AtaraxiaThe Scandinavian countries never cease to amaze us with their breathtaking landscapes, rich cultures, and captivating legends. Beyond their majestic cultures, these countries are also highly regarded for their cinematic contributions. Here are four Scandinavian series you absolutely must watch:
- The Rain
The Rain is a Danish post-apocalyptic science fiction series available on Netflix since 2018.
The story is set on Earth six years after a deadly virus has wiped out nearly the entire population. The unique aspect of this virus? It spreads through rainwater. After a scientist locks his children in a secure bunker, telling his daughter that her younger brother is the key, they decide to emerge six years later. They then embark on a quest to find any signs of life with a small group of survivors.
The cast includes Alba August, Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Angela Bundalovic, and Jessica Dinnage.
The series concludes after three seasons with an epic finale. Despite the strong following it garnered, The Rain stands out as a remarkable series that managed to find its audience and differentiate itself from other recent Netflix releases.
- The Killing
The Killing, created by Søren Sveistrup in 2007, is a Danish suspense series spanning about 40 episodes.
The series transports you to Copenhagen, where a young girl goes missing the night before Sarah Lund is set to leave the police force. Sarah ends up working with her replacement, Jan Meyer, to solve the case and uncover what happened to the unfortunate Nanna Birk Larsen.
The main cast features Sofie Gråbøl and Søren Malling.
Like the previous series, it also concludes after three seasons, despite its popularity. The creator chose to adhere to the original plan of making a trilogy, avoiding the risk of the series losing its impact over time.
The Killing was nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Drama Series and Best Actress (Sofie Gråbøl) and won the Golden Nymph for Best European Production at the Monte Carlo Television Festival in 2010.
- Heirs of the Night
In a different genre, Heirs of the Night is a Norwegian series that premiered in 2019 and is available on Prime Video. Created by Diederik Van Rooijen, it’s based on the book series by Ulrike Schweikert.
In 1889, following a prophecy, the heirs of the last five vampire clans in Europe are called to gather on the ship Elisabetha to attend the new vampire school. They must unite and grow stronger together to survive a threat that could lead to the extinction of all vampires.
Starring Anastasia Martin, Ulrik William Græsli, and Charlie Banks, the series was produced by Lemming Film in partnership with Hamster Film, Maze Pictures, and Maipo Film. Heirs of the Night is a perfect introduction to vampire lore for those who enjoy stories about Dracula.
As a bonus, in this series, Dracula himself is a threat to the vampire species, promising thrilling and captivating adventures.
- Deadwind
For the final pick in this selection, Deadwind is a Finnish series with three seasons, created by Rike Jokela, Jari Olavi Rantala, and Kirsi Porkka. The main cast includes Pihla Viitala, Lauri Tilkanen, and Jani Volanen.
The story follows Sofia Karppi, who returns to work after losing her husband a few months earlier. She is partnered with Sakari Nurmi, and together they investigate the murder of Anna Bergdahl, a former swimming champion, wife of a taxi driver, youth offender supervisor, and consultant for the company Tempo. The two detectives struggle to uncover what Anna did in her final hours.
Deadwind, originally titled Karppi, has received very positive reviews, consistently earning above-average ratings.
