Herrens veje

Actors, screenplay, production...all is perfect. De series captivates me from the first Episodes.

This was one of those shows where I thought, worth a try. After the first episode I thought, yeah not bad. Now I'm sitting up late watching the end of the last episode in season 1.

An intelligent, engaging, very human drama. Really good.

I am normally quite fussy about what I watch and I didn't have high hopes of this one, since there have so many Scandi noir knocks offs just done by the numbers. But this is different. A fine cast, great script even in translation and high production values impressed me. Melodramatic yes, but in a way that draws you in and creates empathy for even the least likable characters. Anyone who has been involved in any kind of organisation will recognise the dynamics at play here. This is not a simplistic heart tugger but plays out the human condition with real heart and nuance. I was so pleased to note that another series exists but don't know when channel 4 will get it...

In the allegedly new yet oddly 1980-ish landscape of the old Dickensian format of the Series that is offered by the new era of streaming media; In an age where we are offered nothing new really than the old ballads of cartoon creatures battling for power - This exceptional story stands out a beacon, carried by a miraculous script and an otherworldly performance by lead actor Lars Mikkelsen. This series offers something new, something totally unheard of in its genre: Its arena is not the traditional opera stage with its designed caricatures preforming allegorical roles of intrigues serving to produce the drama. On the contrary, this is the drama of the opposing forces that resides within each individual character; the true stage of the battle of good against evil suitable for a religious topic like Herrens veje, but more importantly this should represent the challenge given us in any depiction of true human Endeavour: To represent the human drama as a drama within. Fear, shame, guilt, jealousy, love, these are not persons - They are aspects of each individual persons life.

(My first review on IMDb. This series deserves more than the 1 whiny review of the first episode mostly about the supposedly bad colour balance.)

I recently watched Season 1 - all there is so far, as of early 2018. Based on the voting for other series on IMDb, this should be mid 8s or higher. It's easily as good as writer Adam Price's earlier creation Borgen - which has justifiably raving reviews on here and is one of my all-time favourite series.

Thank you to him and everyone involved. This is an intelligent, profound, gripping series, addressing the most important things in life in a serious way, yet joy is never too far away. It's not essentially bleak or noirish.

Lars Mikkelsen is amazing as the troubled priest-patriarch Johannes. He's given space here to show what he can do, and he's astoundingly good. This will hopefully silence those who thought his brother Mads a better actor. The rest of Johannes' family are outstanding performances too. One son, a priest, goes to a war zone with the Danish army, and his life is forever changed. The other son, exuberant and somewhat ethically-challenged, goes travelling to the Himalayas with a friend, and his life is forever changed. Ann Eleonora Jørgensen as Johannes' long-suffering wife is also excellent.

I can't wait until the next season! I can't think of anything negative to say about it at all. It's about family, Danish traditions, religion (without being particularly pro- or anti-religion), one's values in life, kindness, happiness, betrayal, angst, personal transformations, one's calling in life, love etc. I read a very good Adam Price interview where he says the show was aimed to get people talking about religion, not to present any particular point of view. It's a fascinating look at religion, from many perspectives. Also there's a hallucinogenic drug party, a same-sex love affair, haunting visions, near-death experiences; can't go wrong.

Extremely gripping, emotional, funny, touching. In short: WATCH IT!!