Two high profile TV dramas, the new DR/SVT series Broen (The Bridge - photo) and Season 2 of Borgen (Government) produced by DR came to an end over the last week on national television in Sweden and Denmark, finishing off in a grand finale.

The 10x60' series The Bridge ended on Wednesday November 23 on SVT and DR. According to Swedish production company Filmlance International, the top rated episode in the series in Sweden had 1,030,000 viewers (11.7%); the average number of the whole series was 908,000 (10%).

In Denmark, the top rated episode in the series had 876,000 viewers (16.3%); the average number of the whole series was 863,000 (16.1%).  "I'm really pleased and grateful that the ratings are similarly high both in Sweden and in Denmark," said Anders Lindström (Filmlance International) who shared the main production credit with his Danish colleague Bo Ehrhardt (Nimbus Film).

Nordisk Film & TV Fond supported Broen and the first season of Borgen (Government).

The Bridge was the first joint creative and financial set up between Denmark and Sweden. Hans Rosenfeld was the main author and concept creator of the crime investigation set on the Øresund bridge, and episode writers with him were Nikolai Scherfig and Måns Mårlin. In the series, the crime investigation was led by the laid-back Martin Rohde (Kim Bodnia) and his Swedish counterpart, the social outfit Saga Norén (Sofia Helin). 

ZDF Enterprises sold the series at MIPCOM to the BBC. There are on-going discussions and planning for a remake and season 2 but nothing is decided yet, according to Filmlance International.

Season 2 of the political drama series Borgen ended on Sunday and as many as 1,351,000 viewers watched it on DR1. DR HD also reached a record 259,000 viewers according to Media company Mec.

The 10x58' series produced by Camilla Hammerich features again the political leader Brigitte Nyborg (Sidse Babett Knudsen), her spin doctor Kasper Juul (Pilou Asbæk), as well as the idealistic journalist Katherine Fønsmark (Birgitte Hjort Sørensen). The series was written by Adam Price, Tobias Lindholm and Jeppe Gjervig Gram. Reviewers in the Danish press stressed the success of the series on ‘hitting' the right buttons and dealing with topical issues on the political agenda and social behaviours. "Yes, there has been plenty to discuss in small Danish homes. Thank you for that!" said BT reviewer Birgitte Grue. Jakob Steen Olsen from Berlingske Tidende also stressed that series was successful in its focus on the modern woman's drama about career, love and motherhood. Ekstra Bladet's Kristine Krefeld was also thrilled about Season 2 which she described as ‘debate style creative television entertainment'. She also suggested for Denmark's real Prime Minister Helle Thorning to get inspired by the fictional Brigitte Nyborg. 

A third season of Borgen is in the works at DR and viewers in many other countries such as France (ARTE) and the UK (BBCFour) will watch Season 2 in 2012.