Rolf is Back: Lassgard as SEBASTIAN BERGMAN- International Mystery

No one does "troubled-middle-aged-womanizer-searching-for-love-but-still-a-genius-with-hidden-heart-of-gold-detective" better than Swedish actor Rolf Lassgard.

I'm happy to see Rolf back on US Television in the two part detective drama Sebastian Bergman (2010).

(Rolf Lassgard is my favorite Wallander)

MHz Networks aired Part 1 of the series, Sebastian Bergman: The Cursed One, last Thursday and will air Part 2 this Thursday, September 12.

Bergman is a police criminal profiler who has not been working since he suffered a terrible personal tragedy several years earlier. Though he puts on a good front, and pursues women at every turn, he's still crippled by the pain of his initial loss years ago.  

Rolf Lassgard

We meet him again after the loss of his mother, when he's gone back to his hometown to sell her house.  Initially he's planning on selling her home and belongings quickly and living from the proceeds and her life insurance. But two things happen to him there, he finds a hidden secret in the house that may change his life, and he witnesses the local police, where he used to work, making an arrest in his front lawn.  From there he becomes involved as a consulting profiler in the murder mystery of a high school student, initially as an excuse to find information for his own purposes. But once he joins the investigation, Bergman can't let it go. 

The cast of Sebastian Bergman

The series is based on novels by Hjorth Rosenfeldt (the writing team of Michael Hjorth and Hans Rosenfeldt). See the interview (In English with German subtitles) below with the authors, beware, there are SPOILERS:

If you like psychological mysteries and complex detectives, I recommend Sebastian Bergman. Part 2 airs Thursday at 9:00pm on MHz.  Check the links below for more information and to find if MHz Networks airs in your area.

http://www.mhznetworks.org/schedule

http://www.mhznetworks.org/mhz-worldview/carriage

http://www.mhznetworks.org/watch/trailers-and-interviews-sebastian-bergman

Fog and Crimes (Nebbie e Delitti) International Mystery Series

The Italian mystery series Fog and Crimes (Nebbie e Delitti) is based on the popular novels by writer and journalist Valerio Varesi. 

Commissario Franco Soneri is my favorite type of fictional detective. He’s cynical with a "man-of-the world" nonchalance hiding a caring and wounded soul. When we first join Soneri (Luca Barbareschi) in this Italian Television series he is trying to recover from the loss of his wife, the love of his life.  In order to try and get on with his life he moves from big city crime to the provincial and historic city of Ferrara and the Po (River) Valley.

Ferrara is where Soneri spent his youth, and met his wife when both were university students. In the new job as Police Chief he soon meets with an old friend from his youth, Nanetti (Paolo de Vita) who is now the coroner. At different times in the series he talks of old times with his friend and we find out more about his wife and early life. As many of us experience when we try to go back to an earlier and happier time, he discovers things are not always as they seemed when young, and friends of youth may not turn out as we hoped they would.

Soneri is also good at spotting talent, even in the most deceptive of packages. He enlists as his “Watson” young geek detective Juvara  (Gianluca Gobbi) who is more at home in front of a computer with a plate of pasta than with a gun apprehending a criminal. Juvara himself can’t believe he’s been selected, but Soneri knows that Juvara may not have the muscles, but he has the brains. The father and son relationship between the two is one of the charming parts of this series.


Soneri still mourns for his wife, but this doesn’t mean he’s not looking for love. In Series 1 and 2 he finds it with Russian born lawyer Angela (Natasha Stefanenko). This love affair between two middle-aged and attractive people (even if Angela is younger) committed to each other, but also to their careers, is one of the most believable I've seen in this type of crime mystery show.

AnnaValle (new love interest), Natasha Stefanenko, Luca Barbareschi

The crimes themselves, the murders, all explore in one way or another the mysteries of the human mind and how appearances can deceive.  Even those that we think we know intimately can have a hidden inner life and be capable of a horrific crime given the right motivation. The guilty can be found among rich and poor and among colleagues, friends, and lovers.

I've just started watching Series 3 and Soneri has now moved to the bigger city of Torino, after a stint in Rome. He also worked in Torino before and again has come back to old colleagues and friends, and a new love interest. In the first episode Soneri becomes a sort of foster father for a troubled 12 year old girl. I’m not sure about this new direction for the series, but time will tell.

Soneri is played by ruggedly handsome Luca Barbareschi. I was surprised to find out he was born in Montevideo, Uruguay. Another man of many talents, he is described as an actor, television presenter and politician. According to Wikipedia in 2008 he was elected a Member of the Italian Parliament at the Chamber of Deputies with Berlusconi's party People of Freedom. But in 2010 he joined the new party "Future and Freedom for Italy". I am not very familiar with Italian contemporary politics, but of course somewhat familiar with Berlusconi and his media coverage. These facts and the story below makes me think Barbareschi  is an interesting man. 

There’s a strange story connected to Barbareschi according to Wikipedia:


“He was one of four actors whom the Italian police believed had been murdered in the making of the 1980 horror film Cannibal Holocaust. So realistic was the film that shortly after it was released its director Ruggero Deodato was arrested for murder. The actors had signed contracts to stay out of the media for a year in order to fuel rumors that the film was a snuff movie. The court was only convinced that they were alive when the contracts were cancelled and the actors appeared on a television show as proof.”


Below is a fan video about the series and a clip from an episode (in Italian, no translation I’m afraid).



From Tura92fe:

In the U.S. Fog and Crimes (with English subtitles) can be seen on MHz Networks. Check their website here for further information, or check with your local Public Television station.




Photos and etc. from various sources including MhZNetworks

Van Veeteren - Now This Is What I Call Retirement!

Why is it that in mystery fiction the genius detectives never retire to a sunny place somewhere to spend their days soaking up the sun and playing golf.  As any mystery fiction fan knows great detectives retire so they can be always available to their replacements who never have a clue about solving a crime. How the new guys got their job is always a mystery because they must run to consult with their retired colleague in order to solve the case of the day. 


That is certainly the case with Van Veeteren another interesting Scandinavian Noir mystery program. The Van Veeteren series is based on the novels of Swedish writer Hakan Nesser.  Mr. Nesser was a secondary school teacher until he became successful with his Van Veeteren series.

Håkan Nesser

I haven't read the novels yet and have only seen the few episodes of the series that have aired so far in the US. I love Scandinavian detective fiction, but I must confess it took me a while to warm up to Van Veeteren and his colleagues.  

Van Veeteren, played by Sven Wolter, has retired from the police force in Maardam (a fictional town). In the series it looks like a small Northern European city.  Of course, like any former detective or spy, Van Veeteren opens an antique bookstore that never has any customers.  That's actually a good thing because he has more work now than he did when he was on the force, lending more than a helping hand to his successor and protege, Munster, played by Thomas Hanson. Wolter plays Van Veeteren as a grumpy old man with a grandfatherly exterior, but an iron interior, who appears to be a sweet lamb to the occasional customer, but is really quite demanding of those around him. 

I have to also mention Munster's partner in the police force, Eva Moreno, played by Eva Rexed.  I'm quite surprised that "Eva Moreno" is a Swedish name. Seriously, I'm quite happy that a fellow Latina (is she?) is the smartest cop in the Maardam police force.  One reason Munster never solves any crimes by himself is that he has a huge crush on Moreno, and probably all he can think about. This office romance would be fun to watch except that Munster has a lovely and loving wife and adorable children. 

Munster is quite insecure as a detective and seems to need constant affirmation of his worth from Van Veeteren, Moreno, and his wife.  He sees Van Veeteren as his mentor, but also resents him, and seems unable to take over as lead detective because the older man is still actively around. Though I don't find Munster's character appealing, I find the relationship between him and Van Veeteren the most interesting in the series. Moreno is really the strongest detective and person, and the true successor to Van Veeteren on the force, except that she's a woman in a man's world. 

I finally warmed up to Van Veeteren in a recent episode when he has to deal with his prodigal son, a former drug addict, who is now becoming reacquainted with his family. In a very human scene father and son meet over lunch and Van Veeteren discovers he's about to become a grandfather.  Everyone is happy but cautious about the news, wondering if the son has really mended his ways and on the way to becoming a responsible adult. A tragic incident results in a crime that hits too close to home for Van Veeteren but that he must use all his genius to resolve to bring the guilty party to justice with the help of Munster and Moreno.

If you like psychological mysteries, unrequited crushes, and antique bookstores I highly recommend spending some time with Van Veeteren.  In the US you can watch the series on Amazon.com Instant Video or MHz Networks along with other international mysteries. All International Mystery series on MHz are broadcast in their native language with subtitles. You can also buy the DVD's from MHz Worldwide.

Below is a short interview with author Hakan Nesser (beware there are some spoilers of course):

Inspector Montalbano Series: Crime, Comedy and Camilleri

This may be a great time to discover the Italian detective series Inspector (Commissario) Montalbano, based on the books and short stories by Italian writer Andrea Camillari.  MHZ Worldview in the US will be having a Mini Montalbano Festival on October 4 and 5 with four new episodes, U.S. premieres, of the series.  (MHZ Worldview is available in the U.S. through Public Television channels, Cable broadcasters, or Direct TV.)

Salvo Montalbano is a Sicilian police inspector in the beautiful fictional town of Vigata.  While doing a bit of research on the character I found that Camillari based his name on Spanish writer Manuel Vázquez Montalbán who also wrote a series of detective novels. Montalbano is played by Luca Zingaretti. Not a traditionally handsome man, there is something about Zingaretti's screen presence and personality and his sense of humor that makes him very attractive.  Montalbano often uses unconventional means to solve a crime, while dodging his superiors and the influence of organized crime (OK, the Mafia). All while avoiding marriage to his long distance and long time girlfriend, business executive Livia (Katharina Bohm). He's also a lover of good food and great restaurants and we're treated to long lunches and great home cooked meals in every episode. Is there an Inspector Montalbano cookbook? If not, someone should write one. 

Of course, it wouldn't be a detective series without a "Watson" for the brilliant investigator, and this role goes to the only efficient man in the Vigata police station, young detective Fazio (Peppino Mazzotta). Fazio is quiet and dependable, a great contrast to his boss Montalbano's volatile mix of genius and guile.  Add to this mix the resident Don Giovanni of the station, Inspector Mimi Augello (Cesare Bocci).  Mimi never met a woman he doesn't want, and even when he surprisingly gets married and then becomes a father, there is no keeping him from flirting outrageously with every woman in sight, even crime suspects. As far as I can tell, Mimi, or Dr. Augello, hardly does any work and only solves crime because of the help of best friend Montalbano and dependable Fazio.

Catarella, Montalbano, Fazio, Mimi

The series also has an interesting twist on the police techno geek role. Catarella (Angelo Russo) is the only person in the Vigata police station that even has a PC at his desk, and in this world he is the computer guy and the incompetent comic relief.  The best are the scenes between Montalbano and Catarella in the police station. Below is a video clip (in Italian) of a scene between Zingaretti and Russo.  

One of the pleasures of watching this series is the breathtaking views of Sicily. Though I've been lucky to travel to Italy a few times in my life, I've never been to Sicily, but after watching Montalbano I would love to go one day. I understand the series is filmed in the Sicilian city of Ragusa.  In the clip below you can see the opening credits of the series are a beautiful advertising for Sicilian tourism.  

I've watched the Montalbano series, with  English subtitles, for several years now on MHZ Worldwide and missed not seeing any new episodes for a long while. Even if Montalbano, Fazio, Mimi, and Catarella are all older now, I'm very happy that the series is back for four new episodes next week.  If you like great detective fiction and are in the US it is worth checking to see if MHZ Worldwide is in your area. You can also buy the DVD's from MHZ Worldwide. More information on the new Montalbano episodes at the link below: 


http://mhznetworks.org/option,com_worldviewchannels/Itemid,146/sid,2467/lindex,d/


Check the series Italian website Here.


I understand BBC4 aired an episode of Inspector Montalbano today, October 1. Maybe there will be more for viewers in the UK. 


Update:  Video Interview with Cesare Bocci (Mimi)