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Midsomer Murders keeps Danes glued to TV Midsomer Murders keeps Danes glued to TV
(5 months later)
With their tense storylines, atmospheric scenery and often gruesome murders, Danish crime dramas The Killing and The Bridge have gripped British audiences.With their tense storylines, atmospheric scenery and often gruesome murders, Danish crime dramas The Killing and The Bridge have gripped British audiences.
But the Danes themselves are more enamoured with a gentler alternative to "Scandi noir" – ITV's rural detective series Midsomer Murders has become one of the best-rated TV imports in Denmark, according to the head of the country's biggest channel, DR1.But the Danes themselves are more enamoured with a gentler alternative to "Scandi noir" – ITV's rural detective series Midsomer Murders has become one of the best-rated TV imports in Denmark, according to the head of the country's biggest channel, DR1.
Kaare Schmidt put the English drama's success down to its quaint setting and leisurely pace, which he said was comforting for viewers.Kaare Schmidt put the English drama's success down to its quaint setting and leisurely pace, which he said was comforting for viewers.
"It's just you have a good feeling when you watch it and if you fall asleep it's fine, because that's what it's for and you'll never remember who did it anyway," he told the Radio Times."It's just you have a good feeling when you watch it and if you fall asleep it's fine, because that's what it's for and you'll never remember who did it anyway," he told the Radio Times.
Schmidt said DR1 had won the Saturday night ratings battle in Denmark for more than a decade because Midsomer Murders "beat everything the competition can come up with", attracting a 30%-40% share of the audience share.Schmidt said DR1 had won the Saturday night ratings battle in Denmark for more than a decade because Midsomer Murders "beat everything the competition can come up with", attracting a 30%-40% share of the audience share.
"Midsomer Murders is the best performing acquired programme of all – that goes for Scandinavia in general, but especially on Danish television," he told the magazine."Midsomer Murders is the best performing acquired programme of all – that goes for Scandinavia in general, but especially on Danish television," he told the magazine.
"We have it in the biggest slot for us, which is Saturday night at around 9pm, and it has been beating the competition for 12 or 13 years - as long as it's been around."We have it in the biggest slot for us, which is Saturday night at around 9pm, and it has been beating the competition for 12 or 13 years - as long as it's been around.
"We always win Saturday night because of that. It's the No 1 big hit on DR1. That is the key to our success – we can't fail if we get a good British detective story.""We always win Saturday night because of that. It's the No 1 big hit on DR1. That is the key to our success – we can't fail if we get a good British detective story."
The long-running series, originally starring John Nettles and now Neil Dudgeon, follows detectives tackling crime in, as the ITV website puts it, "the beautiful but deadly villages of Midsomer". The long-running series, originally starring John Nettles and now Neil Dudgeon, follows detectives tackling crime in, as the ITV website puts it, "the beautiful but deadly villages of Midsomer".
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