Branagh brings ‘Wallander’ to life

I’ve been watching the new BBC-produced “Mystery” series, “Wallander,” which is based on the series of novels written by the Swedish writer Henning Mankell . Kenneth Branagh plays the title character, the sad-sack police detective Kurt Wallander.

I like Branagh in the role, and I’ve watched only the first installment, which is based on the novel “Sidetracked” (there are two others based on the novels “Firewall” and “One Step Behind”). But it is a bit disconcerting to listen to the actors speak in such pronounced English accents when the intriguing aspect to the novels are their very Swedishness.

Since the series was filmed in the area of Sweden in which the novels are based – Ystad, on the very southern coast of the country – it couldn’t have been that hard to find an English-speaking Swedish cast to support Branagh. And someone as talented as Branagh could have affected a soft enough accent to pass for a Swede.

Still, what the BBC produced is well worth watching. If only for what Branagh brings to the small screen.

Below: Experience Kenneth Branagh as “Wallander.”