You can draw your own conclusions about the ending. Let's face it. Wallander seems to love too much, even those who are dangerous and psychotic. He values human life on the one hand, but has trouble giving that to those closest to him. In this episode, he deals with he death of his father, a complex artist who thinks his son is wasting his life and embracing unhappiness. The story here is about a series of maligned women and the murders of their oppressors. The murders are strikingly cruel and hard to explain. Wallander believes that there is a connection among the different deaths, and it is finding that connection that is at the root of his investigation. Kenneth Branagh continues to portray the long suffering police detective. He is faced with pain every step of the way. He is dogged in his efforts to discover those who have done terrible things, but realizes that sometimes there is causality in their actions. I believe that he can identify with their suffering because he experiences so much of his own. I read some of the Menkel books and had no idea Wallander was so depressed. I am planning on watching the Swedish version of these stories to see how he is portrayed. I think this particular story is the most interesting and well-rounded of the Branagh canon.
Review of The Fifth Woman
