It’s been some time since we’ve seen a international TV sequence from Norway. With reveals like Nobel and Occupied, two of our all-time favorites, Norway units excessive expectations. The Borderliner TV sequence (Grenseland in Norwegian), an eight-episode thriller, delivers crime, crooked cops, a fancy case, and the true life-type characters we anticipate from Scandinavian TV reveals. Nearly as good as all that’s, Borderliner doesn’t fairly meet the extent of its standard-bearing predecessors.
Nicolai (Tobias Santelmann) is a cop in Oslo. After implicating one other cop in a excessive profile case that earns him kudos, he’s informed to go away city for just a few weeks till issues settle down. Again dwelling, in a smaller city near the Swedish border, his brother Lars (Benjamin Helstad) is a single dad and a cop. Their father, the previous sheriff, is now an on-and-off-again drinker, a trait that runs within the household. When Lars is simply too hungover to drive after an early morning name, Nicolai takes him to the scene of an obvious suicide – somebody Lars is aware of. Nicolai rapidly realizes it’s murder, not suicide, and will get drawn in to assist on the case.
Nicolai groups with Anniken (Ellen Dorrit Peterson, proper), despatched in as a extra skilled investigator from the State Police. She’s severe and centered, by no means smiling, and her strategy makes Nicolai cautious of her. The sensation is mutual. A few of the native cops eagerly help, however there’s additionally resistance. As you’ll have guessed, there’s rather more to the homicide case. It’s tied into the police and the neighborhood.
Nikolai makes an unconvincing alternative on the finish of Borderliner’s first episode. Some viewers will purchase it; we didn’t. It’s central to the story and “has” to occur, but it surely coloured our notion for an episode or so. By halfway by means of Borderliner, we had been absolutely on board once more.
Anniken continues to analyze whereas Nicolai performs each side of the case. Occasions transfer at a gentle tempo, however by episode six, as extra layers are peeled away, the complexity deepens, the stress builds, and we overlook our earlier grievance. Suffice to say, there are twists alongside the best way. Some are telegraphed upfront, others not. As common crime drama watchers, we assume there should be a connection between the present investigation and the arrest that triggered Nicolai to go away Oslo.
As a part of the reveal, Borderliner makes use of flashbacks, going again three or six weeks as episodes start. We’ve seen the approach used extra successfully, but it surely serves as a pleasant reset and reminder for every chapter.
A number of writers and administrators share credit score for the Borderliner TV sequence. The present aired on Norway’s TV2 late in 2017. As of March 6, 2018, all eight episodes, about 45 minutes every, are on Netflix within the US. For nordic noir followers, it’s a must-see.
Borderliner TV sequence trailer
In Norwegian, with out subtitles, in order to not reveal an excessive amount of!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XJ5Eko7UX4