History Series / Matador1978

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

* 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, especially his son Daniel, makes you less likely to root for him.

* BenevolentBoss: When his bank is defaced with antisemtic statements, Hans Christian declares that he "won't stand for anyone harrasing his employees." Downplayed, as this is the only time this side of Hans Christian is explicitly shown.

* BookEnds: The series first episode starts with a dinner party in the Varnæs family, on the day where Mads Skjern arrive in Korsbæk as a lowly representative. The last episode, nineteen years later, ends with a dinner party at the Varnæses, but now Mads and his family are at the table as well.

* CharacterDevelopment: One of the most important parts of the series is how many of the characters go through some kind of develoement. Examples:

** 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.

** Mads himself also trades with the Germans. He tends to justify himself by pointing out he's selling them uncomfortable clothes, but it's clear he's profiting off of the situation. He isn't gleeful about it the way Skjold-Hansen is, however.

* TheFundamentalist: Mads and Kristen's sister, Anna, who comes from the same strict Christian (Inner Mission Evangelicalism) background as her brothers, but who, unlike them still lives according to it's ideals. Mads is a downplayed example early on but over time loses this trait due to a mix of Ingeborg's influence and his transition into a rich businessman.

* HeteronormativeCrusader: [[spoiler:Mads displays this side of himself, when he discovers that his son, Daniel, is gay. He responds by [[IHaveNoSon disowning Daniel and banishing him from his house]], and denounces him as "sick in the head", when an outraged Ingeborg demands to known how he can treat his own son like that.]]

** 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.

* KarmicDeath: Professor Andersen. [[spoiler: He marries Misse Møghe's to get his hands on her inheritance, but on the wedding night she gets so scared when he wants to sleep with her that she shuts him out on the balcony on a freezing cold April night, and later lets him die from pneumonia.]]

* LoveTriangle: Elisabeth, Kristen and the Doctor - implied when Dr. Hansen flatly states that while Kristen has been waiting for a response to his courting for two years, Hansen has been waiting for ''ten years'' for the same response. They all get along splendidly in due time.

* NouveauRiche: Viggo Skjold-Hansen has made money through a successful career as a lawyer, and has been able to enter the higher echelons of Korsbæk society by investing those money in various business around town. Compared to his more "old money" upper-class peers, Skjold-Hansen dresses in somewhat tacky suits and is notably very relaxed and casual in his manners to the point where he comes across as outright boorish and uneducated at times. This in contrast to Mads who fairly quickly adopts upper-class manners as his career takes off.
* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Herbert Schmidt, the exiled German Communist playwright and poet, resembles Creator/BertoltBrecht, who spend some years in exile in Denmark in the Thirties.

** In fact, we know what parties many of the characters vote for, as well. All the Varnæses and most of the other upper class characters vote Conservative, Elizabeth Friis and Doctor Hansen vote Social Liberal, Oluf Larsen votes Social Democrats and his wife Katrine votes Venstre.

* OfficerAndAGentleman: How Colonel Hackel views himself. However, the fact that he is rather pompous, rough around the edges, and has quite the temper, especially when things are not going his way, means that he doesn't quite qualify.

* OldSoldier: Colonel Hackel, who still wears his old uniform in public.
* 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 SugarWiki/{{Funny Moment|s}} for some people, especially on rewatch.
** An earlier, less extensive example of this is when Maude, Elisabeth and Vicky are talking about how Maude needs to fire Miss Hollenberg because of her flirting with a German officer and Hans Christian comes home. Hans Christian immediately starts talking about how the government has been dissolved and martial law instituted by the Germans, which the women initially mistakes as Hans Christian having heard about Miss Hollenberg.

* ParentalFavoritism: Mads favors Ellen, because she's a good student. Inverting the WickedStepmother trope, as he is her stepfather, while his own son Daniel's stepmother is the only one that understand him.

* 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.

** Violet Vinther, Mr. Scwann and Miss Jørgensen can be seen as one as well, often eating together and sharing gossip.

* SiblingYinYang: Mads and Kristen are the most obvious ones, but all the sibling pairs except Ulrik and Regitze fits.

* SpiritedYoungLady: Elisabeth used to be one. Maude and her get into fights about a prior relationship between Elisabeth and a poor violinist on several occasions, and it's noted that Elisabeth has a general history of getting into relationships with men her family disapproves of. Elisabeth also has a sarcastic demeanor about social convention that Maude comments was "much worse" when they were younger.

* SoBadItsGood: In-universe. This seems to be Kristen and Elisabeth's reaction towards the singer in the 4th episode.

* UndyingLoyalty: Mr. Stein is extremely devoted to Korsbæk Bank and his boss, Hans Christian Varnæs. In turn, Hans Christian shows great respect for Mr. Stein and usually follows his advice. When Korsbæk Bank gets defaced with antisemitism directed at Mr. Stein, Hans Christian is outraged and makes Mr. Stein promise to contact him if Mr. Stein ever gets subjected to harrasment again.
* VitriolicBestBuds: Dr. Hansen and Colonel Hackel. Occasionally bordering on HoYay.
* WantedAGenderConformingChild: Daniel is always too nervous, emotional and creative for the no-nonsense businessman Mads. Ironically, he greatly favors Ellen who's ambitious and independent nature breaks with stereotypical feminine behavior.

* WhiteMansBurden: The storyline about smuggling Mr. Stein out of the Nazi-occupied Denmark to Sweden is in large part used as part of Maude's character developement and comes right after her son has told her that she's "never cared about anyone but herself." There are scenes shown from Mr. Stein's perspective, but the harrasment of him and his subsequent escape is largely framed around it's effect on Hans Christian and Maude.

* AbusiveParents: Mads is [[ParentalNeglect neglectful]] at best, and emotionally abusive at worst to Daniel, eventually disowning and throwing him out of his house when [[spoiler:it turns he is gay]].

* ArmorPiercingQuestion: Hans Cristian Varnæs stops Skjold Hansen from ranting about how Mads Skjern is an uppity newcomer by asking him [[NotSoDifferent how long his own family have lived in Korsbæk]]. This is in fact the only time anyone in the series manages to make Skjold Hansen shut up.

* NouveauRiche: Viggo Skjold-Hansen has made money through a successful career as a lawyer, and has been able to enter the higher echelons of Korsbæk society by investing those money in various business around town. Compared to his upper-class peers, Skjold-Hansen dresses in somewhat tacky suits and is notably very relaxed and casual in his manners to the point where he comes across as outright boorish and uneducated at times. This in contrast to Mads who fairly quickly adopts upper-class manners as his career takes off.

** Hans Christian is a calm, appropriate man who always tries to live up to his obligations, while Jørgen is mostly concerned with having fun and easily discards both his wife and his ties to the family bank when it is required for him to continue to have fun with his mistress. They even share a character establishing moment in the first episode, where this exchange occurs.

'''Hans Christian:''' Are you never afraid that things are happening too quickly?

-->'''Jørgen:''' Are you never afraid you'll grow moldy?\\

'''Hans Christian:''' Are you never afraid that things are happening too quickly?\\

* SpiritedYoungLady: Elisabeth used to be one. Maude and her get into fights about a prior relationship between Elisabeth and a poor violinist on several occasions, and it's noted that Elisabeth has a general history of getting into relationships with men her family disapproves of and has a sarcastic demeanor about social convention that Maude comments was "much worse" when they were younger.

* SpiritedYoungWoman: Elisabeth used to be one. Maude and her get into fights about a prior relationship between Elisabeth and a poor violinist on several occasions, and it's noted that Elisabeth has a general history of getting into relationships with men her family disapproves of and has a sarcastic demeanor about social convention that Maude comments was "much worse" when they were younger.

* NoPartyGiven: Averted with Jørgen (conservative) Lauritz (Communist).

* TheCastShowoff: Kurt Ravn who played Lauritz Jensen is an accomplished singer and sings at a couple of points throughout the series, most notably at his wedding to Agnes, where a whole scene is dedicated to Lauritz singing a folk ballad.

* 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 SugarWiki/{{Funny Moment|s}} for some people, especially on rewatch.

-->'''Kristen Skjern:''' Oh, all that family nonsense! We don't live in the time of RomeoAndJuliet! And by God, we aren't 15 years old either, are we?\\

* SpiritedYoungLady: While too old to be one as she appears in the series, it's hinted that Elisabeth Friis used to be one.

* 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.

--->'''Kristen Skjern:''' Oh, all that family nonsense! We don't live in the time of RomeoAndJuliet! And by God, we aren't 15 years old either, are we?\\

* WantedAGenderConformingChild: Daniel is always too nervous, emotional and creative for the no-nonsense businessman Mads. Ironically, he greatly favors Ellen who who's ambitious and independent nature breaks with stereotypical feminine behavior.