I reviewed the opening episode of Season 1 of Swedish series ‘Partisan’ last year, saying it was one of the oddest shows that Walter Presents had delivered to date; well, Season 2 continues in the same peculiar vein, and then some.
If you want to avoid all spoilers, stop reading this article now.
I’ve watched the opening episode twice now, but I am really struggling to fit together the pieces. But perhaps that’s the point – different threads weaving together to create a satisfying tapestry at the end. Let’s hope so, because for now it’s just a collection of loose ends that I can’t be bothered to sort out.
It starts out at Jordnära – the cultish retreat and organic farm from the first season. We see a collection of young people being assessed on their physical looks and abilities by their creepy teacher. He singles out a couple of young girls, who are then driven the countryside and taken up in a hot air balloon – where a very unpleasant fate awaits one of them.
Next we see a gang of hooded men load an unconscious man into his car, set alight to both the man and his vehicle, and drive the car off a cliff. A day or two later, the matter is investigated by a police detective – Mildred, played by Nanna Blondell – who has some demons of her own and is going through some fertility issues. When the identity of the burned man is discovered, it rings a number of alarm bells with Mildred and her colleagues. The police travel to Jordnära to break the news of the man’s death to his widow, who happens to work there.
There’s also a problem with the water supply at Jordnära that necessitates them calling a water engineer – who happens to be the American partner of the police officer, Mildred. Oh, and the retreat is in dire financial straits, but they’re putting their hope for future prosperity in the hands of Gunn – a young female resident who is pregnant and who may or may not have been raped.
I hope you’re following all this, because I struggled. I love a good mystery, but this is so out there as to be unwatchable at times. Parallels with the impenetrable 2019 ‘Midsommar’ are very valid; I didn’t understand much about that film either, to be honest.
Positives? Well, Nanna Blondell puts in a good performance; and the colour palette has a whimsical hue that looks lovely on screen – the scene with the hot air balloon reminded me of the Nimble TV commercial from the 70s, albeit without the macabre twist. But for the most part I found myself scratching my head and – more importantly – not giving a damn about any of the characters.
In 2020, the series won Best Series at the Cannes International Series Festival, so clearly some people enjoyed it. It’s rare for me to find a Walter Presents show that misses the spot, but this one is not for me.
Walter Presents: ‘Partisan’ season 2 launches on Channel 4 at midnight on 12th December 2022. The full boxset is available on All 4 now.
