DANISH mega-hit The Killing spawned an American remake that they are fully copied the plot, character and structure of the original.

Just as importantly, the producers found a US location that recreated the bleak, otherworldly setting of its forerunner.

The result wasn’t quite as gripping as the subtitled original on BBC Four, but was still enthralling, and one of the most satisfying crime dramas of recent years, from the USA.

Rather than the many colliding sub-plots of some US crime dramas, The killing US has a tight focus on three aspects of a murder: cops’ investigation, the effect on the family, and the involvement of a high-ranking politician.

I enjoyed watching the first series – after seeing the original Killing – but while I went on to see the next two Danish seasons I never caught the American follow-ups.

Fans can now see all three series of the American version, released to coincide with season four being screened exclusively on Netflix.

In series one teenager Rosie Larsen is found dead, and Sarah Linden has to put off her retirement to California to pursue an investigation in wintry Seattle.

Meanwhile in nearby Seattle politician Darren Richmond is about to see his mayoral campaign come off the rails due to his involvement in the case.

The American series compresses the Danish version’s 20 episodes into 13, but don’t expect a fast-moving thriller: The Killing remains a masterful slow-burn, dominated by character over plot, though there are some shocking twists and plenty of tense moments.

The cliffhanger at the end of season one annoyed many people, but it doesn’t matter here, since you can go straight into season two. What is less forgiveable is that the second season trundles along, becoming ever more predictable, and doesn’t reveal Rosie’s killer until the final episode.

The hypnotic lead characters redeem this second season, keeping the series watchable, but even this isn’t enough to rescue a third season that is little different to many other American cop series.

Not in itself a bad thing, but the show feels like it’s copying recent US hits like The Following which themselves took inspiration from the original Killing.