Powering straight on, "Beck" remains on an eclectic production schedule, it's been four years and we're now in 2006.
Martin Beck (Peter Haber) continues as the highest profile detective in Stockholm. Along with his second in command, Gunvald Larsson (Mikael Persbrandt), the team negotiate a series of murder and terrorism cases, as well as the return of Lena Klingstrom (Stina Rautelin), the beginning of a potentially awkward relationship as well as the death of one of their own.
So, for this season several of the supporting cast have gone. The most high profile is Malin Birgerson, who featured heavily in the last season. Hillman, Robban and Nick, played by Hans Zischler, Jimmy Endeley and Marten Klingberg respectively all disappear too, with none of their departures mentioned. They are replaced by Bodil, played by Ing-Marie Carlsson and Mans Nathanaelson's naïve and amiable Oskar Bergman. The biggest return though is Lena, still played by Stina Rautelin, who re-joins the team and, oddly for the show, they address her departure, though only hinting at the reasons for her return.
Gunvald is still there though and is given a none case related background story as looking after his niece gives him a reason to hang out with Martin's daughter, Inger and her son. Though the relationship is never particularly deep and seemingly drifts in and out without much forethought, it does facilitate one of the episodes most dramatic moments, when Gunvald's niece is kidnapped.
Whilst there is still the odd moment that doesn't quite ring true - Oskar's over explaining should have been tolerated after the first time it paid off, Gunvald's burn out rather comes out of nowhere - it's a lot more settled and consistently enjoyable that it was in the first season and I'm happy to carry on.