The Borgen Podcast

Chantal and Amy discuss Sidse Babett Knudsen’s short film, “WOACA” (Woman Of A Certain Age), directed by Mackenzie Davis and played in the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2023. 

Chantal and Amy also discuss other work of Knudsen that was released in 2023 and 2024 (so far):

“Club Zero" (directed by Jessica Hausner, 2023)

“Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction” (directed by Billie August, 2023 - Netflix)

“Vogter” (“Sons”, in English.  Directed by Gustav Moller, 2024)

“Le Fil” (“An Ordinary Case”, in English.  Directed by Daniel Auteuil, 2024)

Bonus episode!

Part 2 of 2 of us featuring 6 men of Borgen from season 1 - 3. 

Chantal leads the discussion about Troels Höxenhaven, Torben, and Jeremy.)

Bonus episode!

Part 1 of 2 of us featuring 6 men of Borgen from season 1 - 3.

Amy leads this discussion about Bent, Philip, and Kasper. (Next episode to be released will be Chantal leading the discussion about Troels Höxenhaven, Torben, and Jeremy.)

Summer holiday edition. Amy and Chantal pause on talking about Borgen to talk about the women of 2023.

Our first bonus episode of season 3 of our podcast.

In this bonus episode we research and discuss interesting historical facts and trivia about Borgen (S1-S3).  

We thought it really important (and enjoyable!) to go backwards and (re)learn new history and behind-the-scenes facts about the show. 

You can find all the interviews we discuss in this bonus episode on YouTube at the links provided below.  

When we get to covering “Borgen - Power and Glory” we will be doing a very similar bonus episode.

Camilla Hammerich interview at Dublin City University

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aitsv9uw1p8&t=199s

Camilla Hammerich at Digital Biscuit 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4A-nA0BKo8&t=890s

The Borgen Experience Q&A at Nordicana 2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSr2A-rk9uc

The Killing ‘paved way’ for Borgen Success.  BBC 04/02/2013

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5HbJIlQjys

Building Borgen Q&A at Nordicana 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGaqZZhwPqE 

We recap and discuss season 3, episode 5 (“Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery”) and episode 6 (“Sons of the Past”).

A longer episode from us but we have a lot to say especially re episode 5 - the prostitution episode.  In episode 6, we meet academic economist and former communist Ravn, (played by Lars Mikkelsen). Torben is victim of ageism and Birgitte is told she has precancerous cells and needs immediate treatment.

We recap and discuss season 3, episode 3 (“The Right Shade of Brown” and episode 4 (“Their Loss”).  Racism, micro-aggressions, and the pig farming industry.  What are micro-aggressions and how do they relate to episode 3?  We’ll tell you.  For your reference, please visit www.themicropedia.org Also, Kasper and Katrine bond and clash through shared parenting; Birgitte gets a big donation from a banker for her party, and Torben and Alex go head to head.

We recap and discuss season 3, episode 1 (“A Child of Denmark”) and episode 2 (“The Land is Built on Law”). Season 3 begins 2.5 years after we left off in season 2.  Birgitte has a corporate job but gives it up to re-enter politics.  Katrine leaves TV1 to become Birgitte’s spin doctor and TV1 has a new head.  Birgitte assembles her new party much to Bent’s reluctance, but at the end of the episode, he gets on board with the new party and asks to join it and support her. Katrine feels the pinch in being a career woman and new mother at the same time. Her and her mother clash.

Amy and Chantal close up season 2 of their podcast by discussing season 2 of Borgen. Season 3 of The Borgen Podcast coming soon!

We recap and discuss season 2, episode 9 (“The Sanctity of Private Life”), and episode 10 (An Extraordinary Remark”). Private life is under the spotlight for both Birgitte and Katrine. For Birgitte, Laura moves to a residence where she can get professional guidance to help her get better and the media won’t back off which forces Birgitte to do something shocking - she decides to step away from her PM duties and take a leave of absence to focus on her family. For Katrine, she divulges to Torben that she’s in a relationship with Kasper which later causes tense conversations between Katrine and Kasper on the topic of starting a family together. Katrine worries that her career may be in jeopardy now that Torben knows that her and the Prime Minister’s spin doctor are living together and are in a relationship. In the end, Birgitte returns as Prime Minister and announces a snap election.

We recap and discuss season 2, episode 7 ("What is Lost Inwardly Must Be Gained Outwardly, Part I") and episode 8 ("What is Lost Inwardly Must Be Gained Outwardly, Part II"). These are 2 of our favourite episodes in season 2. When Joachim Crohne draws her attention to the conflict in the (fictional) Central African country of Kharun, Birgitte decides to accepts this task of trying to generate peace talks among these two countries on the brink of civil war as a way to hopefully secure more popular polls for the next election.  Birgitte travels to north and south Kharun to help negotiate terms in which these two countries can finally come to a mutual understanding and stop their tension and fighting toward one another.

In this bonus episode we talk about Kasper Juul, his childhood, his present, and his identity as we see it shaped from then to now. We analyze his character as an individual and as Birgitte’s spin doctor.  We discuss his personal relationships and focus on the longstanding complicated relationship he has with Katrine.

We recap and discuss season 2, episode 5 ("Plant a Tree"), and episode 6 ("Them and Us").  Laura, Birgitte and Phillip's oldest child, deals with the burden of anxiety and the aftermath of a panic attach which challenges Birgitte as a parent.  Kasper finally reveals his secrets to Katrine as he is also pushed to his limits because of a proposed bill from Svend Åge Saltum's Freedom Party to lower the age criminal responsibility from 14 years old to 12 years old.  This resurrects a lot of traumatic memories from Kasper's past with his father and it causes him to have a visceral reaction to the bill.

In this bonus episode we talk about Troels Höxenhaven with respect to episode 3 and 4 of season 2 and of his storyline involving secrets, lies, harassment, and the right to privacy.  LGBTQ+ issues are near and dear to us and felt Höxenhaven's storyline deserved a bonus episode on our podcast.  

We recap and discuss season 2, episodes 3 (“The Last Worker”) and episode 4 (“Battle Ready”) of Borgen. Heavy focus is on Bjørn Marrot who becomes a target who is personally attacked by his own party and by the media.  Höxenhaven becomes the new party leader replacing Marrot, and Michael Laugesen of Ekspress targets Höxenhaven’s personal life revealing something deeply private.  

Our season 2 premiere of our podcast!  We recap and discuss season 2, episodes 1 and 2 of Borgen.  A year has passed since we last saw Birgitte at the end of season 1.  Season 2 opens with her in Afghanistan.  Katrine is now at Express and Kasper tries to split his time between work and his new girlfriend.

Amy and Chantal close up season 1 of their podcast by discussing season 1 of Borgen.  Season 2 of the Borgen Podcast coming soon!

Welcome to our third bonus episode.  In this episode we discuss the styling, look, costumes, sets, interiors, exteriors, and other visual elements that make great television and cinema.

We recap and discuss the last 2 episodes of Borgen Season 1.

Season 1, episode 7 & episode 8 - recap and discussions.