Dag

Well done Sky Arts for showing this brilliant TV series in the UK. It has got "cult following " written all over it but I am convinced that given a wider audience ,it would do a "Fawlty Towers" or "The Office " and become a big hit on mainstream television , The mixture of odd ball characters ,good scripts and fine acting has got me completely hooked . I am currently lapping up series two and note that there others to follow .I really cannot wait to see those future series and see how Dag,Eva,Malin and the other brilliant characters handle that damned puzzling ball of wool called life !! Scandinavia really has cornered the market for quality TV drama in recent years with series like "The Killing","Borgen",The Bridge ",and "The Legecy" gaining much respect -"Dag" certainly deserves to be in that superior company .

From the land of Ibsen, comes DAG. A comic hero/philosopher in the shape of marriage guidance counsellor Dag, whose philosophy of life advocates living alone to that of being married. This comic incongruity is played to maximum exaggeration when he confronts his startled clients with observations that marriage 'represses' your true self, and that divorce is better than marital misery. As with all comic caricatures there is a degree of truth in a philosophy that chooses to ignore such fanciful ideas like love and friendship. Of course, Dag practices what he preaches in his high security 'man-cave', where his solitary pleasures, after spending his day advising clients, are eating junk food, drinking, and listening to music. These are occasionally disturbed by his cuddly 'friend' Benedict whose inability to keep his fly zipped constantly lands him in hot water. Whereas, Dag appears to be more choosy in his sexual partners, as his well-intentioned sister (who sets Dag up with blind dates) is always finding out. That is until Dag meets his sister's friend: Eva.

After only two episodes I'm hooked on this dark and satirical take on the comedy of the sexes. Can Eva find out if 'loner' Dag has a heart? Will she become the soul-mate that his sister craves for him? As I already have a crush on the elfin-like Tuva Novotny, who plays Eva, this is a no-brainer for me. However, it will be fun watching their verbal and physical foreplay as the series develops. Needless to say this ageing misanthrope loved it. More please!!

I don't honestly know how Sky Arts managed to shoe-horn this into the endless Andre Rieu concert schedule (the schedule that has finally made me decide to do away with Sky for good), but it was a great find. Great to listen to, great to watch - sometimes moving, sometimes Twin Peaks-like in its weirdness, and often laugh-out-loud funny. My one reservation is that the male characters (though all charismatic in their own ways) are almost without exception overweight and not typically good-looking, in stark contrast to the female characters, who are mostly drop-dead gorgeous, in good shape - and considerably younger than the male leads. Not to mention that in Nuva Novotny you have one of the most delightful female actors of all time. But it's a beautifully written, shot, acted and directed series, thoroughly recommended.

I am not sure how I came to spot this on Sky Arts the other day, but I am so glad that I did. I can't remember the last time that I laughed out loud so often during a 23 minute comedy.

A number of other reviewers have commented upon it being the best Norwegian TV drama. I haven't seen enough Norwegian TV to comment on that, but it certainly beats the usual dross that the UK calls a sitcom.

The acting and writing is absolutely spot on. I was trying to decide who my favourite character is but that is a tough task. When she gets enough lines, Dag's receptionist Malin is absolutely hilarious, but I think I need to go with Eva, played by the lovely Tuva Novotny.

I do hope that Sky continue with this series beyond season 1 which is currently showing.

Norwegian sitcoms are not exactly the hottest thing on TV, at least not since they cancelled "Fleksnes", which was an adaptation of Hancock's Half Hour, only much better, back in the late sixties. But "Dag", about this very improbable dystopic loner of a couples' counsellor is right up there with the very best from anywhere, like Curb your enthusiasm or The Office (no similarities apart from the quality).

All the pieces of the puzzle fall readily into place: Very witty scriptwriting, and original concept, great casting, superb acting, clever directing and well-paced editing. The fact that it's done in Norwegian makes it twice as funny; it really is the funniest language in the world – especially to us Swedes.

By the way, the very lovely Tuva Novotny is not Norwegian, but Swedish. You're forgiven for thinking so though, since her accent is 100 percent perfect.

In short, don't miss this little comedy gem!