he played with his father were very good.

Yes, those are very memorable. This incarnation is by far the best in my opinion, although the others were ok. Kenneth Branagh was too tortured and the other too flippant, Henriksson gets the balance about right. I too am so sad, I wanted a happy-ever-after ending for him so much. I almost wish Mankell had left the original ending, of him scooting off to Stockholm to be with his ex-boss.

That's what I thought had happened at the end of the last series. Maybe I'm being pessimistic and this series will end in an optimistic way?

Oh dear I think it is an excellent illustration of the impact of dementia. Really made me think tonight.

Yes. A very moving episode, with Wallander struggling to tell his daughter of his illness. Presumably this means there will be no more series, which is a shame as I really have enjoyed this last one.

I've read quite a few of Mankell's other books - and he doesn't do happy endings.

All praise to Kirster for his amazing portrayal of a wonderfully complex character going through this horribly cruel illness. The whole story is handled so well, its thought provoking, honest and desperately sad. I was sat there last night watching him sitting alone just willing his daughter and granddaughter to turn up....and they did. Somehow it made a desperately sad story bearable.....very clever writing.

I was transfixed by the recent episode. It was very sad and also frightening.

I missed it last night as I was watching the football. Not sure if I can face watching it; he's such a good actor and I think it'll cripple me to see it.

Tegan, although lasts night's episode left us in no doubt (spoiler alert) that he has dementia and its having a serious impact on his life, there was the feeling of reconciliation and acceptance in the last few minutes of the episode. For me it could have been the last in the series....there was not exactly hope but there was a certain open-endedness that was stangely reassuring. I was, like petallus, transfixed by it all, could not look away for a minute and I am glad I watched it.
My concern is that there is one more episode and I worry that its going to take it all too far down the road of bleak nothingness......I am not quite decided as to whether I shall be brave or not.

I am amazed that I am getting this thoughtful about a TV programme....so much I can completely ignore...its a reflection on the quality I suppose.

I too enjoyed last night's programme, which was very well done. I think there will be bleak nothingness to come, HildaW, in the remaining episode, if they remain faithful to the Wallander of fiction. Mankell said that he wanted readers to be in no doubt that he had written the last Wallander book.

Deep down I think I knew that already vegasmags.....just trying to hang onto dear old Wallander for a little longer. Think I will 'forget' to watch next week's episode and just hang on to the imagine of his face as he saw his daughter and grand-daughter through the window last night.