These are 10 of my favorite Nordic Noir shows on Netflix I’ve watched recently.
Last year, or it could be earlier this year (time flies), I made a list of my favorite Netflix shows. But since the list was getting a little too long, I decided to keep my favorite Nordic Noir series for a different post.
This brings me here. With the days getting shorter and the weather starting to cool off a bit, the best season to binge-watch Nordic Noir shows is closely upon us.
Fellow fans of Nordic Noir, some of my favorite Scandinavian shows that I watched and loved are a must-see.
I feel like this post doesn’t need much introduction. If you’re one of my followers, then you know that Nordic Noir is my favorite sub-genre of thrillers. Books, movies, or TV series, I cannot get enough.
If you haven’t watched the following shows yet, you don’t know what you’re missing. You will like them if you’re into dark crime thrillers.
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They are especially great for binge-watching once the weather cools down a bit. Snuggle up on the couch under a cozy blanket with your favorite hot beverage, and enjoy.
I highly recommend every single one of them, so stay tuned.
Here we go, these are 10 of my favorite Nordic Noir shows I recommend on Netflix.
10. Young Wallander
I will start the list of 10 of my favorite Nordic Noir shows on Netflix with the Swedish/British series Young Wallander.
Based on the books by Henning Makell, the two seasons follow young detective Kurt Wallander as he joins the crime squad as a detective shortly after completing his training.
His first case involves an investigation into a hate crime, which stirred civil unrest in Sweden. It is fairly well-done, done, and a pretty decent adaptation of the books, although it is filmed in English. I’ll be honest, I haven’t read all the books in the series, but I am familiar with them. I think I read the first two, if I’m not mistaken, and the others are still on my never-ending to-be-read list.
The series, unlike the books, has only two seasons. But there’s a limited series Young Wallander, Killer’s Shadow that came out earlier this year, and the original British series that started in 2015.
9. Borderliner
Police officer Nikolai gets called to investigate the apparent suicide of a man in his local hometown in Norway. In order to protect his brother who is an undistinguished local cop, Nikolai plants evidence. His brother is involved in some shady business and he could lose his job and custody of his kid. So Nikolai betrays the trust of his partner and gets caught up in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse game while being on duty. Things spin out of control as he steps into the dark side of the law.
A great, fast-paced Nordic Noir police procedural that unfortunately only lasted one season. But I still liked it and I recommend it to lovers of Nordic Noir.
8. Entrapped
This is the newest addition to the Netflix Nordic Noir collection, and it is a sequel to Trapped, the Icelandic show. It follows the same cast from the Trapped series, only now Andri and Hinrika investigate the murder of a cult member. While digging into the crime, they find links to a biker gang land dispute and the disappearance of a woman back in 2013. I recommend you watch the first two seasons of Trapped before, so you can understand where the main characters come from. In this season, Andri is working on his inner conflicts, which prove to be challenging.
A great sequel that follows the characters you came to adore in the first two seasons.
7. Trapped
Trapped is the first Nordic Noir series out of Iceland to show on Netflix.
The show is based in a small Icelandic village, where the weather keeps its occupants trapped from the rest of the country for days, sometimes weeks at a time. Atmospheric and eerie, it is the epitome of Nordic Noir.
A ferry that arrives from Denmark and carries 300 passengers is trapped until the weather allows their journey to continue. At about the same time, the body of a murder victim turns up as a major snowstorm approaches.
Desperate to solve the crime before everything shuts down, the small police force has to ask Reykjavik for reinforcements. Everyone in the small village is a suspect until the murderer is revealed. But who is the killer?
It is a truly chilling thriller that I highly recommend.
6. Quicksand
Based on the book written by Malin Persson Giolito, this is a great adaptation.
A seemingly well-adjusted teen finds herself on trial for murder after a tragedy at a school in the wealthy suburbs of Stockholm, which shocks the neighborhood.
Maja Norberg has a great family life, a best friend, and a great group of friends. But when she meets a new student Sebastian Fagerman, Maja starts changing.
In the six episodes’ limited edition series, you see the story told from Maja’s perspective, and the events leading up to the shooting. She doesn’t deny the crime but claims that she was coerced into it by her boyfriend, who was behind the planning. Since she was the only student in the class still alive, she became the focus of international media.
This is not a new show, but it is based on the best-selling book by Malin Persson Giolito. At the time I didn’t know the show was based on a book, so I hadn’t read it first. But it is on my interminable to-be-read list.
It is a great show that shows the transformation a well-adjusted teen goes through when she falls for an abusive partner.
5. Case
Another show that is based in Iceland, Case follows events that follow the death of a ballerina. Found hanging on the National Theatre’s main stage, at first sight, it seems like a suicide. But once the investigation starts, the detectives discover there is something way more sinister going on than they originally thought.
The premise of the Case immediately caught my attention. Murder and ballet make for my ideal show. And it did not disappoint. With flawed characters and almost everyone hiding something, Detective Gabriella has her work cut out for her. But she doesn’t give up until the killer is caught.
If you’re like me and love complex storylines and unreliable main characters, this show is an excellent one to keep in mind.
4.The Valhalla Murders
This eight-episode police procedural takes place in Iceland. First released in 2020, this show is one of my favorite ones. The show is inspired by real-life events that took place in Reykjavik years ago.
More than three decades ago, some strange things were happening at a boy’s home named Valhalla.
Present-day murders lead investigators back to the home, where child abuse is suspected.
Oslo profiler Arnar teams up with local senior detective Kata to investigate this serial killer case.
But the show ends and the viewer is still not sure about who is behind the killings. And are the current killings related to the original ones?
With great acting and the typical Scandinavian vibes, the show is perfect for Nordic Noir fans. And if you like cliffhangers, this one is a great choice.
3. Bordertown
Gifted and quirky Detective Sorjonen takes a job in a smaller town because his wife needs him to spend more time with the family. But a series of disturbing murders start taking place not long after the family relocates, and he’s drawn into the investigation.
The Finnish show is one of my favorite ones. The highly analytical Sorjonen is great at his job, but he’s not really into reading people’s emotions. The way his mind works is fascinating, and although the show was canceled after three seasons, I still think it’s one of the best Nordic Noir series you can watch.
Bordertown – The Mural Murders was filmed after Covid restrictions started lifting, but I honestly didn’t enjoy it as much as the original series.
2. Deadwind
Another Finnish series, Deadwind is a great Nordic Noir show to keep in mind. The third season just came out at the end of October, and I binged watched it for a couple of days.
Only a few months after she loses her husband, Detective Sofia Karppi comes back to work. Widowed in her early thirties and left to care for her two children, she buries herself into work.
Her first case since she’s back involved the murder of a woman that seemingly has ties to a construction company. She is paired up with a rookie detective Sakari Nurmi, who is transferred from the financial crime unit. Karppi reluctantly sets off the investigation and often is seen going off by herself and not obeying orders from higher-ups. Even her partner is always two steps behind. I love her style, but then again, the stubborn, insubordinate female detective is one of my favorite tropes.
If that seems to be up your alley, then I highly recommend this series.
1. The Chestnut Man Sums Up My List of 10 Favorite Shows on Netflix
And finally, The Chestnut Man sums up my 10 favorite Nordic Noir shows on Netflix!
The Chestnut Man is based on the novel by Soren Sveistrup, the creator of the Danish series The Killing, another one of my all-time favorite shows. I’ve caught glimpses of the original series on BBC but wasn’t able to watch the entire series yet. But I did see the American version when it first came out in 2011 on Netflix, and now it’s available on Disney Plus, for those interested.
The Chestnut Man came out last year, and it is a great adaptation of the book. Sometimes I find the tv/movie adaptations poorly made, but this one is very accurate.
In case you haven’t read my review of the book, here’s a quick synopsis:
At the scene of a woman’s grisly murder, investigators find a figurine made out of chestnuts. As more bodies start piling up, the detectives assigned to the case start digging into the murders that all have the same clue left behind.
The detectives dig deeper, and they realize the killings are linked to the disappearance of a politician’s missing child. Can they get the killer before more people die?
In true Nordic Noir fashion, this Danish series is cleverly plotted. The six episodes are easily bingeable and perfect for watching in the fall. If you haven’t watched it yet, I strongly recommend it. But try reading the book first! It’s even better!
Concluding Words
These are 10 of my favorite Nordic Noir shows on Netflix that I recommend.
There are a few more that are available on different platforms, so it may be something I’ll look into next time. But for now, I hope I inspired you to watch at least one of them!
