Matador

Matador is a classic Danish television series produced by Nordisk Film for Danmarks Radio in 1978-81. It was directed by Erik Balling (of Olsen Banden fame) with a manuscript by a team of writers headed by the popular novel author Lise Nørgaard.

Im 1929 the young textiles representative Mads Andersen-Skjern arrive in Korsbæk, a small, sleepy Zealandic village, dominated by a few old business families, headed by Hans Christian Varnæs, owner and manager of Korsbæk Bank. Mads is rudely snubbed by Arnesen, the incompetent owner of the city's draper's shop and decides to stay and go into business for himself, with a resolve that is only hardened when he is refused a loan by Varnæs, who is a personal friend of Arnesen. Mads also befriends the good-hearted pig-dealer Oluf Larsen, who, though wealthy, is too uncough to be part of the city's society, and his daughter, Ingeborg, who Mads eventually marries. Over the years, Mads manages to put Arnesen out of business and start an empire of clothing stores, factories and banks, and finally be accepted by the established society.

Around the central conflict between the established society around Varnæs and the ambitious newcomer, Skjern, the life of the town unfolds, and everybody has to come to term with the changing times.

The series was panned by the critics when it was first appeared on Danish National Television, but became an instant success with the viewers. It has since been shown in television multiple times, it is one of the most sold series on DVD ever in Denmark and it is said that you will never understand Denmark and the Danes until you have seen this series.

The series has nothing to do with Toros Y Flamenco - in Denmark a matador is a business magnate. Matador is also the Danish name of the board game Monopoly, which we see the Varnæses play with their friends in one episode.

For the science fiction book series by Steve Perry go here.

This TV series contains examples of:
"Hans Christian Varnæs: (irate) We are many who have noticed you and your methods!
 * Actor Allusion: In one scene Jørgen Varnæs (Bent Mejding) and Birgitte Graae (Susse Wold) have a huge verbal and physical fight while wearing pyjamases, very similar to Elyot and Amanda in the Noel Coward play Private Lives, signature roles for real-life couple Mejding and Wold.
 * Anti-Hero: Mads Skjern is the hero of the story, in that he overcomes huge odds and build an empire from nothing, but his ruthless business methods and callous treatment of others makes you less likely to root for him.
 * Beam Me Up, Scotty: Many people are convinced that they have seen the scene where, but it is only recounted to Maude.
 * Cluster F-Bomb: Hans Christian Varnæs' drunken "To Hell with ..." rant after a particularly unplesant meeting in the bank.
 * The Fundamentalist: Mads and Kristen's sister Anna. Also Mads himself.
 * Heroic BSOD:  breaks down completely after.
 * Hey It's That Guy: Inverted. Due to the huge sucess of Matador most of the actors would be forever identified with their role in the series.
 * Though Egon Olsen apparently has a degree in medicine, and his henchman Benny is a famous artist.
 * American B-movie fans might know Jørgen Varnæs better from his other career as the dashing scientist Svend Alstrup from the So Bad It's Good Danish Kaiju movie Reptilicus.
 * Insult Backfire:

Mads Skjern: (icy calm) I'll take that as a compliment."


 * Karmic Death: Professor Andersen.
 * La Résistance: Dr. Hansen forms a resistance cell during the German occupation, together with, among others, Kristen Skjern and Elisabeth Friis.
 * Les Collaborateurs: Skjold Hansen, who rends his garage facillities out to the Germans. They are blown up by La Résistance.
 * Meaningful Rename: Once Mads has established himself as a force in Korsbæk, he changes the family name from Andersen-Skjern to just Skjern.
 * Ironically, in the first episode we hear the Varnæs brothers joke about how their grandfather, who founded the bank, changed his name from the common "Hansen" to the more aristocratic-sounding Varnæs.
 * Precision F-Strike: Most of the characters belong to the well-bred middle class, or aspires to be part of it. So when they swear it means they are genuinely angry or distressed. Most notably when Maude learns that her brother-in-law is getting divorced and screams "GET THE HELL OUT!!" to the maid.
 * Vitriolic Best Buds: Dr. Hansen and Colonel Hackel.
 * World War Two