The Investigation

Another excellent Scandi thriller with a tremendous cast and based on a most unusual case. I agree with other reviewers that it's slow in places and the last episode is rather longer than it needed to be but overall I thoroughly recommend this.

It was interesting to see Pilou Asbaek in the prosecutor's chair for The Investigation; in the recent film 'A War' he was cast in the role of the accused. Soren Malling was also in 'A War', as Asbaek's character's defense lawyer, but in The Investigation he's the main character, Jens Moller. Moller's character type will be familiar to fans of police procedurals - he's the hardworking detective with troubles at home. What distinguishes The Investigation from lesser series in the genre, however, is its eschewal of graphic violence and unlikely or fantastic plot developments. The latter can perhaps be explained by the series being a representation of a true story so strange and unique that no over-writing is necessary. The quality of the writing is exemplified when Moller lets down his daughter to attend a calll-out to the pathology lab. While waiting on a bench outside the lab with his junior female partner, she falls asleep on his shoulder, and in that simple moment we see that he is providing the support to her that his daughter needs from him. We are also shown his professional values in the contrasting way he deals with reporters seeking news on the case, and Kim Wall's parents. He promises them all that they'll be the first to know if he has any news, but he only delivers on that promise to the parents. We sense that he has his priorities right. The Investigation's biggest strength is in showing the immense effort that goes in to achieving justice when a murder is committed. Without that effort, justice can't be achieved, and so it is a reminder that justice doesn't come cheaply. But surely that's the way it should be if we're to value human life appropriately.

I have watched just about everything that comes out of the Nordic and Baltic countries and this offering is certainly up there. It won't appeal to everyone because it cruises along in first gear for all 6 episodes. Not that this is an issue. It is well shot with incredibly understated emotion and subtle tension added to by excellent performances from the actors. It's the realism and the complete lack of Hollywood formula that I loved. Worth a binge!

I didn't realise when I started watching this that it was a true story. I thought it was so well done. It was slow, but I enjoyed the pace, it seemed to reflect the snails pace of the investigation. They had so little to go on, and were so persistent and relentless, refusing to give up on getting justice. I enjoyed watching how all the various teams, divers, forensics, detectives, prosecutor, just keep going, edging closer to the truth. An awful, tragic crime and so many people caring deeply about the outcome.

Also, the music is wonderful.

"The Investigation" is nothing like any other shows about investigations. It is a drama purely about the investigation process as it unfolds sequentially. There are no flashbacks, and we get to peer into the lives of the victim and the perp solely through the interpretations of the investigators and the victim's parents. It becomes quite a mystery ride especially being a foreign-language series with English subtitles. The feel almost mimics what it's like to be in a submarine (the very thing they are investigating). Your view is very limited and you only get to digest information one nugget at a time. It may be slow at times, but overall very captivating.