Best Netflix series: these Scandinavian titles you must see
Maybe there's something in the water, or is it the calming nature and endless daylight? Whatever it is, they really make great series in Scandinavia. No wonder Netflix has a separate folder for them now. Of course, we know the hard-hitting thrillers, but there is so much more to discover. We gathered the best Scandinavian series on Netflix so you can be ready for your mini-vacation from the couch.
The Chestnut Man
For our first stop, we settle in a suburb of Copenhagen – but it will be anything but a relaxing trip. ‘The Chestnut Man’ (The Chestnut Man) comes from the same creator as ‘Forbrydelsen’ (The Killing), and we continue that dark tone. As we have come to expect from Scandinavian crime series, the murderer always has to go just a step further. This time, the perpetrator leaves a chestnut doll at each victim, with the fingerprints of the daughter of the Danish Minister of Social Affairs on it. Quite creepy already, but extra chilling because the girl has been missing for a year, and everyone actually thought she was dead. Is there still hope, or is it just a sick game? You’ll find out in only one way… watching.
Young Royals
We will return to the thrillers shortly, but as I said: there are many more gems. The Swedish drama series ‘Young Royals’ is definitely one of them. The series received a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes; and I can already reveal: that’s not the only one on this list. We follow Wilhelm (Edvin Ryding), a young prince who actually has little to do with all that royal business. He longs for freedom and a normal life, but when his parents send him to a boarding school, it seems to do anything but help. Until he meets his classmate Simon (Omar Rudberg). The two build a close bond that quickly goes beyond friendship. But when Wilhelm unexpectedly learns that he is the heir to the throne, everything changes. Love is complicated enough – let alone with all the royal obligations that now come into play. So, for a hefty dose of drama and romance, you’re in the right place here.
Home for Christmas
Now that we are really saying goodbye to the spooky season, it’s (finally) time to ring the Christmas bells again. And how better to do that than with a delightful series? According to our Lysanne, an absolute must-watch: ‘Home for Christmas’ (Home for Christmas). The storyline will be painfully familiar to many of us. That one question – “are you bringing a plus-one to the Christmas dinner this year?” – is known to us all. Johanne (Ida Elise Broch) is a bit fed up with it and convinces her family that she has finally found someone. That extra chair is lovingly pulled up, but Johanne just needs to find someone who wants to play along with her lie. Extra good news: after five years (yes, really five), season three is coming to Netflix on December 12. Just enough time to catch up on everything.
The Nurse
Back to the tension; and right away with a pretty dark story. Especially when you consider that this is based on true events. In ‘The Nurse’ (The Nurse), we follow young nurse Pernille (Fanny Bernth), who starts working in the emergency department of the hospital. Together with her experienced colleague Christina (Josephine Park), she quickly forms a power duo, but that doesn’t last long. Pernille increasingly catches her colleague in lies, and she notices that a lot of patients die when Christina is on duty. She wants to raise the alarm, but is told not to gossip about a respected colleague. Still, it doesn’t leave her. Will she manage to sound the alarm before more people die? With only four episodes, this series is perfect binge material; and believe me, with this tension, you won’t want to stop watching either.
A Nearly Normal Family
In a list of Scandinavian gems, ‘A Nearly Normal Family’ (A Nearly Normal Family) cannot be missed. This series is mega exciting and with six episodes ideal for a nice weekend on the couch. The story revolves around the Sandell family. They seem like the perfect family: father Adam (Björn Bengtsson) is a priest, mother Ulrika (Lo Kauppi) is a lawyer, and together they have daughter Stella (Alexandra Karlsson Tyrefors). Their quiet life is brutally disrupted when Stella is arrested on suspicion of murder. Her parents do everything to get her released and prove her innocence, but just then questions arise. Do they really know their daughter as well as they thought?
Quicksand
When a series starts with a viewer warning, you know it’s going to be intense. Right from the first scene of the crime drama ‘Quicksand’ the tone is set, and that intensity lingers throughout the series. After a shooting at a school in a suburb of Stockholm, eighteen-year-old Maja Norberg (Hanna Ardéhn) is arrested; she is charged with murder and attempted murder. As the investigation and trial progress, we see in flashbacks piece by piece how it could have come to this, what really happened, and what Maja’s boyfriend Sebastian (Felix Sandman) has to do with it. It’s a puzzle that slowly falls into place and ultimately reveals one big, gruesome whole.
Trapped
New destination on our list: Iceland, and there too hangs a grim atmosphere. When a body washes ashore near the village of Seydisfjördur, police chief Andri (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson) suspects that the perpetrator must be on board the recently arrived ferry. The officer desperately tries to keep everyone on board and gets a little help from mother nature. A storm completely shields the village from the outside world; no one can get in or out. The perpetrator is trapped, but the search doesn’t get any easier. Everyone suddenly becomes suspicious, and the murderer can strike again at any moment. Remember that perfect Rotten Tomatoes score? ‘Trapped’ is also in that top.
Clark
The Stockholm syndrome is now well known: the phenomenon where a hostage begins to feel sympathy for their captor. But have you ever wondered where that term comes from? The Netflix thriller ‘Clark’ gives you the answer. The series is based on the autobiography of Clark Olofsson, one of Sweden's most notorious criminals and an important inspiration behind the syndrome. The role of Clark is played by Bill Skarsgård; now a big name in Hollywood, but he really has Swedish roots. Skarsgård gives us a brilliant insight into the life of the man who was convicted of attempted murder, assault, robbery, and drug trafficking. Not exactly a sweetheart, then.
Secrets We Keep
The newest title on our list: ‘Secrets We Keep’ (Secrets We Keep). The series may have only been out for a few months, but it has already joined the top; hello again, perfect score. The story revolves around Cecilie (Marie Bach Hansen). She has a successful partner, a career of her own, and two children, and it seems like she has everything perfectly under control. But that is largely thanks to her au pair Angel (Excel Busano). Meanwhile, she has also become good friends with the neighbors‘ au pair, Ruby (Donna Levkovski). When Ruby wants to discuss something urgent with Cecilie, she is too busy. Not long after, the au pair disappears. It takes a long time before a real investigation begins, but Cecilie can no longer suppress her guilt. And soon she discovers that she cannot escape her own past in her search.
Borgen
We cannot end this list without a classic among Scandinavian series: ‘Borgen’. It is the title with which our love for this genre began. This Danish political drama revolves around Birgitte Nyborg (Sidse Babett Knudsen), who is elected as the first female prime minister of Denmark. But with all sorts of scandals and difficult dossiers, it is quite a challenge to keep the government afloat. That new role also puts pressure on Birgitte's family. Her marriage is under strain, and her daughter also pays the price for all the changes. The series is full of political intrigue and drama, and that’s what makes it so delightful. In 2022, ten years after the last episode, a sequel was released: ‘Borgen: Power & Glory’; also available on Netflix and just as good. Make sure to add it to that watchlist; this applies to all these titles, by the way.
