Kenneth Branagh has worked in film and television for decades. He’s back on the small screen in the “Masterpiece Mystery!” offering “Wallander: Faceless Killers,” which airs at 9 p.m. Sundays on Channel 6.
Working in both film and TV gives the much-lauded actor an interesting perspective on entertainment outlets. Right now, he’s seeing better work on TV.
“It seems like a lot of risk-taking, a lot of imagination, is regenerating in television in a way that I think makes for a pretty exciting period,” Branagh says. “I’ve been extremely impressed by the range of programming and the quality of programming, and so I think it’s a fantastic medium to be in.”
That was one reason he was willing to reprise his role as the brilliant, yet troubled, Inspector Kurt Wallander.
Branagh also agreed to do the PBS sequel because it was a chance to dig deeper into the character of the fictional police inspector.
“One of the things I enjoy about going back each time to each film and, in this case, these two series, is the idea that he is open every time. He is vulnerable every time. He is the sort of open question mark,” Branagh says. “He is compelled by this painful necessity to ask why people perform acts of cruelty and murder and violence. And he hasn’t arrived at a conclusion about that.
“He constantly tries to understand how things might be better, how he might learn from it and how he might understand human behavior in a different way, make a contribution, make a difference. It keeps him alive and open, and I enjoy that.”
Branagh continues to work in film. He currently is directing “Thor,” the film based on the Marvel Comics character scheduled to open next year.
Since Branagh has performed many works by William Shakespeare on stage and in film, he seems like the right guy to ask if the family problems Thor faced, especially with his father, Odin, seems a little Shakespearean.
They do.
Branagh also sees similarities between Thor and Wallander. They are both Scandinavians with family problems.
“I also think there are times when Wallander could use a hammer,” Branagh says.
