Rolf’s quest to uncover the ‘DNA’ truth!

Saturday: DNA; (BBC4, 9pm & 8.40pm)
Neel Skibsted, Rolf Larsen and Jarl Skaubo try to reveal the truth in this BBC4 dramaNeel Skibsted, Rolf Larsen and Jarl Skaubo try to reveal the truth in this BBC4 drama
Neel Skibsted, Rolf Larsen and Jarl Skaubo try to reveal the truth in this BBC4 drama

In these changing times, at least Saturday night TV is providing a bit of normality. Not only are the Strictly Come Dancing live shows due to get under way this evening, but BBC4 is bringing us a new Scandi Noir thriller.

If that wasn’t promising enough, DNA comes from Torleif Hoppe, the co-creator of The Killing, aka the series that arguably got viewers hooked on the genre in the first place and established BBC4 as the home of quality imported dramas.

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The impressive international cast is led by Anders W Berthelsen, who stars as Rolf Larsen, a respected Copenhagen detective whose life is changed forever when his baby daughter goes missing.

This personal angle was important to the drama’s writer Hoppe. He told the production company Nordisk Films: “I wanted to do a new crime series with a personal story at the core. Here Rolf Larsen is driven by his own tragedy and agenda. The story also had to be meaningful to me and when you have kids, this is the most important ever. Then I started to develop a plot about a missing child.”

That’s not the only way Hoppe’s own experiences have fed into DNA – it seems he also influenced the casting.

The drama features a seasoned French investigator, and Hoppe had strong ideas about what he wanted for the role. He told Nordisk: “I wanted someone with authority, an elder woman with charisma who could challenge Rolf.

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“I go fly fishing in Wiltshire. The landowner there is like an old school headmistress. I showed a picture of her to the people at [TV network] ARTE and someone said…what about Charlotte Rampling? That made sense! She is French/British and has the look and charisma I was looking for.”

And luckily for him, the Oscar-nominated actress took the role. He says: “Charlotte has been incredibly supportive. I am so grateful for her dedication.”

In the opening part of a double bill, Rolf is looking into a case of a missing child when his own daughter disappears.

Five years later, a serious flaw is uncovered in the Danish police’s DNA database, which is obviously bad new for the cops, but does mean that a new lead emerges. Realising his daughter may still be alive, Rolf tries to find out what really happened by investigating a parallel case with links to an international child-trafficking ring – which brings him into contact with French investigator Claire (Rampling).

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In the second episode, Rolf meets another cop, young police assistant Neel. They are brought together by a stolen car in Thornby, and the pair’s boss orders them to test the car thief’s DNA with Rolf’s old colleagues in Copenhagen. Could this provide a new lead?

Well, there are six more episodes to go after this, so we should probably expect plenty of twists.

As Sue Deeks, Head of Programme Acquisition for the BBC, says: “Beginning with a shocking event, DNA is an intriguing and unexpected crime series which will keep BBC viewers absorbed to the very end.”

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