NOW THAT THE FAWLTY TOWERS BLUEPRINT’S BEEN RIPPED UP …

BEN HAMILTON

THE END of an era … or the exit of a shrewd economist? Should we admire the creators of successful TV shows when they choose to bow out early while still ahead of the game?

Maybe they didn’t fancy the hard work anymore. Or feared they couldn’t keep it up. Would The Sopranos be remembered with more fondness had it only lasted two seasons? Or The Wire? Surely The Handmaid’s Tale? All three are hailed with the proviso that the first two seasons are the best. While the likes of Lost, Game of Thrones and Girls are best remembered for the absolute stinkers they signed off with.

Ricky Gervais, when explaining his decision to end The Office after 14 episodes, cited the example of Fawlty Towers in the 1970s. Twelve flawless episodes … why would you jeopardise your legacy if you weren’t feeling it, he reasoned before making Extras, which only consisted of 13 (if only he’d applied the same rationale to Afterlife).

Was Gervais right? Well, the US version of The Office ended up with 188 episodes, but season eight of nine was roundly criticised – the fallout after Steve Carrell left the show. And surely it’s only a matter of time before we see David Brent, last wheeled out for a film in 2016, again.

And whisper it isn’t true, but John Cleese, now 83, is currently writing a third series of Fawlty Towers – this time with somebody who probably won’t divorce him: his daughter Camilla. So is it smart to call it a day? Or are we all beginning to hate Mindhunter now that it’s been confirmed it’s never coming back.

Goodbye to the giants YOU COULD argue that Succession (S4; HBO Max; March 27) is coming up short with only four seasons. Make no mistake, it’s sublime, but season 3 hoodwinked us with a sequence of glorious locations/events when the truth is that the writing team had run out of ideas – which is criminal when the characters are this brilliant. Tellingly, perhaps, its creator Jesse Armstrong is a Brit, and originally he just wanted to make a film: did he just go with the flow after the second season was so unexpectedly well received?

Equally dominant at the awards over the last two years, but right from the off, has been Ted Lasso (S3; Apple; March 15) – conversely the mirror image of Succession, as it is created by Americans and set in Britain. After three seasons, it is also coming to what many might say is a premature end. A sticky, gooey one, no doubt if you’ve been lassoed by the ineffable charms of Jason Sudeikis – the nice guy version of him, not the swine who issued his wife with custody papers while she was addressing an audience. Personally, I like to think of it as a relegation.

Luther: The Fallen Sun (Netflix), as the name suggests, will be the last we see of the role that made the industry realise Idris Elba is not from Baltimore, and we can only be hopeful that John Wick: Chapter 4 (March 23), Creed III (74; March 2); Shazam!2: The Fury of the Gods (March 16), Murder Mystery 2 (Netflix; March 31) and Scream 6 (March 30) will be the end of the line as well. Oh, and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves too.

The same could also be said about most of the continuing series: You (S4B; March 9), Sex/Life (S2), I am Georgina (S2, TBC) and Riverdale (S7; March 31) on Netflix; and Outlander (S6; March 7), Perry Mason (71; S2; March 7) and Superman & Lois (S3; March 16) on HBO Max.

Last of the Oscar hopefuls NOBODY could accuse Ted Lasso of being more sentimental than Steven Spielberg, a director so inoffensive he would rather give up his most beloved franchise, Indiana Jones, than tell its central star there’s a limit to what an 80-year-old can do on horseback. The mystery is why we enjoy bashing these providers of unadulterated joy. The Fabelmans (84; March 23), a semi-autobiographical story based on his childhood, is clearly one of his better works, but it disappeared in the Oscar betting a long ago.

In similar vein, Sam Mendes’ latest, Empire of Light (54; March 9) with

Olivia Colman, hasn’t tugged the heartstrings in the way you might have thought it would, although it got better reviews in the UK than the US. Like Colman, Vicky Krieps (Phantom Thread) might have thought she’d get mainstream award consideration for Corsage (76; March 16), the second onscreen depiction of Empress Elisabeth of Austria following the popular Netflix series The Empress – particularly as the reviews have been good. The acclaim for The Inspection (72; March 9), about a gay man looking for answers in the US Marines, and Knock at the Cabin (63; March 9) has also been good –come on, 63 is one hell of a score for M Night Shyamalan.

Also worthy of your consideration … are The Whale (60), for which Brendan Fraser is the favourite to win the Best Actor Oscar this Sunday for playing a man who weighs 272 kilos – approximately a thousandth of the weight of a blue whale, so it’s inaccurately named. Likewise, 65 (Not Released Worldwide; March 16) with Adam Driver is not about a nightclub, but the year 65 million years BC – the date his spaceship crash-lands on Earth.

Finally, why not give Chang can Dunk (Disney+; March 10) a whirl. Just like the protagonist, who defies his height to play basketball for his high school, it’s another Asian-American underdog that looks set to conquer all – as in everything, everywhere, if you catch our drift.

Choose Tetris or Roulette OVER ON TV land, if you want an outsider to back, try Tetris (Apple; March 31), the story of how the computer game came into being. Taron Egerton, Toby Jones and Ben Miles lead a likeable cast. Failing that, Rain Dogs (82; HBO Max; March 7) is a screwball British comedy that has won acclaim. Elsewhere, we’re spinning the roulette wheel. Climate anthology series Extrapolations (Apple; March 17) will have its fans, but will it be too earnest?

The Big Door Prize (Apple; March 29) with Chris O’Dowd, in which a grocery store machine foretells people’s destinies, looks too daft, as do Amazon Prime pairing Class of ‘07 (March 17), when a school reunion gets hit by a tsunami, and The Power (March 31), in which teenage girls wake up one day with the power to electrocute people at will. Daisy Jones and the Six (62; Amazon Prime; March 3) charts the fortunes of an iconic 1970s band, but how much Fleetwood Mac can you take? While The Pimp – No F***ing Fairytale (Amazon Prime; March 3), set in the Hamburg hood of Reeperbahn, looks promising, but will it be too German?

That leaves Swarm, the latest offering from Donald Glover, who certainly didn’t overstay his welcome with Atlanta, which he brought to an end after three seasons. Which, of course, has been John Cleese’s thinking all along.

Easter at Tivoli

March 31-April 10; 11:00-22:00; Tivoli, Vesterbrogade 3, Cph V; from 155kr; tivoli.dk

Tivoli is opening its gates for Easter and invites you to adventurous experiences in a garden filled with spring flowers. Enjoy Easter lambs, eggs hunting, beautiful decorations and, of course, the rides. The colourful opening night fireworks, alone, will blow your mind. A special lunch for the event will also be unveiled. There’s no better way to spend time with the whole family! (LP)

CTC auditions for ‘The Mousetrap’

March 24, 18:00-21:00 & March 25, 12:00-15:00; Østerbrohuset, Århusgade 101-103, Cph Ø; ctcircle.dk

Audition for Agatha Christie's ‘The Mousetrap’! The Copenhagen Theatre Circle will be performing seven shows from October 10 to 15 and is always on the lookout for new talent. The auditions will be conducted in groups and take around 45 minutes. Rehearsals start on April 20. (LP)

Brewery city guided tour

March 19, 11:00; Carlsberg; 150kr; dac.dk

Take the time to visit one of the most famous breweries in the world. Find out the story of the family who once lived there and the history of Carlsberg City, which is now developing into its very own urban district. (LP)

Crime fiction festival

March 25, 9:30-17:00 & March 26, 09:30-16:30; Fængslet, Fussingsvej 8, Horsens; krimimessen.dk

If you're fond of crime fiction, you're heading to the right place! Held by Horsens Municipality's libraries at the infamous former state prison, visitors will have the opportunity to meet popular Nordic/Scandinavian and international writers, publishers and speakers in the immersed atmosphere of crime fiction. A big weekend of chills! (LP)

Morning Dance in the Opera ongoing, ends April 28, 09:30; The Royal Theatre, Ekvipagemestervej 10 , Cph K; 90kr; kglteater.dk

Dancing on one of the most beautiful floors of Denmark – who doesn’t dream of that? Taking place on three Fridays every month until April, take the opportunity to express your bodily sensations with a trainer. Bring a water bottle and good clothes to dance, as it’s going to be rock’n roll! (LP)

CPH:DOX

March 15-26, online March 28-April 2; various locations; 100kr; cpdox.dk

As in 2022, CPH:DOX will be a hybrid festival. All of the films will be screened at cinemas while a selection of films will be part of a nationwide online festival (geo-blocked to Denmark). All movies are in English or with English subtitles. (LP)

Bolig Mad Design

March 9-10, 14:00-20:00, March 11, 10:00-17:00, March 12, 10:00-16:00; 40kr; Center Boulevard 5, Cph S; 200kr; boligmaddesign.dk

Visit Denmark's largest housing and lifestyle fair. Meet the 400 exhibitors sharing their spring designs. (LP)

Copenhagen Bike Show

March 25, 10:00-16:30 & March 26, 10:00-16:00; Øksnehallenen, Halmtorvet 11, Cph V; online tickets 75kr; copenhagenbikeshow.dk

Whether you’re an ambitious amateur, an energetic cycling enthusiast or looking for innovative novelties for the family, there’s something for all bike lovers at this two-day event. (LP)

Michael Bublé in concert

March 14, 20:00; Royal Arena, Hannemanns Allé 18-20, Cph S; 495kr; ticketmaster.dk

The famous Canadian pop singer Michael Bublé is back on tour and visiting Copenhagen for a fantastic show at Royal Arena. He will mostly perform selections from his new album, ‘Higher’, which was released last year. (LP)

Watercolour painting class

March 11, 14:00-16:00; Blomsterhaven 42, Holbæk; 380kr; art-xp.com

Learn how to draw cottage landscapes using watercolours with the help of a teacher who will guide you through the various techniques. Produce some good gifts to give to your family and friends. (LP)

Piano Days in support of Ukraine

March 25, 20:00; Koncertkirken, Blågårds Plads 6A, Cph N; 150-180kr; pianodayscph.com

A night to remember with three artists who will give you chills. Bisse is a talented singer and songwriter, Zoe Efstathiou a Greek-Swedish pianist, while Ghostflutedice is the electro-acoustic piano-project of Mikkel Almholt. All proceeds will benefit Ukraine. (LP)

Little Culture Night

March 17, 16:00-20:00; Copenhagen Museum, Stormgade, Cph V; 110kr; cphmuseum.kk.dk

A good experience for children to enjoy multiple visits to the museum! As well as the traditional guided tours around the museums, interactive activities, including a few games and a delicious meal, are tailor-made for the kids. Without moderation! (LP)

English Comedy Night

March 10, 20:00-22:00; Knock Knock Comedy Club, Vimmelskaftet 41, Cph K; internationalcomedians.com

Let's laugh together! Enjoy four comedians from Ireland (headliner Danny Ryan), Sweden, Canada and Poland, presented by British compere Adrian Mackinder. All the necessary elements are in place for a big night of comedy! (LP)

Special Indian exhibition ongoing, ends April 10; Louisiana, Gl Strandvej 13, Humlebæk; 145kr; louisiana.dk

Improve your understanding of Indian culture at this exhibition of 200 photos by New Delhi photographer Gauri Gill. Her compelling work captures the lives of marginalised rural communities outside India’s urban centres. (LP)

The Aspirantery

March 29-April 1, 19:00; The Royal Theatre, Ekvipagemestervej 10 , Cph K; 90kr; kglteater.dk

Meet the new generation of ballet! After three intensive years of work at the Danish Royal Ballet School, the aspirants will perform a mix of classical and modern features. It promises to be an exciting and intimate experience. (LP)

Orpheus

March 24-April 5, 19:30; Opera House, Ekvipagemestervej 10 , Cph K; from 110kr; kglteater.dk

Conducted by baroque expert Lars Ulrik Mortensen, you don’t want to miss Monterverdi's opera and its hypnotic and powerful melodies. (LP)

Globe Quiz

March 9 & 23, 19:15; Globe, Nørregade 43, Cph K; 50kr, five per team

The winners get 1,200 kroner. And who knows, the odd rollover has been known to go too. Backto-back quizzes following the cancellation of the September 22 edition.

V1 Gallery exhibitions ongoing, ends Apr 15; Flæsketorvet 69, Cph V; v1gallery.com

Three exhibitions can be seen at the gallery. Anton Funck's series of paintings, 'Against the Sun', depicts an engaged reflection on the human condition and the cycle all humans live in, ‘Oddly Satisfying’ by Fryd Frydendahl presents an array of photos recorded analogously on a 4x5 inch camera, and Sofie Burgaard's oils, 'A Solo Exhibition' draws some new-materialist and ecological philosophies to representational painting. Perfect for a good afternoon of art. (LP)

Kennedy’s Quiz

April 3, 19:30; Kennedy’s Irish Bar,Gammel Kongevej 23, Cph V

Quiz night at Kennedy’s Irish Bar includes raffles, cash prizes, and drinks rounds.

Science & Cocktails

March 14, 20:00; Koncertsalen, DR Koncerthuset, Ørestads Boulevard 13, Cph S; 145-195kr, drkoncerthuset.dk

This month’s English-language lecture is on the subject of ‘Why do we get the wrong leaders’. Political scientist Professor Brian Klaas, the author of ‘Corruptible: Who gets power and how it changes us’, has interviewed more than 500 top leaders including presidents, war criminals and terrorists. De kosmiske dansere ongoing, 16:00; Ofelia Plads, Cph K

Five large sculptures by Danish artist Lin Utzon, each 3.5 metres in length, have been unveiled at Ofelia Plads. The statues will be illuminated each night until the end of March.

Swan Lake ongoing, ends March 10; Opera House, Ekvipagemestervej 10 , Cph K; 160-870kr; kglteater.dk

A ballet like you’ve never seen before! Tchaikovsky’s amazing music perfectly complements choreography arranged by Silja Schandorff and Nikolaj Hübbe. A fantastic seduction story that will blow your mind!

Gravens Rand Quiz

March 14 & 28, 20; Søndre Fasanvej 24, Frederiksberg; entry 30kr

Maximum of four per team, it’s 1,000 kroner for the winners and a crate of beer for second. Two beer rounds, and shots for last place!