Edderkoppen

"Edderkoppen" (The Spider) is about post-WW2 Denmark, where black market is a major, criminal factor, and corruption is more widespread that anyone wants to know. It's based on a true story, but the specific people, events etc., are more or less fictive.

Edderkoppen follows a young journalist on a social democratic newspaper, and he discover the black market in Copenhagen. He tries to find out what's going on, and who is the mastermind, but soon he is "trapped in the spiders net". Several plot twists makes the story more intense over time, and the story is much more interesting, that a resume will let you think.

I really can't understand what all the hype is about this series. It has, unfortunately, an 'amateurish' feel about it....by some of the actors and the shaky hand-held style of camera work is often overdone. The story itself is well written and based on real events but it has the feel of an American-made movie of the 90's....a little 'cartoonish' and unreal. I had a lot of trouble staying for the 6 episodes and while it did get slightly better as it went on, it was NOT up to the best that has come out of Denmark. I downloaded this and will DEFINITELY not be keeping my copy...there are FAR better series out there. Maybe I was hoping for "The Bridge" or "The Killing" or a number of VERY good series out of Scandinavia......I was to be disappointed.

"Edderkoppen" (The Spider) is definitely one of the best Danish television shows in years - if not ever. It beats "Riget" (The Kingdom) in everything, except originality, because The Spider is above anything else an exercise in style. It is very clear that the makers of this 6-episode tv-show know their film noir and they put this knowledge to good use!

Based loosely on a true Danish criminal case, the series centers around a young reporter, Bjarne Madsen, who picks up on black market dealings in the years 1949-50 in Denmark - a period where police corruption flourished and a real Danish mob seemed to exist. His struggle for the truth results in events he cannot control, and before he knows it more than black market dealings are the issues and the stakes are high indeed.

I have nothing but respect for the makers of this mini-series. As I mentioned it is not particularly original - most of the ideas and the action has been seen before (albeit not in a Danish context) - but is is incredibly well-produced. A staggering 6 million Danish crowns (about 1 million dollars) was spent on each one-hour episode. This may not seem much by US-standards, but in Denmark 6 million crowns is a lot for a TV-production. And it pays off: the production design is wonderful, the acting is mostly brilliant (certainly better than in The Kingdom), the directing almost flawless, and the script is well-written and thrilling until the end. Søren Hyldgaards orchestral score (performed by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra) is wonderful too, although it is very clear that he was inspired by foreign film composers, especially Jerry Goldsmith and his score for "L.A. Confidential".

In all, "The Spider" is one of the best TV-productions ever to come out of Denmark, and it is highly recommended!

Scandinavia, particularly Denmark and Sweden are famous for their thrilling crime series, and as an admirer, I try to watch as many as possible. I had not heard of Edderkoppen before - apparently due to the distribution year - but several Danish actors I like have the series included in their filmography. And yes, lots of fine Danish actors active in the 21st century perform there, making even smaller roles memorable, for example Lars Mikkelsen, Lars Bryggmann, Bent Mejding, Lars Bom, Bjarne Henriksen, Stine Stengade... As for Jakob Cedergren as the leading character Bjarne Madsen, he is good too, although I am would not place him among the TOP10 - or I have not seen enough films with his presence.

The plot - based on real events - is also intense and wittily created, there are not too many films depicting post-WWII living, and from historical perspective, it does not easily become timeworn. Cinematography has skilfully exploited the era's larger mysticism and ambiguity, nevertheless, one can ponder on and over enduring issues and values such as loyalty, family ties, media's role, illusions vs. reality and others. The ending could have been more sophisticated, but it does not diminish the overall value.

Of course, Denmark is far another society than in the 1940ies, but thanks to well-tailored creation, Edderkoppen is pleasant to follow, and its 6 episodes is just right, not protracted. Strong 8 points from me.

"The Spider" is a dark, complex noir series with post-war Copenhagen as its backdrop, a city still traumatized by its encounter with Nazism and rife with corruption and shortages of basics. The cinematography is stunning and an accurate portrayal of the era, with much of the drama bathed in warm, sepia hues. Everyone smokes gloriously and smoke trails everywhere.

The plot features a young, idealistic reporter for a Social Democrat newspaper who slowly uncovers a dense web of corruption linked to a central crime figure, hence the spider of the title that has everything connected to its orb. A standout is how the series incorporates the socio-political issues of the period.

Without giving away too much of the plot, I'd say "The Spider" is a cross between "Chinatown* and" Babylon Berlin. " Very highly recommended for lovers of Nordic Noir.