History Series / Matador

* The unrelated US TV series ''Series/{{Matador 2014}}'' from 2014?

* Series/{{Matador1978}}?
* Series/{{Matador2014}}?

* Series/Matador1978?
* Series/Matador2014?

''Matador'' is a classic Danish television series produced by Nordisk Film for Danmarks Radio in 1978-81. It was directed by Erik Balling (of ''OlsenBanden'' fame) with a manuscript by a team of writers headed by the popular novel author Lise Nørgaard.

In 1929 the young textiles representative Mads Andersen-Skjern arrives in Korsbæk, a small, sleepy Zealandic village, dominated by a few old business families, headed by Hans Christian Varnæs, owner and manager of Korsbæk Bank. Mads is rudely snubbed by Arnesen, the incompetent owner of the city's draper's shop and decides to stay and go into business for himself, with a resolve that is only hardened when he is refused a loan by Varnæs, who is a personal friend of Arnesen. Mads also befriends the good-hearted pig-dealer Oluf Larsen, who, though wealthy, is too uncough to be part of the city's society, and his daughter, Ingeborg, who Mads eventually marries. Over the years, Mads manages to put Arnesen out of business and start an empire of clothing stores, factories and banks, and finally be accepted by the established society.

Around the central conflict between the established society around Varnæs and the ambitious newcomer, Skjern, the life of the town unfolds, and everybody has to come to term with the changing times.

The series was panned by the critics when it was first appeared on Danish National Television, but became an instant success with the viewers. It has since been shown in television multiple times, it is one of the most sold series on DVD ever in Denmark and it is said that you will never understand Denmark and the Danes until you have seen this series.

The series has nothing to do with TorosYFlamenco - in Denmark a matador is a business magnate. Matador is also the Danish name of the board game TabletopGame/{{Monopoly}}, [[TitleDrop which we see the Varnæses play with their friends in one episode]].

For the science fiction book series by Steve Perry go [[Literature/MatadorSeries here]].

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!!This TV series contains examples of:

* ActorAllusion: In one scene Jørgen Varnæs (Bent Mejding) and Birgitte Graae (Susse Wold) [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pbaav8S1_CQ&feature=related have a huge verbal and physical fight while wearing pyjamases]], very similar to the fight between Elyot and Amanda in the NoelCoward play ''PrivateLives'', which were signature roles for real-life couple Mejding and Wold.
* AntiHero: Mads Skjern is the hero of the story, in that he overcomes huge odds and build an empire from nothing, but his ruthless business methods and callous treatment of others makes you less likely to root for him.
* AntiVillain: Holger, Ingeborg's first husband and Ellen's father, who [[spoiler: joins the Danish Nazi Party and later the SS]], because he sees it as the only way to show Ingeborg and Ellen that he is not a complete failure.
* BeamMeUpScotty: Many people are convinced that they have seen the scene where [[spoiler: Professor Andersen is shut out on the balcony by Misse Møghe and freezes to death]], but it is only recounted to Maude.
* BettyAndVeronica: A subtle version in the first couple of episodes. Bolt's Veronica and Lauritz's Betty to Agnes's Archie.
* BerserkButton: Kristen's is saying something bad about his brother.
* CampGay: [[spoiler:Mr. Schwann.]]
* CharacterDevelopment: One of the most important parts of the series is how many of the characters go through some kind of develoement. Examples:
** Maude goes from being weak, dependant and naïve, to being stronger and more involved.
** Vicki goes from being from being a carefree partygirl, to a very independet young woman.
** Agnes goes from being quite silly and naïve to being a MamaBear and succesfull business woman.
** Ellen's development resembles Vicki's.
** It's implied that Daniel might've learned to stop caring about Mads' expectations, when Ingeborg comes back from France and says that he didn't need her.
** Violet Vinter (the dancing teacher) goes through a more negative kind. She goes from being kind to being selfish, alcoholic and vain.
* ChummyCommies: Lauritz Jensen, called Red, has his flaws, but in the end he's a rather decent person.
* ClusterFBomb: Hans Christian Varnæs' drunken [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVFrFoTgwXA "To Hell with ..." rant]] after a particularly unplesant meeting in the bank.
* DawsonCasting: In RealLife the actress who plays Misse Møghe (Karin Nellemose) was a year ''older'' than the actress who plays her mother, Fru Fernando Møghe (Karen Berg).
* DeadpanSnarker: Elisabeth, especially when around people she dislikes.
* EnsembleCast: The Varnæs family, the Skjern family and friends or servants of the families are all important characters.
** The obvious protagonist would be Mads, though some people argue that Maude Varnæs is the true protagonist, because of her character growth.
* TheFirstCutIsTheDeepest: Ulrik Varnæs for Ellen Skjern.
* TheFundamentalist: Mads and Kristen's sister Anna. Also Mads himself.
* HeroicBSOD: [[spoiler: Mads Skjern]] breaks down completely after [[spoiler: Ingeborg leaves him in the final episode]].
* HeyItsThatGuy: Inverted. Due to the huge sucess of ''Matador'' most of the actors would be forever identified with their role in the series.
** Though [[OlsenBanden Egon Olsen]] apparently has a degree in medicine, and his henchman Benny is a famous artist.
** American B-movie fans might know Jørgen Varnæs better from his other career as the dashing scientist Svend Alstrup from the SoBadItsGood Danish {{Kaiju}} movie ''Film/{{Reptilicus}}''.
** A very young Thomas Eje, who went on to fame as a member of the Danish comedy trio "Linje 3", has a scene as Poul's succesor in Omegnsbanken
* HypocriticalHumor: Laura often scolds Agnes for being to curious about things and talking too much about things, that are none of her business. Laura is quite curious herself, though and always wants to hear the gossip Agnes've got.
* InsultBackfire:
--> '''Hans Christian Varnæs''': ''(irate)'' We are many who have noticed you and your methods!
--> '''Mads Skjern''': ''(icy calm)'' I'll take that as a compliment.
* KarmicDeath: Professor Andersen. [[spoiler: He exploits Misse Møghe's madness, so he can marry her and get her money, but when he tries to sleep in her bed after the wedding she is so scared that she shuts him out on the balcony on a freezing cold April night, and later lets him die from pneumonia.]]
* {{Ladette}}: Iben, to some extent. She loves horse, wants to be a rider, is a LethalChef and is very irresponsible.
* LaResistance: Dr. Hansen forms a resistance cell during the German occupation, together with, among others, Kristen Skjern and Elisabeth Friis.
* LesCollaborateurs: Skjold Hansen, who rents his garage facillities out to the Germans. They are blown up by LaResistance.
* LethalChef: Iben's mum keeps talking about an attempt of Iben's to cook a duck that went wrong.
* LoveAtFirstSight: Kristen thought that there was "something remarkable" about Elisabeth from the very first time he saw her.
* MamaBear: Agnes very much so, Ingeborg to a lesser degree.
* {{Manchild}}: Pig-dealer Oluf Larsen, most of the time.
* MeaningfulRename: Once Mads has established himself as a force in Korsbæk, he changes the family name from Andersen-Skjern to just Skjern.
** Ironically, in the first episode we hear the Varnæs brothers joke about how their grandfather, who founded the bank, changed his name from the common "Hansen" to the more aristocratic-sounding Varnæs.
* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Herbert Schmidt, the exiled German Communist playwright and poet, resembles BertoltBrecht, who spend some years in exile in Denmark in the Thirties.
* NoPartyGiven: Averted with Jørgen (conservative) Lauritz (Communist).
* NoTrueScotsman: Mr. Schwann keeps going on about how ''real'' ladies would never buy anything in Skjern's shop.
* OneDialogueTwoConversations: The Varnæs family is talking about Hitler's death, when Misse steps in a mentions a death. The Varnæses asumes she's talking about Hitler too, but it turns out that she's talking about [[spoiler: her husband, Professor Andersen.]] A CrowningMomentOfFunny for some people, especially on rewatch.
* ParentalFavoritism: Mads favors Ellen, because she's a good student.
* ParentsAsPeople: Since the parents are more important characters than the children, especially in the start, this is played very straight.
* PrecisionFStrike: Most of the characters belong to the well-bred middle class, or aspires to be part of it. So when they swear it means they are genuinely angry or distressed. Most notably when Maude learns that her brother-in-law is getting divorced and screams "GET THE HELL OUT!!" to the maid.
* PowerTrio:
** Elisabeth, Dr. Hansen and Kristen Skjern when they play music together and later when they [[spoiler: do resistance work together]]
** Violet Vinther, Mr. Scwann and Miss Jørgensen can be seen as one as well, often eating together and sharing gossip.
* RealLifeWritesThePlot: Professor Andersen was written out of the series due to the failing health of actor Helge Kjærulff-Schmidt. When filming some of his last scenes he literally came straight from his bed in the hospital and went back the moment he was done.
* SiblingYinYang: Mads and Kristen are the most obvious ones, but all the sibling pairs except Ulrik and Regitze fits.
** Mads is very serious and economical, Kristen is more laid-back and fun-loving.
* SpiritedYoungLady: While too old to be one as she appears in the series, it's hinted that Elisabeth Friis used to be one.
* StarcrossedLovers: Elisabeth and Kristen.
** Discussed when Kristen compares them to RomeoAndJuliet, talking about how they are ''not'' like them. Downplayed as they could get married even though their families oppose it, but Elisabeth is relunctant to.[[spoiler: Eventually reconstructed when they get together and their families reconcile.]]
* SoBadItsGood: In-universe,this seems to be Kristen and Elisabeth's reaction towards the singer in the 4th episode.
* VitriolicBestBuds: Dr. Hansen and Colonel Hackel.
* WellDoneSonGuy: Daniel.
* WorldWarTwo
* WordOfGay: [[spoiler:Iben, Jenny and Mr. Schwann.]]

** The obvious protagonist would be Mads, though some people argue that Maud is the true protagonist, because of her character growth.

** American B-movie fans might know Jørgen Varnæs better from his other career as the dashing scientist Svend Alstrup from the SoBadItsGood Danish {{Kaiju}} movie ''{{Reptilicus}}''.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Herbert Schmidt, the German Communist playwright and poet, resembles Bertholdt Brecht, who spend some years in exile in Denmark in the Thirties.