Paul Evans Wallander investigates two crimes, the first sees a man die by a cash point, apparently of a heart attack. The second case sees a taxi driver brutally stabbed to death by Sonja Hokberg, an eighteen year old girl who freely admits to killing him, totally oblivious to any possible ramifications. Meanwhile Wallander's daughter decides it's time for him to meet someone, he's matched with the beautiful Ella Lindfeldt, and the pair plan a date.I would say this is the best of the British made episodes of Wallander, it stands out for so many reasons. Firstly a story that could have been a bit common place is brought to life with such energy and vigour, the episode is well paced, full of tension, a real sense of urgency and threat are created. Wallander, normally quite emotionless is given a new dimension by the introduction of Ella, brilliantly performed by the gorgeous Orla Brady.The location looks fantastic, really adding to the darker tone of the episode, it feels bleak. Beautifully produced as always, a point also for destroying his phone, saving us from that annoying ringtone. Best of the bunch. 8/10

Hitchcoc Kenneth Branagh continues his portrayal of Kurt Wallander, the morose, driven policeman who holds forth in Sweden. In this offering, a young woman is killed and then dumped on some power lines, causing a district-wide blackout. The body of another man, murdered earlier, has been stolen. All this leads to a plot by some terrorists to set off a catastrophic event. A young man known for his computer skills is brought into the fold to try to figure out what is going on. Apparently, there is some grand design to all this and our hero must sort everything out. Branagh seems permanently depressed. He loves his daughter who recommends that he get out in the dating world, now that there is no hope of saving his marriage. He meets an attractive woman who starts to fall for him, but there is more to the story. Some of the technology is, quite literally, cryptic. We know that there is an endgame, but for most of us viewers, the science is so hard to follow as to be incomprehensible. Still, the slow pacing allows Wallander/Branagh to flex his acting skills.

Niklas Pivic As the first film of the English Wallander mini-series set a shining example, the second installment was a bit of a let-down in my eyes. Despite the obvious problems with turning a story that somewhat evolves around hackers into something eventful and interesting, Wallander himself isn't a very happening person; it's what's inside that makes most of this series kick, if you look away from the wonderful cinematography, the energetic screenplay, good dialogue and real acting, this story didn't entice me. It's a bit like flogging a dead horse, but still, not a very good TV film. I wish I could say something better about it, but the other two installments are, however, recommendable.

kayaker36 Ken Branagh has been around for so long one is surprised to see him still playing a semi- romantic role. Then it is remembered how very young he was when he burst into prominence with his **Henry V**--a role he now owns after appropriating it from no less a figure than Olivier.Sweden remains a quite sparsely populated country with a good deal of open space. This is excellently exploited in this three-part series set in the province of Skane in the southwest of Sweden. Some of the cinematography is Bergmanesque, capturing the bleak beauty of the region.Each program begins with the musical theme "Nostalgia", sung with affecting sadness by Emily Barker of the group Red Clay Halo from Australia. As a provincial detective with personal issues, Branagh captures the Scandinavian melancholy like a junior Max von Sydow--lengthy silences, expressions full of pain suffusing his baby face. Like any Shakespearian, he's also got a great voice, full of subtleties and surprising power. The supporting roles are well played by a strong British cast.This middle program deals with a terrifying conspiracy of international proportions and with some of the travails of mundane life. Several absurd coincidences unfortunately hinder suspension of disbelief. There also is a surprising amount of violence, with several murders, a mutilation and much blood. Branagh's Det. Wallander carries a pistol--a powerful 9mm SIG-Sauer--but he isn't much good at using it, not at least in this episode. In one scene he fires blindly into a thick fog, trying to stop a fleeing automobile. This is useless and probably against regulations.The action speeds up to a conclusion that mixes success and tragedy in nearly equal proportions.