The British crime drama Wallander, starring Kenneth Branagh, has been hailed by viewers as 'emotionally charged', 'almost perfect', and an 'amazing masterpiece at an unprecedented level'. The series is currently available to stream for free on Channel 4.
Series Overview
Wallander first aired on British television in 2008 and ran until 2016, spanning four seasons. It is adapted from Swedish author Henning Mankell's popular Kurt Wallander book series, marking the first English-language adaptation of the books for television.
The detective drama follows fictional Swedish detective Kurt Wallander in the town of Ystad, portrayed by Kenneth Branagh. He is joined by a supporting cast including Sarah Smart, Tom Hiddleston, Jeany Spark, Richard McCabe, David Warner, Sadie Shimmin, and Polly Hemingway.
Adaptations and Accolades
The first series adapts three of Mankell's novels: Firewall, Sidetracked, and One Step Behind. Season two brings Faceless Killers, The Man Who Smiled, and The Fifth Woman to the screen, while series three adapts An Event in Autumn, The Dogs of Riga, and Before the Frost (reimagined to focus on Kurt rather than his daughter Linda). Series four covers The White Lioness and The Troubled Man.
The show has won one International Emmy Award, six BAFTA Television Awards, and received a Golden Globe nomination and two Primetime Emmy Award nominations. It holds a 90% audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Critical and Audience Praise
One critic noted: “Although the mysteries to be solved in this series are satisfyingly complex, the greatest pleasure in watching them comes from the breathtaking beauty of the Swedish countryside and the aching solitude of Branagh's Wallander.” Another described it as “challenging, poetic and incredibly interesting.”
Audience reviews echo this sentiment. One viewer wrote: “I am not normally a fan of crime dramas, but Wallander is one of the most emotionally charged shows around.” Another said: “This show is an amazing masterpiece at an unprecedented level. The cinematography and performances are very genuine and they present moral dilemmas in a fascinating way.”
Wallander is available to stream for free on Channel 4 and U.
