Returning: Borgen

Danish drama series Borgen is back for its third and final season later this month on SBS ONE, tackling the fight for political power and its consequences.

This season began in Denmark in January 2013.

Two and a half years after Danish Prime Minister Birgitte Nyborg (Sidse Babett Knudsen) called a general election, she has left the political arena and is now a well-paid speaker in business circles and sits on several boards. Following the divorce from her husband, Birgitte and her children are in the process of moving house. Her old friend and mentor Bent Sejro is disillusioned with the political situation in Denmark and the compromises the Moderate Party are making with the new government, and he tries to persuade Birgitte to re-enter politics.

Katrine (Birgitte Hjort Sørensen ) and Kasper (Pilou Asbæk) now have a baby son, Gustav, but the couple has already split up. Katrine is still working a lot as a leading anchor on TV1. Kasper has been given an analytical political magazine programme on TV1 (“Juul & Friis”) with TV1’s news director, Torben Friis (Søren Malling).

This series follows Birgitte’s return to the political arena and deals with the innermost building block of democracy – how to formulate a position and find supporters for it.

Episode One:

In the premiere episode Birgitte who has moved on from the world of politics, gradually becomes more and more reminded of and affected by the political situation in Denmark. It pains her to see how her old party, the Moderates, has changed course a great deal. When Birgitte is giving a talk for yet another group of Danish businesspeople, it all suddenly becomes too much for her. She can no longer brush off the incessant question of “what she would do if she were Prime Minister”. She chooses to respond, and to show commitment.

At TV1, Katrine Fonsmark and Kasper Juul juggle their broadcasting careers with their new responsibilities as parents as well as their volatile relationship. Meanwhile, the new management at the TV station are keen to focus on positive stories and chasing ratings, causing problems for the head of news, Torben Friis.

Wednesday July 30, 9:30pm on SBS ONE.