View source for Borgen (TV series)

{{short description|Danish political drama television series}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox television
| image                = Borgen Logo.png
| caption              =
| alt_name             = 
| genre                = [[Political drama]]
| creator              = [[Adam Price (screenwriter)|Adam Price]]
| developer            = 
| writer               = {{plainlist|
* Adam Price
* [[Jeppe Gjervig Gram]]
* [[Tobias Lindholm]]
}}
| director             = {{plainlist|
* [[Søren Kragh-Jacobsen]]
* [[Rumle Hammerich]]
}}
| creative_director    = 
| presenter            = 
| starring             = {{plainlist|
* [[Sidse Babett Knudsen]]
* [[Birgitte Hjort Sørensen]]
* [[Pilou Asbæk]]
* [[Søren Malling]]
}}
| theme_music_composer = 
| opentheme            = 
| endtheme             = 
| composer             = [[Halfdan E]]
| country              = Denmark
| language             = Danish
| num_series           = 4
| num_episodes         = 38
| list_episodes        = List of Borgen episodes
| executive_producer   = 
| producer             = Camilla Hammerich
| editor               = 
| location             = 
| cinematography       = 
| camera               = 
| runtime              = 55&ndash;59 minutes
| company              = [[SAM Productions]]
| network              = [[DR1]]
| first_aired          = {{Start date|2010|09|26|df=yes}}
| last_aired           = {{End date|2022|04|03|df=yes}}
}}
[[File:Christiansborg 2004.jpg|thumb|Christiansborg in 2004]]

'''''Borgen''''' ({{IPA|da|ˈpɒˀwn̩}}) is a Danish [[political drama]] television series. [[Adam Price (screenwriter)|Adam Price]] is the co-writer and developer of the series, together with [[Jeppe Gjervig Gram]] and [[Tobias Lindholm]]. ''Borgen'' is produced by [[SAM Productions]] on behalf of [[DR (broadcaster)|DR]], the Danish public broadcaster, which previously produced ''[[The Killing (Danish TV series)|The Killing]]''. In Denmark, Borgen, {{literally|The Castle}}, is the informal name of [[Christiansborg Palace]] where all three branches of Danish government reside: the [[Folketing|Parliament]], the [[Ministry of the State of Denmark|Prime Minister's Office]], and the [[Supreme Court of Denmark|Supreme Court]], and is often used as a [[metonym|stand in term]] for the Danish Parliament (Folketinget).

The programme tells how, against all the odds, Birgitte Nyborg Christensen ([[Sidse Babett Knudsen]])—a minor centrist politician—becomes the first female [[prime minister of Denmark]].<ref>{{cite web|title=10 Foreign TV Shows You Should Be Watching|date=13 September 2020|url=https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/10-foreign-tv-shows-you-should-be-watching/slidelist/45172013.cms|website=businessinsider.in|access-date=13 September 2020}}</ref> Other main characters are [[Birgitte Hjort Sørensen]] as Katrine Fønsmark, a TV1 news anchor; [[Pilou Asbæk]] as Kasper Juul, a [[spin doctor]]; {{anchor|Friis}}[[Søren Malling]] as Torben Friis, news editor for TV1; [[Mikael Birkkjær]] as Birgitte's husband, Phillip; and [[Benedikte Hansen]] as Hanne Holm, a journalist.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/nothing-like-a-dane-new-thriller-borgen-centres-on-a-trailblazing-female-politician-6285065.html |title=Nothing Like a Dane |work=The Independent |access-date=5 January 2012 |location=London |first=Gerard |last=Gilbert |date=5 January 2012}}</ref>

Four seasons, each comprising 8–10 episodes, have been made. The first season was broadcast in Denmark in the autumn of 2010, the second in the autumn of 2011,<ref name="tvtid">[http://tvtid-dyn.tv2.dk/nytomtv/article.php/id-38045149.ht ml TV tid 11 March 2011 (in Danish): ''Der kommer en tredje sæson af Borgen'' (There will be a third season of "Borgen")] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181203152115/http://tvtid-dyn.tv2.dk/nytomtv/article.php/id-38045149.ht |date=3 December 2018}} Retrieved 7 January 2012</ref> and the third beginning 1 January 2013. In the UK, [[BBC Four]] started broadcasting the first season on 7 January 2012, with a repeat-showing starting on 13 June 2012.<ref name="auto">{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b019c0dy/broadcasts |title=Borgen Series 1 |publisher=BBC |access-date=17 August 2012}}</ref> The second season started on 5 January 2013,<ref name="auto1">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/feb/05/lilyhammer-series-borgen-bbc4-zandt |title=Lilyhammer series could provide just the tonic for bereft Borgen fans |work=The Guardian |access-date=5 February 2012 |location=London |first=Vicky |last=Frost |date=5 February 2012}}</ref> with initial overnight viewing figures of over one million for the first episode.<ref name="auto2">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/jan/07/tom-daley-splash-itv-tv-ratings |title=Tm Daley Splash ITV ratings |work=The Guardian |access-date=7 January 2013 |location=London |first=Mark |last=Sweney |date=7 January 2013}}</ref> The third season began on 16 November 2013, with two episodes being shown back-to-back.<ref name="auto3">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/feb/15/borgen-bbc-third-series |title=Borgen to return to BBC for third series |work=Guardian |access-date=16 February 2013 |location=London |first=Vicky |last=Frost |date=15 February 2013}}</ref><ref name="auto4">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21491904 |title=Borgen returns to BBC for final series |publisher=BBC |access-date=17 February 2013 |date=17 February 2013}}</ref> The fourth season was announced on 29 April 2020 as a partnership between [[Netflix]] and DR, and began airing on 13 February 2022.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2020/04/netflix-dr-to-revive-borgen-1202920807/ |title=Netflix Teams With Denmark's DR To Revive Political Drama 'Borgen' |work=Deadline|date=29 April 2020 |access-date=29 April 2020}}</ref> The fourth season was released as a separate series titled ''Borgen – Riget, Magten, og Æren'' (known internationally as ''[[List of Borgen episodes#Series 4 (2022) Borgen – Power & Glory|Borgen – Power & Glory]]'') on Netflix on 2 June 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://about.netflix.com/en/news/netflix-announces-launch-date-for-borgen-power-and-glory-and-reveals-a-first|title=Netflix announces launch date for Borgen – Power & Glory and reveals a first look|website=Netflix Media Center|accessdate=2022-03-15}}</ref>

The series has been broadcast in most European countries, as well as in the United States, Canada,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogues.lapresse.ca/therrien/2012/09/04/une-femme-au-pouvoir/ |title=Une femme au pouvoir|date=16 August 2023 |publisher=La Presse.ca}}</ref> Mexico,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.canal22.org.mx |title=Portada |publisher=Canal 22 |access-date=4 February 2017}}</ref> South Korea, Japan,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://home.jtbc.co.kr/Plan/PlanMean.aspx?prog_id=PR10010039&menu_id=PM10010126|title=여총리 비르기트|publisher=JTBC|access-date=8 January 2012|archive-date=7 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407005331/http://home.jtbc.co.kr/Plan/PlanMean.aspx?prog_id=PR10010039&menu_id=PM10010126|url-status=dead}}</ref> Israel, India, Australia,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.c21media.net/archives/84632<!--https://web.archive.org/web/20120712184842/http://www.c21media.net/archives/84632--> |title=New buyers for Borgen  |publisher=c21media  |access-date=11 January 2013}}</ref> and New Zealand.<ref>[http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/65346923/Borgen-How-did-this-become-Europes-hottest-show Borgen: How did this become Europe's hottest show?], ''[[Stuff.co.nz]]'', 25 January 2015</ref> The first three seasons were added to Netflix globally on 1 September 2020.

==Birgitte Nyborg==
[[Adam Price (screenwriter)|Adam Price]], the creator of the series, has stated, "I definitely want you to believe there is a shred of idealism in Birgitte Nyborg that is real. She's also become a very professional political being, but there is definitely that idealism, and that's important."<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/nov/14/borgen-creator-adam-price-birgitte-nyborg-third-series "Borgen creator Adam Price on what's next for Birgitte Nyborg in the show's third and final series", ''The Guardian'', 14 November 2013]. Accessed 20 December 2013</ref>

Sidse Babett Knudsen plays Nyborg. In describing her relationship with the character, she said, "They liked to see a woman feeling guilty and I didn't like that ... I think [Nyborg] should be responsible for her feelings. And when she has to make unsympathetic decisions, she should stand by them. I don't want her to feel sorry for herself or suddenly become a soppy mess in her private life, because you wouldn't believe her as a prime minister if she did that."<ref name="telegraph.co.uk">[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/9042669/Borgen-Sidse-Babett-Knudsen-interview.html "Borgen: Sidse Babett Knudsen interview", ''The Telegraph'', 27 Jan 2012]. Accessed 20 December 2013</ref>

In the first episode, Birgitte is the leader of a minority [[political party]], the "Moderates". However, as a result of a sequence of events following a closely fought [[general election]], she finds herself a compromise candidate for the role of prime minister and wins, juggling a variety of interests among her collaborators. She learns on the job and serves in this position until the end of the second series. In the first series, she is known as Birgitte Nyborg Christensen. She and her husband Philip Christensen separate, in part because of tensions arising from her job responsibilities and how it affects her family, including two children. The couple divorce at the end of the first episode of series two, and she uses the name Birgitte Nyborg.  

In the elapsed time between the second and third series, Nyborg loses her position. She leaves the government and becomes a businesswoman and public speaker. She returns in the third series to form a new political party, the "New Democrats". The series ends with Nyborg taking up the position of the [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Denmark)|Danish foreign minister.]]<ref>"[[Clive James]]: [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10462007/Clive-James-Losing-sleep-over-beautiful-Birgitte.html Losing sleep over beautiful Birgitte", ''The Telegraph'', 20 November 2013]. Accessed 20 December 2013</ref>

In the fourth season, titled ''Riget, Magten, og Æren'' (The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory), Nyborg remains as foreign minister. She has to navigate the implication of oil being found in [[Greenland]], which threatens to derail her party's green agenda, sparks an international crisis with the US, China, and Russia; and pushes the government to the brink of collapse.<ref>"[[Jasper Rees]]: [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/borgen-power-glory-review-seminal-scandi-series-makes-triumphant/ Borgen: Power & Glory, review: the seminal Scandi series makes a triumphant return", ''The Telegraph'', 02 June 2022]. Accessed 05 June 2022</ref> The series ends with Nyborg having resigned as leader of the New Democrats and foreign minister. It also hints that Nyborg will become the next [[President of the European Commission]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=When Fiction and Reality Meet: Lessons for the EU from the Danish TV Show Borgen |url=https://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/articles/entry/when-fiction-and-reality-meet-lessons-for-the-eu-from-the-danish-tv-show-borgen/ |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=Earth Island Journal}}</ref>

==Cast==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
|-
! Actor
! Character
! Role
|-
| [[Sidse Babett Knudsen]]
| Birgitte Nyborg
| Moderate party leader and prime minister (season 1 & 2)<br />New Democrats party leader (season 3 & 4)<br />Foreign Minister (season 3 & 4)
|-
| colspan="4" style="text-align:center;"| '''Nyborg-Christensen family'''
|-
| [[Mikael Birkkjær]]
| Phillip Christensen
| Birgitte Nyborg's husband{{spaced ndash}}lecturer at Copenhagen Business School
|-
| Freja Riemann
| Laura Christensen
| Birgitte Nyborg-Christensen and Phillip Christensen's daughter
|-
| Emil Poulsen (season 1, 2 & 3)<br>[[Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen]] (season 4)
| Magnus Christensen
| Birgitte Nyborg-Christensen and Phillip Christensen's son
|-
| colspan="4" style="text-align:center;"| '''Birgitte Nyborg's staff'''
|-
| [[Pilou Asbæk]]
| Kasper Juul
| Communications chief for Birgitte Nyborg (season 1 & 2)<br />Journalist (season 3)
|-
| [[Morten Kirkskov]]
| Niels Erik Lund
| Prime Minister's Office permanent secretary
|-
| [[Iben Dorner]]
| Sanne
| Prime Minister's Office personal assistant
|-
| Hanne Hedelund
| Jytte
| Prime Minister's Office secretary
|-
| [[Mikkel Følsgaard|Mikkel Boe Følsgaard]]
| Asger Holm Kirkegaard
| Deputy ambassador to the Arctic
|-
| Simon Bennebjerg
| Oliver Hjorth
| Ministry of Foreign Affairs personal assistant
|-
| [[Magnus Millang]]
| Rasmus Gren Lundbæk
| Ministry of Foreign Affairs permanent secretary
|-
| colspan="4" style="text-align:center;"| '''Channel TV1'''
|-
| [[Birgitte Hjort Sørensen]]
| Katrine Fønsmark
| TV1/Ekspres journalist (season 1 & 2){{br}}New Democrats Campaign Manager (season 3){{br}}TV1 Head of News (season 4)
|-
| [[Benedikte Hansen]]
| Hanne Holm
| Journalist on TV1 (season 1 & 3){{br}}Ekspres journalist (season 2)
|-
| [[Søren Malling]]
| Torben Friis
| TV1 news editor
|-
| Lisbeth Wulff
| Pia Munk
| TV1 editor
|-
| Thomas Levin
| Ulrik Mørch
| TV1 news anchor
|-
| Christian Tafdrup
| Alexander 'Alex' Hjort
| TV1 programme director
|-
| Anders Juul
| Simon Bech
| TV1 news anchor
|-
| Özlem Saglanmak
| Narciza Aydin
| TV1 news anchor
|-
| colspan="4" style="text-align:center;"| '''Nyborg's government'''
|-
| [[Lars Knutzon]]
| Bent Sejrø
| Finance minister (season 1), later Birgitte's advisor (seasons 2, 3 and 4)
|-
| [[Dar Salim]]
| Amir Diwan
| Green Party leader, Energy and Climate minister
|-
| [[Stine Stengade]]
| Henriette Klitgaard
| Business minister (Moderate Party)
|-
| [[Jens Jacob Tychsen]]
| Jacob Kruse
| EU Minister (Moderate Party), later EU Commissioner, later Moderate Party leader
|-
| colspan="4" style="text-align:center;"| '''New Democrats'''
|-
| [[Kristian Halken]]
| Erik Hoffmann
| Former vice-chairman of the New Right party
|-
| Julie Agnete Vang
| Nete Buch
| Former Moderate member of parliament
|-
| [[Jens Albinus]]
| Jon Berthelsen
| Former Moderate member of parliament<br>Minister of Justice (season 4)
|-
| Laura Allen Müller
| Nadia Barazani
| New Democrats member of parliament<br>Minister of Climate and Energy (season 4)
|-
| [[Lars Mikkelsen]]
| Søren Ravn
| New Democrats economics consultant
|-
| colspan="4" style="text-align:center;"| '''Labour Party'''
|-
| [[Peter Mygind]]
| Michael Laugesen
| Labour leader{{spaced ndash}}Ekspres newspaper editor
|-
| Flemming Sørensen
| Bjørn Marrot
| Foreign minister, Labour leader (replacing Laugesen)
|-
| [[Lars Brygmann]]
| Troels Höxenhaven
| [[Justice Minister (Denmark)|Justice minister]] and Labour deputy leader,{{br}}later [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Denmark)|Foreign minister]] and Labour leader (replacing Marrot)
|-
| [[Bjarne Henriksen]]
| Hans Christian Thorsen
| [[Minister of Defence (Denmark)|Defence minister]], later Foreign minister and Labour leader (replacing Höxenhaven)
|-
| Petrine Ager
| Pernille Madsen
| [[Minister for Gender Equality (Denmark)|Equality minister]], later [[Minister for Finance (Denmark)|Finance minister]] and Labour deputy leader
|-
| [[Johanne Louise Schmidt]]
| Signe Kragh
| Prime minister (season 4)
|-
| colspan="4" style="text-align:center;"| '''Party leaders'''
|-
| [[Søren Spanning]]
| Lars Hesselboe
| Liberal leader{{spaced ndash}}Prime Minister (seasons 1 & 3)
|-
| [[Ole Thestrup]]
| Svend Åge Saltum
| Freedom leader
|-
| [[Marie Askehave]]
| Benedikte Nedergaard
| Freedom deputy leader
|-
| Jannie Faurschou
| Yvonne Kjær
| New Right leader
|-
| Signe Egholm Olsen
| Anne Sophie Lindenkrone
| Solidarity Party leader
|-
| colspan="4" style="text-align:center;"| '''Members of the Danish Parliament'''
|-
| Fadime Turan
| Aicha Nagrawi
| Solidarity
|-
| Claus Bue
| Parly Petersen
| Labour
|-
| Mette Kolding
| Inger Hansen
| Liberal
|-
| colspan="4" style="text-align:center;"| '''Greenlandic government'''
|-
| [[Angunnguaq Larsen]]
| Jens Enok Berthelsen
| Prime Minister for Greenland (seasons 1 & 2) / MP for Greenland (season 4)
|-
| Svend Hardenberg
| Hans Eliassen
| Resource minister
|-
| Nivi Pedersen
| Emmy Rasmussen
| Premier's office head of department
|-
| colspan="4" style="text-align:center;"| '''Other characters'''
|-
| [[Alastair Mackenzie]]
| Jeremy Welsh
| Birgitte Nyborg's boyfriend (season 3)
|-
| Claus Riis Østergaard
| Ole Dahl
| Communications chief for Lars Hesselboe (season 1)
|-
| [[Mille Dinesen]]
| Cecilie Toft
| Phillip Christensen's girlfriend{{spaced ndash}}Paediatrician (season 2)
|}

==Political parties and media==
{{Infobox legislature
 | name              = Parliament Seats, Series 1–2
 | structure1        = Borgen Parliament - S1-S2.svg
 | structure1_res    = 250px
 | political_groups1 = 
Government (83)
* {{Color box|red|border=darkgray}} Labour (35)
* {{Color  box|orange|border=darkgray}} Moderates (31)
* {{Color box|green|border=darkgray}} Greens (17)

Supported by (8)
* {{Color box|brown|border=darkgray}} Solidarity (6)
* {{Color box|lightgrey|border=darkgray}} Centre-left Greenland/Faroe Islands parties (2)

Opposition (88)
* {{Color box|yellow|border=darkgray}} Liberals (32)
* {{Color box|navy|border=darkgray}} Freedom Party (29)
* {{Color box|blue|border=darkgray}} New Right (25)
* {{Color box|lightblue|border=darkgray}} Centre-Right Greenland/Faroe Islands parties (2)

}}
{{Infobox legislature
 | name              = Parliament Seats, Season 3 Finale
 | structure1        = Borgen Parliament - Finale.svg
 | structure1_res    = 250px
 | political_groups1 = 
Government (82)
* {{Color box|yellow|border=darkgray}} Liberals (46)
* {{Color box|blue|border=darkgray}} New Right (23)
* {{Color box|orange|border=darkgray}} New Democrats (13)

Supported by (5)
* {{Color box|magenta|border=darkgray}} Moderates (5)

Opposition (92)
* {{Color box|red|border=darkgray}} Labour (42)
* {{Color box|green|border=darkgray}} Greens (22)
* {{Color box|brown|border=darkgray}} Solidarity (12)
* {{Color box|navy|border=darkgray}} Freedom Party (12)
* {{Color box|lightpink|border=darkgray}} Greenland/Faroe Islands parties (4)
}}

While the political parties in the series are fictional, they may be recognisable as their [[List of political parties in Denmark|real-life equivalents]].<ref name="radiotimes">[http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2012-02-04/revealed-the-real-borgen "Revealed: the real Borgen"], ''The Radio Times'', 4 February 2012</ref>
*The Moderates (''De Moderate''), Birgitte Nyborg's centre-left party in the first two series, is based on the [[Danish Social Liberal Party]] (''Radikale Venstre'')
*The centre-left Labour Party (''Arbejderpartiet'') is based on the [[Social Democrats (Denmark)|Social Democrats]] (''Socialdemokraterne'')
*The left-wing environmentalist Green Party (''Miljøpartiet'') is similar to the [[Socialist People's Party (Denmark)|Socialist People's Party]] (''Socialistisk Folkeparti'')
*The far-left Solidarity Collective (''Solidarisk Samling'') is similar to the [[Red-Green Alliance (Denmark)|Red-Green Alliance]] (''Enhedslisten'')
*The New Democrats (''Nye Demokrater''), Birgitte Nyborg's new centrist party in the third season is based on the [[Liberal Alliance (Denmark)|New Alliance]] (''Ny Alliance'')
*The centre-right Liberal Party (''De Liberale'') is based on [[Venstre (Denmark)|''Venstre'']]
*New Right (''Ny Højre'') is similar to the conservative [[Conservative People's Party (Denmark)|Conservative People's Party]] (''Konservative Folkeparti'')
*The national-conservative Freedom Party (''Frihedspartiet'') is stated by party leader Svend Åge Saltum to be a successor party to [[Mogens Glistrup]]'s [[Progress Party (Denmark)|Progress Party]] (''Fremskridtspartiet''), just like its real-life successor [[Danish People's Party]] (''Dansk Folkeparti'')
The fictional broadcasters and newspapers also have their real-life equivalents: the public broadcaster TV1 is based on [[DR1]], the tabloid newspaper ''Ekspres'' is inspired by  ''[[Ekstra Bladet]]'', and the commercial 2'eren is similar to [[TV 2 (Denmark)|TV 2]].

=== Election results ===
Season 1 starts with a general election that leads to a multi-party government that includes the Moderates, Labour and the Greens, supported by the Solidarity Collective. This continues into Season 2, with the Greens leaving government towards the end of that season.

Season 3 follows an election where the Liberals are back in power with the New Right, supported by the Freedom Party and the Moderates. The finale includes a snap election that ends with the Liberals forming a centre ground coalition with the New Right and the New Democrats, supported by the Moderates, with no involvement from the Freedom Party. 

Season 4 begins with the Labour Party (the largest party) and the New Democrats (with 14 seats) in coalition, supported by the Greens, Solidarity and Greenlandic representatives. The government only has a majority of one based on this support. It is stated that the opposition includes the Liberals with 42 seats, the Freedom Party with 27 seats and the New Right with 18 seats.

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Borgen episodes}}
{{:List of Borgen episodes}}
<!-- To edit the episodes in this section, you need to edit the article listed above. -->

==Reception==
The series has been well received by critics and audiences alike.<ref name=factory>{{cite news|last=Brown|first=Maggie|title=Borgen: Inside Danish TV's thriller factory|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/jan/14/borgen-danish-tv-thrillers|access-date=13 January 2013|newspaper=The Guardian|date=14 January 2012|location=London}}</ref> It became a hit in Denmark as well as Australia, the UK and the US (via Netflix), becoming one of several Danish series to do so in recent years.<ref name=factory/> Maggie Brown of ''[[The Guardian]]'' cited the strong female characters, originality and an ability to "uncannily forecast actual developments in Danish politics" as reasons for its success.<ref name=factory/> Jane Merrick of ''[[The Independent]]'' published a list of similarities from Series 2 to actual events in present-day UK politics following the conclusion of the series in the UK.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/meet-my-nbf-david-cameron-and-tony-blair-become-chums-8478494.html |title=From rainy Copenhagen, to wet and windy Westminster | work=The Independent| access-date=19 February 2013 |location=London |first=Jane |last=Merrick |date=3 February 2013}}</ref>

US critics have been similarly positive, with ''[[Newsweek]]'' dubbing Borgen "the best TV show you have never seen"<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120730111404/http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/07/29/borgen-the-best-tv-show-you-ve-never-seen.html Borgen: The Best TV Show You’ve Never Seen]</ref> and bestselling novelist and ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' columnist [[Stephen King]] put the series on the top of his top 10 list of the best TV shows of 2012.<ref>{{cite magazine| url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20622701_20665021,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130530200833/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20622701_20665021,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=30 May 2013 | magazine=Entertainment Weekly | first=Stephen | last=King | title=Stephen King: The Best TV I Saw in 2012 | date=21 December 2012}}</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' also offered praise, describing Borgen as a "bleaker, Nordic version of  ''[[The West Wing]]''" and saying it "finds a remarkable amount of drama and suspense in center-left alliances, pension plans, and televised debates."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://tv.nytimes.com/2011/10/21/arts/television/boss-with-kelsey-grammer-on-starz-review.html?_r=0 | title=Cover-Ups, Personal and Political | work=New York Times| access-date=13 March 2013 | first=Alessandra | last=Stanley | date=20 October 2011}}</ref>

With several middle of the road 3/6 star ratings, the Danish media's reaction to the third series was noticeably less positive than for the first two series. ''[[Politiken]]'' commented that the third series "ended like a soap opera" and "never succeeded in breaking free from predictability";<ref>{{cite web|url=http://politiken.dk/kultur/tvogradio/ECE1918714/borgen-endte-som-en-soap/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130312190259/http://politiken.dk/kultur/tvogradio/ECE1918714/borgen-endte-som-en-soap/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=12 March 2013 |title=Borgen ended like a soap opera |publisher=Politiken |language=da |access-date=11 March 2013 }}</ref> with ''[[Berlingske]]'''s review declaring that while the third series "tied up the loose ends in pretty bows and was, like the rest of the series, well performed, it was also insidiously dull".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.b.dk/kultur/bag-murene/ | title=Behind the walls | date=10 March 2013 | publisher=Berlingske| language=da | access-date=11 March 2013}}</ref> Tabloid paper [[BT (tabloid)|''BT'']] however claimed that the series "finished on a peak" and with this third season had "become the best Danish series in years".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bt.dk/film-og-tv/anmeldelse-derfor-vil-borgen-blive-slemt-savnet | title=Why Borgen will be sorely missed | date=10 March 2013 | publisher=BT| language=da | access-date=25 March 2013}}</ref> The critique came after several months where storylines from the third series in an unprecedented manner for a Danish drama series had sparked media headlines and created hefty debates in real life Danish politics on, among other issues, prostitution and pig farming, epitomised by Danish MP Mai Henriksen from [[Conservative People's Party (Denmark)|Conservative People's Party]], who was widely accused by colleagues and journalists of advocating a bill of rights for prostitutes, solely because she was inspired by ''Borgen''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.information.dk/telegram/450106 | title=Conservative politician: Borgen was used as leverage for debate on prostitution | date=4 February 2013 | publisher=Information| language=da | access-date=25 March 2013}}</ref>

For the fourth season, the [[review aggregator]] website [[Rotten Tomatoes]] reported an approval rating of 95% based on 19 reviews, with an average rating of 9.5/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "''Borgen'' returns after an extended hiatus with its emotional heft and political intelligence wholly intact, reasserting itself as the best kind of brainy escapism."<ref>{{cite Rotten Tomatoes|title=Borgen: Power & Glory|id=borgen_power_and_glory|type=tv|season=1|access-date=21 February 2024}}</ref>

==Awards==
[[File:Adam Price at the 73rd Annual Peabody Awards.jpg|thumb|[[Adam Price (screenwriter)|Adam Price]] with the [[Peabody Award]] for ''Borgen'' at the 73rd Annual Peabody Awards]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Award Show
! Year
! Category
! Nominee(s)
! Result
|-
| [[International Emmy Award]]
| 2012
| [[International Emmy Award for Best Actress|Best Performance by an Actress]]
| [[Sidse Babett Knudsen]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan=4| [[Monte Carlo TV Festival]]
| 2011
| Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
| Sidse Babett Knudsen
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan=3| 2013
| Best International Drama TV Series
| Borgen III
| {{nom}}
|-
| Best European Drama TV Series
| Borgen III
| {{won}}
|-
| Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
| [[Birgitte Hjort Sørensen]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan=2| [[British Academy Television Awards]]
| 2012
| International Prize
| rowspan="4" | ''Borgen''
| {{won}}
|-
| 2014
| International Prize
| {{nominated}}
|-
| [[Prix Italia]]
| 2010
| Best TV Drama – Series and Serials
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan=2| [[Festival International de Programmes Audiovisuels]]
| rowspan=2| 2011
| Best TV Series and Serials
| {{won}}
|-
| TV series and Serials: Best Music
| [[Halfdan E]]
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Peabody Award]]
| 2013
| Area of Excellence
| rowspan="2" | ''Borgen''
| {{won}}<ref>[http://www.peabodyawards.com/award-profile/borgen-dr1-denmark 73rd Annual Peabody Awards], May 2014.</ref>
|-
| [[28th Critics' Choice Awards|Critics' Choice Awards]]
| 2023
| Best Foreign Language Series
| {{nom}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nordyke |first=Kimberly |date=15 January 2023 |title=Critics Choice Awards: Full List of Winners |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/critics-choice-awards-winners-list-full-2023-1235300137/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230116052049/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/critics-choice-awards-winners-list-full-2023-1235300137/ |archive-date=16 January 2023 |access-date=16 January 2023 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref>
|}

''Borgen'' won the award for Best International TV series at the [[2012 British Academy Television Awards]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cphpost.dk/culture/culture-news/two-danish-shows-vie-bafta-glory |title=Two DR shows vie for glory |work=Copenhagen Post|access-date=6 May 2012}}</ref>
Awards for the series include the 2010 [[Prix Italia]] for best drama series,<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1526318/awards IMDb: Awards for Borgen] Retrieved 15 January 2012</ref> a Golden Nymph to [[Sidse Babett Knudsen]] for Outstanding Actress in a drama series at the 2011 [[Monte-Carlo Television Festival]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Golden Nymphs Awards Listing Palmarès des Nymphes d'Or. 10 June 2011 – 10 Juin 2011, Grimaldi Forum, Monaco|url=http://www.tvfestival.com/pic_site/palm2011.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814014139/http://www.tvfestival.com/pic_site/palm2011.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 August 2011|page=3|publisher=MONACO MEDIAX|access-date=7 January 2012}}</ref> and the Fipa Grand Prize for Best TV Series as well as for Best Original Soundtrack at the 2011 [[Festival International de Programmes Audiovisuels]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fipa.tm.fr/en/fipa/2011/jury-and-awards-series-and-serials.htm |title=Jury and Awards – Series and Serials – FIPA 2011 – International Festival of Audiovisual Programs |publisher=FIPA |access-date=7 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120804074345/http://www.fipa.tm.fr/en/fipa/2011/jury-and-awards-series-and-serials.htm |archive-date=4 August 2012 }}</ref>

==Radio==

DR1 produced a spinoff radio serial, ''Udenfor Borgen'' ("Outside the Castle"), to accompany the release of the television show.  The main character is Hans Gammelgard (voiced by Danish actor Finn Nielsen), [[Private Secretary|private secretary]] in the [[Ministry of Environment (Denmark)|Ministry of the Environment]], who faces unexpected adversity after he tries to push for a controlled approach to the cultivation of [[genetically modified crops]] by Danish farmers.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dr.dk/DRPresse/Artikler/2010/09/15/111649.htm |title=Udenfor Borgen |language=da |trans-title=Outside the castle |work=[[DR (broadcaster)|DR]] |date=23 September 2010 |access-date=11 December 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Stroyer |first=Rasmus |url=http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Kultur/2010/10/07/110140.htm |title='Udenfor Borgen' fanger lyttere ind |language=da |trans-title='Outside the Castle' captures listeners |work=[[DR (broadcaster)|DR]] |date=7 October 2010 |access-date=11 December 2014 }}</ref>

Beginning in December 2013, [[BBC Radio 4]] aired an English-language translation of the Danish radio serial, entitled ''Borgen: Outside the Castle'', starring [[Tim Pigott-Smith]] as Hans Gammelgard.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-25118332 |title=Borgen spin-off to air on BBC Radio 4 |work=[[BBC News]] |date=27 November 2013 |access-date=11 December 2014 }}</ref> Reviewer Fiona Sturges of ''[[The Independent]]'' thought the radio version was "wholly pointless", and noted in particular that, unlike the television series, the radio program was "relegating its female characters to the fringes, casting them as secretaries and anxious mothers."<ref>{{cite news |last=Sturges |first=Fiona |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/borgen-outside-the-castle--the-week-in-radio-appalled-by-a-british-borgen-thats-an-insult-to-women-9013894.html |title=Borgen: Outside the Castle – The Week in Radio: appalled by a British Borgen that's an insult to women |work=[[The Independent]] |date=19 December 2013 |access-date=11 December 2014 }}</ref> On the other hand, [[Gillian Reynolds]] of ''[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]'' gave the radio show a positive review, approving its complex treatment of the intricacies of the civil service.<ref>{{cite news |last=Reynolds |first=Gillian |author-link=Gillian Reynolds |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/tv-and-radio-reviews/10524045/Borgen-Outside-the-Castle-Radio-4-review.html |title=Borgen – Outside the Castle, Radio 4, review: Gillian Reynolds reviews the week in radio and admits that she's hooked on the audio version of the Danish political drama |work=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] |date=18 December 2013 |access-date=11 December 2014 }}</ref> In 2015 [[Deutschlandfunk]] broadcast this radio serial with German explanations for some of the wordplays such as ''MOM''=MON for ''Momentum''=[[Monsanto]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deutschlandfunk.de/borgen-outside-the-castle-in-originalversion.2487.de.html|title=Politthriller im englischen Original|language=de|date=2015|publisher=[[Deutschlandfunk]]|access-date=30 July 2016|archive-date=19 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919173223/http://www.deutschlandfunk.de/borgen-outside-the-castle-in-originalversion.2487.de.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Remake==
In September 2011, it was announced that [[NBC]] would produce a US remake of ''Borgen'', with a pilot being developed by [[David Hudgins]] and [[Jason Katims]] of ''[[Friday Night Lights (TV series)|Friday Night Lights]]'' fame.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2011/09/nbc-to-adapt-danish-drama-borgen-with-fnls-david-hudgins-and-jason-katims-176010/ |title=NBC to adapt Danish drama Borgen with FNL's David Hudgins and Jason Katims |work=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |first=Nellie|last=Andreeva |date=26 September 2011}}</ref> The NBC remake never materialized, but in November 2013 it was confirmed by Adam Price that [[HBO]] and [[BBC Worldwide]] were set to begin production on a U.S. remake of the series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tv.bt.com/tv/tvnews/borgen-to-get-a-us-remake-on-hbo-11363850006845|title=Borgen to get a US remake on HBO|access-date=4 February 2017}}</ref>{{Update needed|date=November 2024|reason=7 years since the last news about the remake}}

== Merchandise ==

===DVD===
The first three series have been made available in Denmark and the UK on DVD. Both are coded Region 2 format and consist of the complete episodes as screened on DR1 and BBC4.

In the US, MHz Networks released all three series and the complete series box set on DVD coded Region 1.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! rowspan="2"|DVD Name !! rowspan="2"|Episodes !! style="padding:0 8px;" colspan="3"| [[DVD]] release dates
|-
! scope="col" style="padding:0 8px;"| Region 2 (Denmark)
! scope="col" style="padding:0 8px;"| Region 2 (UK)
! scope="col" style="padding:0 8px;"| Region 1 (US)
|-
|| The Complete First Series || style="text-align:center;"|10
| style="padding:0 8px;"| {{Start date|2012|02|03|df=y}}
| style="padding:0 8px;"| {{Start date|2012|02|06|df=y}}<ref>[https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005X9LJBM Amazon UK: ''Borgen – Series 1''] Relinked 14 December 2013</ref>
| style="padding:0 8px;"| {{Start date|2013|03|12|df=y}}<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BELOF14/ Amazon US: ''Borgen – Season 1''] Relinked 14 December 2013</ref>
|-
|| The Complete Second Series || style="text-align:center;"|10
| style="padding:0 8px;"| {{Start date|2012|05|30|df=y}}
| style="padding:0 8px;"| {{Start date|2013|02|04|df=y}}<ref>[https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00842AJ4S/ Amazon UK: ''Borgen – Series 2''] Relinked 14 December 2013</ref>
| style="padding:0 8px;"| {{Start date|2013|06|25|df=y}}<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CORM1MW/ Amazon US: ''Borgen – Season 2''] Relinked 14 December 2013</ref>
|-
|| The Complete First and Second Series || style="text-align:center;"|20
| style="padding:0 8px;"| {{Start date|2013|04|03|df=y}}
| style="padding:0 8px;"| {{Start date|2013|02|04|df=y}}<ref>[https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00A9YBWGI/ Amazon UK: ''Borgen – Series 1 & 2''] Relinked 14 December 2013</ref>
| –
|-
|| The Complete Third Series || style="text-align:center;"|10
| style="padding:0 8px;"| {{Start date|2013|11|14|df=y}}
| style="padding:0 8px;"| {{Start date|2013|12|16|df=y}}<ref>[https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00EZ0DXL4/ Amazon UK: ''Borgen – Series 3'']</ref>
| style="padding:0 8px;"| {{Start date|2014|01|21|df=y}}<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GM4OUZE/ Amazon US: ''Borgen – Season 3'']</ref>
|-
|| The Complete Series || style="text-align:center;"|30
| –
| style="padding:0 8px;"| {{Start date|2013|12|16|df=y}}<ref>[https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00FC5DGQS/ Amazon UK: ''Borgen – Trilogy'']</ref>
| style="padding:0 8px;"| {{Start date|2014|10|21|df=y}}<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NWIFYRQ/ Amazon US: ''Borgen – The Complete Series'']</ref>
|}

===Book===

A novelisation of the first series of ''Borgen'' was released in Denmark, The Netherlands, and France on 19 February 2013. The Danish release from DR in conjunction with publisher Lindhardt & Ringhof is written by Jesper Malmose.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dr.dk/OmDR/Nyt_fra_DR/Nyt_fra_DR/2013/02/18185029.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130223065226/http://www.dr.dk/OmDR/Nyt_fra_DR/Nyt_fra_DR/2013/02/18185029.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 February 2013 |title=Borgen goes from the screen to bedside table |publisher=DR |language=da |access-date=13 February 2013 }}</ref> Head of DR Sales Anders Kjærsgaard Sørensen hopes to have the book available in the UK soon{{when|date=February 2021}}.

===Music===

On 26 February 2013, DR Salg, the commercial distribution arm of DR, made ''Borgen (Original TV Series Soundtrack)'', nineteen tracks of [[Halfdan E]]'s original compositions for the show, available for digital download on [[iTunes]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dr.dk/OmDR/Nyt_fra_DR/Nyt_fra_DR/2013/02/18185029.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130223065226/http://www.dr.dk/OmDR/Nyt_fra_DR/Nyt_fra_DR/2013/02/18185029.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 February 2013 |title=Borgen goes from the screen to bedside table |publisher=DR |language=da |access-date=14 February 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/borgen-original-tv-series/id609030733 |title=Halfdan E – Borgen (Original TV Series Soundtrack) | publisher=iTunes | access-date=14 February 2013}}{{dead link|date=February 2017}}</ref>

Based on the music from the show and entitled '[https://soundcloud.com/halfdan-e/borgen-2010 Borgen 2010]', Halfdan E has also made a longer composition available through [[SoundCloud]].

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.dr.dk/dr1/ekspres Ekspres]  (Danish)
* {{IMDb title|1526318|title=Borgen}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes}}
* {{Netflix title}}

{{Netflix original continuation series}}
{{British Academy Television Award for Best International Programme}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:2010 Danish television series debuts]]
[[Category:2010s Danish television series]]
[[Category:2020s Danish television series]]
[[Category:DR television dramas]]
[[Category:Danish drama television series]]
[[Category:Danish-language television shows]]
[[Category:Netflix television dramas]]
[[Category:BAFTA winners (television series)]]
[[Category:Peabody Award–winning television programs]]
[[Category:Television series about journalism]]
[[Category:Television series about television]]
[[Category:Television series about prime ministers]]
[[Category:Television shows set in Denmark]]