IF Channel Nine’s Rescue Special Ops was produced in Scandanavia would it be a better show, or would it just seem a little more sophisticated and chic than a series set in Sydney?
The Protectors is a series about Denmark’s protective service, which seems to be a combination of ASIO and a bodyguard unit for politicians.
It’s basically the same formula as Special Rescue Ops, Sea Patrol, Rush or any other action drama series where the personal lives of the main characters are interwined with a self-contained weekly plot.
The main difference is that it just seems, like a Volvo I bought a few years ago, a little better made. It’s a smoother ride, has fewer annoying rattles, offers a number of little comforts that make all the difference, but don’t get me started on the electrics … I think this metaphor has run out of steam.
Maybe The Protectors is genuinely better than the local product because it takes time to flesh out its characters and plots. Each story takes two weeks to conclude, meaning there is a lot more scope to add depth to the writing.
There’s also a lot more subtlety. The bad guys aren’t so glaringly evil; the comic-types a little less eccentric. A bit of Scandanavian restraint can go a long way in television drama production.
A theme of the show seems to be the problems of Muslim integration into Denmark society. One of the main bodyguards is Jamsina, a woman of Iranian descent who is a key player in most of the political and armed argy-bargy.
This racial/religious tension is a rich vein for the show’s writers to mine.
(Warning: tenuous metaphor ahead).
The Protectors is a lot like Denmark’s other famous exports – Lego, Hans Christian Andersen and Carlsberg beer. It all comes together well, tells a great story and once you’ve had a taste, you just want more of it.
– Danny Buttler
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