Watch ... if you like nuanced political dramas or strong female leads. This Danish answer to “The West Wing” follows the unexpected and bumpy rise of Birgitte Nyborg (Sidse Babett Knudsen) and the ways power affects her; her family; her staff; the reporters who cover the “Borgen” (or “castle,” as the seat of Danish government is called); and, of course, the citizens. Instead of “Scandal”-style bloody twists, “Borgen” sweats the details, be they Birgitte’s marriage-threatening compulsion to check her BlackBerry on family vacation or her sacking of a mentor for the sake of the country. Can a person be good at one’s job and keep a personal life intact? Is holding onto ideals more important than holding onto power? No topic is off-limits, and the exceptional writing and acting makes for three riveting seasons that almost go by too quickly.

Skip ... if you can’t handle subtitles or don’t care for politics. Though cast members occasionally show off their perfect French and English accents, this is still a Danish show about left-leaning politics in Denmark.