KCET Launches 'Borgen' Marathon Leading Up to Season Two Premiere

online and on air from July 21-25.

acclaimed Danish political series, Borgen,

have another opportunity to watch season one in its entirety both online and on

the air.  KCET presents a special Borgen marathon from July 21-25 airing

The Borgen smorgasbord includes all ten episodes of Borgen's first season, with each

one-hour episode streaming online for two weeks following its broadcast date

(please check online for specific streaming dates). Visit kcet.org/borgen to watch and access extra content of the show.

Broadcast in Danish with English

subtitles, Borgen ("The Castle")

exposes a world of political gamesmanship, the intricate public and private

lives of politicians, media spinners, and the reporters who traffic in their

triumphs and failures. 

Deemed "smart and compelling" by the Los Angeles Times, "compulsively

watchable" by Vulture, and "the best

TV show you've never seen" by Newsweek,

Borgen has received high critical

praise and quickly gained loyal viewers across the nation since its U.S. debut

on Link TV in October, 2011.

The multi-award winning Borgen stars Sidse Babett Knudsen as

Danish Prime Minister Birgitte Nyborg Christensen; Pilou Asbæk as troubled spin

doctor, Kasper Juul; and Birgitte Hjort Sørensen, as ambitious news anchor,

Katrine Fønsmark. The show is created and written by producer Adam Price and

co-writers Jeppe Gjervig Gram and Tobias Lindholm. It is produced by DR, the

Danish public broadcaster that produced the international Danish hit series, The Killing.

The second season returns two years

into Birgitte Nyborg's term as

Denmark's first female Prime Minister. Politically, she has succeeded in

earning the respect of her allies as well as her enemies, but tensions between

parties are mounting, and Birgitte is forced to make more and more shaky

compromises. The growing pressure causes her to doubt whether she can maintain

both her position and her integrity. The ambitious and idealistic television

journalist Katrine Fønsmark is now

working as a star journalist at the Ekspres, where editor-in-chief, Michael Laugesen, challenges her

journalistic morals. Kasper Juul

continues his professional role as the cynical spin doctor for Birgitte Nyborg.

Privately he is trying to make peace with his inner demons and keep them

from sabotaging his relationship with a new girlfriend.

Visit www.kcet.org/Borgen for season one

episode descriptions.

A year has passed since we last saw Prime Minister Birgitte Nyborg. In the

season opener, Birgitte is visiting soldiers stationed in Afghanistan when a

deadly strike hits their encampment. Now she must choose: send the troops home

or stage a counterattack? Reporter Katrine Fønsmark approaches the father of

one of the fallen soldiers for a story, while Kasper Juul juggles his job as

the PM's spin-doctor and his new girlfriend, Lotte.

Birgitte Nyborg must appoint a new EU commission and her old mentor, Bent

Sejrø, is the obvious candidate. Seeing it as a ploy to get rid of him, Sejrø

refuses Birgitte's offer, which leads to a power play with serious

consequences. Meanwhile, Kasper prepares to move in with his girlfriend, Lotte,

but is haunted by his history with Katrine. Katrine and Hanne have grown

closer, united by daily battles with their boss at Ekspres: Michael Laugesen.

Episode 3:  The Last Worker

Birgitte's government prepares to present a new reform package, which is being

polished at a political seminar. But when party leader Bjørn Marrot comes under

a personal media attack, Birgitte senses a rebellion brewing, and the seminar

dissolves in chaos. Meanwhile, the tension grows on the home front where Phillip

has a new girlfriend. And Katrine covers the political seminar for Laugesen,

but he has his own agenda on the table. 

Episode 4:  Battle Ready

After Bjørn Marrot's exit, Troels

Höxenhaven steps in as the new party leader, jumping at the opportunity to

exploit the turn of events. When pirates hijack a Danish ship off Somalia's

coast, Höxenhaven diverts attention from Birgitte, who badly needs a success

story. Meanwhile, compromising photos of Höxenhaven turn up at the Ekspres.

Laugesen wants to use them against Höxenhaven, but Katrine is skeptical.

Birgitte Nyborg is about to negotiate

the environmental element of the new reform package, but she must face the

reality of parties unwilling to compromise. Kasper convinces her that

underhanded tactics can help win her a majority for the reform. Meanwhile,

Katrine receives an unusual job offer that tests her personal beliefs. And at

home, Birgitte's children are clearly affected by their mother's stress --

Laura in particular.

Just as Birgitte's new government is

getting back on track after the Green Party's exit, internal strife erupts

among coalition partners. This time it's from the right, as Svend Ã?ge Madsen

submits a bill to lower the age of criminal responsibility to 12 years -- an

issue that splits the political system. Meanwhile, Laura is recovering from a

panic attack, but Birgitte won't admit to herself that her daughter is ill.

Birgitte's

government is losing steam -- internal differences are growing and only

compromise legislation is being passed. Just as opinion polls indicate Birgitte

may lose the next election, financier Joachim Crohne emerges with an idea that

could save her political career. But can his motives be trusted? Meanwhile,

Kasper and Katrine are growing close again, but their jobs are at odds:

Katrine's role is to uncover secrets, while Kasper's is to conceal them.

The eyes of the world are on Copenhagen and Birgitte Nyborg as peace talks draw

near between North and South Kharun. Everyone has been working around the

clock, and although Kasper is now living with Katrine, they rarely see each

other. When Birgitte realizes Denmark is only a small piece in a major

international power game, her negotiation skills are put to the test. Can she

end the bloody civil war?

Laura's illness has worsened over the

past few months, and Birgitte now feels terrible about failing to recognize it.

When Laura's psychiatrist suggests admitting her to a private psychiatric

hospital, Birgitte and Phillip immediately agree. This move becomes problematic

when Birgitte's own tax reforms force her to pay out of pocket for the hospital

cost. At home, Birgitte and Phillip are rediscovering some of their lost love,

despite Philip's continued relationship with Cecilie.

In the season finale, Birgitte is on a

month leave from her post as prime minister to focus on family, and

Hans-Christian Thorsen, Labor Party chairman, has positioned himself to be her

possible successor. Birgitte is torn about whether or not she will return to

work. Meanwhile, as Kasper and Katrine hunt for apartments together, their plan

is derailed by an argument about the possibility of having children. Will one

of them relent?

On-air, online and in the community,

KCET plays a vital role in the cultural and educational enrichment of Southern

and Central California. KCET offers a wide range of award-winning local

programming as well as the finest public television programs from around the

world. KCET currently produces the Emmy®, duPont-Columbia and Peabody

Award-winning SoCal Connected, a

hard-hitting prime-time weekly television news program that examines the issues

and people of Southern California. Throughout its 48-year history, KCET has won

hundreds of major awards for its local and regional news and public affairs

programming, its national drama and documentary productions, its quality

educational family and children's programs, its outreach and community services

and its website, kcet.org. KCET is a donor-supported community institution. For

additional information about KCET productions, web-exclusive content,

programming schedules and community events, please visit kcet.org. KCET is a

service of KCETLink.

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