User Reviews

First, the criticisms. At times, the dialogue is quite lame and could have had more substance or been more profound. In addition, the editing is occasionally quite disjointed; it seems as though a number of scenes had been cut and this results in jumps that the viewer may have to fill in for themselves. For example, near the end of part one when Annika is about to return to Sweden, she asks Pete not to go to the train station because she cannot face saying goodbye. We then see Pete arriving at the station on his motorbike and this sequence would have worked much better if we had a scene in between in which a troubled Pete was perhaps at home, mulling over whether to go to the station or not. Furthermore, Christina Rigner's acting is sometimes terribly wooden, though this could possibly be excused by the character of Annika being quiet, introverted and soft spoken.

Having said all that, this is a terrific mini series and it's a great ride being able to enter the lives of these people for a bewitching love story. There are some montage scenes which capture little moments that generate those magical feelings of how fantastic it is to be with someone you're crazy about. Cynics could dismiss this as romantic nonsense but it's obvious that Pete and Annika are a perfect match and we root for them all the way, especially when circumstances begin to make it difficult for them.

Although the ending is heart-wrenching stuff, it's actually not really bad news. There are some movies (like "The Bridges of Madison County" or "The Remains of the Day") in which the main characters should be together but end up apart, and it can be infuriating! On the other hand, if two people get together at the end of a movie despite numerous obstacles we call it corny and contrived. But with this series an alternative scenario is given. Although Pete returns to England, it's not necessarily the end of his relationship with Annika. The letter he leaves for her indicates that his return is only temporary, to 'sort himself out', and that he aims to 'keep her in the future'. So when we see him riding out of Stockholm and we're tearing our hair out while shouting "Don't be a fool! Go back to her!" at the TV screen, we are provided with a lifeline that suggests he'll be back for her better and stronger than before. This kind of makes sense because his venture to Sweden is done with no preparation at all. He has no work permit, no residence permit and has not bothered to learn any of the language. He rather naively assumes everything will fall into place once he gets there, which of course it doesn't.

Unfortunately, the DVD release has not been remastered and it looks very dated to watch now. But it's superb as a piece of 80's nostalgia and after purchasing it I had planned to watch the episodes in turn over several days. Instead, I watched all three episodes back-to-back and then watched them all again the next day! Sad maybe, but I was hooked, and as I'm from London and have been to the Isle of Wight, I was familiar with some of the locations used. Look out for Don Henderson playing Pete's father. He's only in two scenes but delivers his lines brilliantly, especially in the dinner scene. Very funny!

I can see why Pete falls for Annika because she's gorgeous (at least she is to me) and I was rooting for him. He's an unpretentious, down to earth guy, easy going, and doesn't take life seriously. Having no prospects or qualifications doesn't bother him...until his romance with Annika takes off. Then he realizes his lack of sophistication is a drawback (though not to Annika, who appears to be attracted to his unpretentious, down to earth nature). When he takes her to a chic restaurant he struggles with the menu and looks out of his depth. Later, when he stops at a roadside diner he simply orders egg and chips, so we know where we're at with him. It's genuinely a shame when the odds start to stack up against him because he's a sincere guy and he fits in well with Annika's social circle.

In short, this is the kind of TV drama that only comes along occasionally and it's definitely worth checking out. If anyone has had a whirlwind romance with a foreign girl (my hand is up) there is plenty to identify with here. It's perfect for fans of romance, the 80's and good TV drama.