Lockdown life has got us spending way more time with our screens, specifically with our one-true streaming-love, Netflix.
But you’re already reaching the end of your must-watch film list? You’ve finished Tiger King and exhausted the documentary section? You’ve even binged the new wave of Korean dramas? Then we’ve got just the thing for you.
Enter Scandinavian crime series, a genre which has gained an international following for its dark, suspenseful, sinister, sometimes complex, always enthralling stories. Our obsession with the gloomy, gritty genre started back with Swedish author Stieg Larsson’s Millennium series, of which The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was the first instalment, later made into a 2011 blockbuster starring Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig.
Then the world became even more hooked on Nordic noir following a trio of Scandi exports – also in 2011, when The Killing was remade in the US starring Mireille Enos and Joel Kinnaman; Borgen and The Bridge. And it definitely didn’t stop there. In October 2019, the BBC announced a new six-part Scandi crime drama, The Investigation, which follows the real-life investigation by homicide detective Jens Møller into the murder of Swedish journalist Kim Wall in 2017. We cannot wait.
So, what was once a niche, indie corner of entertainment has become a global phenomenon. And we can see why. There’s something about the mix of bleak backdrops, whether it’s drizzly, grey city streets or eery volcanic landscapes; brutal crimes by twisted criminals; tortured detectives and often strong female leads; and intriguing plots with plenty of twists and turns that keep us on the edge of our seats.
But since the Scandi crime boom, viewers have gradually started to look to the shows’ original (and often far superior) Scandinavian roots, and streaming services have followed suit.
So, here’s our pick of the best Scandi crime dramas to watch on Netflix right now. Warning: may cause addiction and/ or nightmares.
