Power & Glory

I’ve always been a sucker for a Sorkin drama no matter how problematic that makes me. I’ve watched both West Wing and The Newsroom too many times to count. So when I discovered Borgen on Netflix, thanks to my previous manager (who happened to be Danish and happened to pronounce the show title with way less letters than it’s spelled out), it was a gem.

I’ve loved following Birgitte Nyborg try to “have it all” as she balances motherhood and sticking to her principles, and you know, running the country. I also loved Katrine Fonsmark’s challenges of surviving in a newsroom and you know, sleeping with the enemy. I binged all three seasons last year and was so incredibly happy to have it back in the form of Power & Glory.

It’s so much more polished and up to the times now and the coverage of climate and how Nyborg no longer has a family she is beholden to (just kind of a son who loves to stir shit) so she can focus on her transformation into a total anti-hero. The Danish do just enough drama so well. I love how they focused on Greenland a lot this season and how they touched on US-China-Russia relations with Denmark in a way other shows would have shied away from.

I love how Nyborg went a full 180 on her climate policies and even hired Michael Laugesen, who honestly looks great as he aged. I felt for Bent and the whole New Democrats on this. Whatever it takes to stay in power, right? Even Jon Berthelsen, who they first portrayed as sneaky, seemed like a bastion of virtue next to Nyborg 3.0! Character development i can get behind!

And of course I love the love stories peppered in. Fonsmark ends up with the Mads Mikkelsen’s brother but is so stressed out with work, she’s left him to fend for her kid(s)!!! And Asger (cutiepie Arctic ambassador) boinking his Greenlandic (married!) counterpart and how somehow I sensed Nyborg was a tad jealous about it. And how Nyborg’s assistant Oliver fucked up and could be possibly fucking the other assistant! The inter-office romance! I like it!

Do I wish there was another season? For sure. I would love to see Nyborg figure out the UN and all the new places she’d go in search of power — and all the #thefutureisfemale hashtagged posts she would now do on Instagram. Would Nyborg join Tiktok next? I sure hope so. In the end, I’m just glad we got this reprise that felt like it was up for the challenge. I need new Scandi shows. Please, feed me some.