Norwegian Easter Crime: What to Watch this Easter

Winner of the International Emmy® Award for Best Drama Series of 2017, Mammon Season 2 begins with a bang as a popular and controversial commentator and journalist with Norway’s biggest newspaper is brutally murdered – a clear-cut attack on freedom of speech. Who would kill a journalist, and why? Meanwhile, a leaked interview tape fuels the flames of an already volatile fight between the country’s prime minister and his finance minister – one year ahead of elections. Hard-nosed reporter Peter Verås (played by Jon Øigarden) teams up with the murdered journalist’s widow to get to the bottom of the mystery, aided once again by his long-suffering editor, Frank Mathiesen (Nils Ole Oftebro). Trond Espen Seim (Varg Veum) joins the cast as the Norwegian PM. Speaking of which…

Trond Espen Seim stars as Norwegian private eye Varg Veum, an investigator in the style of Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe and Ross Macdonald’s Lew Archer. Based on the international best-selling novels by Gunnar Staalesen, this modern noir series is distinguished by dark humor, insightful characterization and unremitting suspense. Bjørn Floberg co-stars as Varg’s best friend and nemesis, Hamre.

In this hugely popular Norwegian drama, a businessman returns to his hometown 20 years after being acquitted of his high school sweetheart’s murder – but that’s just the beginning of the story. Two decades after being acquitted of Karine Hansteen’s murder, Aksel Borgen is now a successful businessman living with his wife and teenage son in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Their blissful life is shattered one night when Aksel receives a phone call from his hometown of Lifjord, in Norway. Solar Tech, the family-run energy firm that is the economic lifeblood of the entire region, faces bankruptcy, and Aksel is their last hope. Unfortunately for all involved, the CEO of Solar Tech is none other than Eva Hansteen – Karine’s mother! Can Aksel face up to his terrible past, and can Eva come to terms with the man she holds responsible for her daughter’s death – all for the survival of the community?

This series is available to stream within the U.S. only.

A tense action drama set in the world of organized crime, Codename Hunter was writer/director Jarl Emsell Larsen’s follow-up to his seminal series Dirty Money White Lies, which launched the careers of actors Trond Espen Seim and Ane Dahl Torp back in 2005. Ane is back in Codename Hunter, this time playing Swedish deep cover operative Gisela Søderlund, who infiltrates a criminal gang led by Norwegian superstar Kristoffer Joner (Mission: Impossible – Fallout). Two seasons of sheer bliss follow – watch it.

Emotionally-charged crime drama about an underworld enforcer who has his life turned upside down when he comes home to find his wife murdered. She was killed with her husband’s weapon, making him the prime suspect, and leaving him with the responsibility of caring for their five-year-old daughter as he embarks on a harrowing four-day quest find the real killers and clear his name. A terrific script and gritty direction from Trygve Allister Diesen, who also helmed some of the best episodes in the Inspector Winter series.

OK, it’s Swedish – but since Norway’s own Kristofer Hivju (Game of Thrones) joined the cast in Season 5, we’ll make an exception! Start from the very first episode, or start from Episode 32 when Kristofer’s investigator Steinar Hovland joins Beck’s team – either way, just watch it!