Le jeune Wallander

I was hoping that this series would be set in the past like Endeavor/Morse but sadly, this is not going to tell us the moody, brooding backstory of Kurt Wallander. It is a little too modern for my taste, but we watched it anyway.

The action seems to move along at a decent pace and tells the story well. Kurt makes some judgment errors yet seems to be a competent (though learning his way) as a new detective. The series isn't a typical gloomy Scandi Noir nor a fast-paced UK cop show, but this one stands on its own.

(This is a British production, NOT American. The British series was set in Sweden and performed by British actors, as is this one. The Swedish series was set in Sweden and has Swedish dialogue.) Swedes are NOT Swiss.

This is made by Yellow Bird UK and other than the lead actor who is Swedish the cast is British. It's also set in the present which means it serves as neither a prequel to the British or Swedish series. It's also not filmed in Sweden like the other series but in Lithuania. It's not a bad show but it just doesn't feel like Wallander.

The fans of the previous two Wallander series that tuned in to Young Wallander are bound to be disappointed that the new series timeframe is not consistent with that of its predecessors. Adam Palsson is a good actor and does well carrying the lead in this presentation. In keeping with the first two series the timeframe would've had to be the 70's.......for those too young to know, cell phones were a good 20-30 years away. Young Wallander uses a smart phone, looks like an iPhone. They easily could've called this series something other than Wallander which would have in no way impacted the premise of the show. So why call it a Wallander where comparisons would obviously be made....except for reasons of drawing a ready made audience. I am watching this series independent of the lead character growing into the older version of Kurt Wallander.

I never read the books so I didn't really know what to expect from Young Wallander but I ended up liking it quite a bit. It's a gritty, edgy police detective show that will keep you entertained throughout the series!

I am a Brit but disappointed that this could not be made in Swedish and with a Swedish cast.