No matter where you go there you are. When you travel, the one thing that goes with you everywhere is you, your personality, your perspective, your beliefs. This is why choosing a travel partner, even for a travelogue is important. In my early twenties, Micheal Palin of Monty Python fame, made a couple of series. That series, for me, set the bar, not only for the travel show, but for my own globe-trotting. He showed me that you have to take your curiosity, wonder, and you’d better pack a sense of humor.
Those things have served me well on my own travels, and serve as guidelines for any time I settle in for any type of informative travel program. Through Greenland a Danish series starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau provides the viewer with an interesting travel companion. He takes us on a journey through the stark, and beautiful landscape that is Greenland.
Sharing his own history with the camera, Nikolaj travels the gorgeously photographed country. And he learns more about her people, her history, and something about himself as well. Unafraid to share the dark facets of his own life, Coster-Waldau serves as explorer and guide not just for the viewer but for himself.
The journey across this country is enjoyable, and lovingly photographed, and Coster-Waldau is an intriguing host. He slips easily between his native Danish and English as the situation, or narration requires. He interacts easily with the camera, his surroundings and those he encounters.
But the real star of the show are the landscapes. Stunningly beautiful and occasionally lonely, the cameras lay out Greenland in all her glory. And she looks nothing short of amazing, desolate, and gorgeous. We are introduced to those who live on the land, and those who live with it. All the while, Nikolaj shares his own thoughts, and satisfies his own curiosity.
Through Greenland is a bit of a relaxing travelogue, and most welcome at this point in time. That’s considering that most people can’t get away to distant places because of the pandemic. So if I have to tale Nikolaj as a travelling partner in order to see the world, that’s a sacrifice I think I’m willing to make.
Over the course of five episodes, Nikolaj travels the breadth and depth of this gorgeous country, learning, growing, and sharing. One hopes that as the series draws to a close, that there will be more global travels with Nikolaj. And that perhaps, during these trying times, the travelogue may see a bit of a resurgence.
For now, Through Greenland makes for an enjoyable adventure, with a worthy travel companion on the Topic streaming service.
