Nordic Noir and Scandi Soap
by pbn | created - 02 Oct 2015 | updated - 02 Feb 2017 | PublicFrom my list of top Nordic-produced TV series in IMDb, which one is your favorite?
*includes international co-productions
Other picks? Discuss here
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1. The Bridge (2011–2018)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
When a body is found on the bridge between Denmark and Sweden, right on the border, Danish inspector Martin Rohde and Swedish Saga Norén have to share jurisdiction and work together to find the killer.
Stars: Sofia Helin, Rafael Pettersson, Sarah Boberg, Candice van Litsenborgh
Votes: 76,755
2. Forbrydelsen (2007–2012)
TV-MA | 57 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Police detective Sarah Lund investigates difficult cases with personal and political consequences.
Stars: Sofie Gråbøl, Morten Suurballe, Lars Mikkelsen, Bjarne Henriksen
Votes: 30,171
3. Lilyhammer (2012–2014)
TV-MA | 45 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
A New York mobster goes into hiding in rural Lillehammer in Norway after testifying against his former associates.
Stars: Steven Van Zandt, Trond Fausa, Steinar Sagen, Marian Saastad Ottesen
Votes: 32,310
4. Wallander (2005–2013)
TV-14 | 90 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A Swedish cop in a small town by the Baltic coast.
Stars: Krister Henriksson, Fredrik Gunnarsson, Mats Bergman, Douglas Johansson
Votes: 6,197 | Gross: $0.01M
5. Borgen (2010–2022)
TV-14 | 58 min | Drama
A political drama about a prime minister's rise to power, and how power changes a prime minister.
Stars: Sidse Babett Knudsen, Birgitte Hjort Sørensen, Søren Malling, Lisbeth Wulff
Votes: 29,898
6. Beck (1997– )
TV-14 | 90 min | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Commissioner Martin Beck and his eccentric partner Gunvald Larsson investigate murders in Stockholm, Sweden.
Stars: Peter Haber, Ingvar Hirdwall, Rebecka Hemse, Måns Nathanaelson
Votes: 6,350
7. The Kingdom (1994–2022)
TV-MA | 60 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Doctors at an ultramodern hospital in Denmark become convinced, by way of weird, inexplicable happenings, that the place is haunted.
Stars: Ernst-Hugo Järegård, Kirsten Rolffes, Ghita Nørby, Søren Pilmark
Votes: 20,341 | Gross: $0.09M
8. Scenes from a Marriage (1973)
TV-PG | 283 min | Drama
Ten years within the marriage of Marianne and Johan.
Stars: Liv Ullmann, Erland Josephson, Bibi Andersson, Gunnel Lindblom
Votes: 17,266
9. Jordskott (2015–2017)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Fantasy
A detective returns to her hometown seven years after her daughter's disappearance, trying to find a connection to a current case.
Stars: Moa Gammel, Göran Ragnerstam, Richard Forsgren, Happy Jankell
Votes: 5,007
10. Welcome to Sweden (2014–2015)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy
New York City accountant Bruce moves to Sweden in Northern Europe, after falling in love with a Swedish woman.
Stars: Greg Poehler, Josephine Bornebusch, Lena Olin, Christopher Wagelin
Votes: 5,758
11. Dag (2010–2015)
23 min | Comedy, Drama
'Dag' is a Norwegian comedy series about a marriage counselor who thinks people should live in solitude.
Stars: Atle Antonsen, Tuva Novotny, Anders Baasmo, Agnes Kittelsen
Votes: 5,333
12. The Heavy Water War: Stopping Hitler's Atomic Bomb (2015)
TV-14 | 45 min | Drama, History, War
The story behind Germany's attempt to develop an atomic bomb during World War II and the sabotage of the heavy water program in Rjukan, Norway from the points of view of the Germans, the Allies, the saboteurs, and the company.
Stars: Marc Ben Puch, Andreas Döhler, Robert Hunger-Bühler, Pip Torrens
Votes: 7,763
13. Matador (1978–1982)
67 min | Drama
A man comes to Korsbæk, Denmark, in 1929, opens a women's clothing store in competition with an established one - bringing him up against the conservative establishment including the bank manager. We follow the families until after WWII.
Stars: Jørgen Buckhøj, Buster Larsen, Ghita Nørby, Malene Schwartz
Votes: 5,355
14. The Legacy (2014–2017)
55 min | Drama
The death of a matriarch brings forgotten secrets out into the open and causes a prolonged battle for the family inheritance.
Stars: Trine Dyrholm, Marie Bach Hansen, Carsten Bjørnlund, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard
Votes: 3,275
15. Don't Ever Wipe Tears Without Gloves (2012)
174 min | Drama
A story of love and death. Rasmus, 19, escapes to Stockholm and finds love in the religious Benjamin just as the AIDS epidemic hits the city's gay community.
Stars: Adam Lundgren, Adam Pålsson, Björn Kjellman, Simon J. Berger
Votes: 5,049
16. 1864 (2014)
TV-14 | 460 min | Drama, History, War
When Prussia and Austria declare war on Denmark, two brothers are called to serve in the bloodiest battle in Denmark's history.
Stars: Pilou Asbæk, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Bent Mejding, Marie Tourell Søderberg
Votes: 4,092
17. Mammon (2014–2016)
58 min | Action, Crime, Mystery
A newspaper journalist revealing fraud in a large multinational company finds out that his family is involved, which ruins his career and family relations and entangles him with a mystery.
Stars: Jon Øigarden, Anna Bache-Wiig, Ingjerd Egeberg, Nils Ole Oftebro
Votes: 2,100
18. Death of a Pilgrim (2013)
TV-14 | 233 min | Crime, Drama
A newly put-together police force tries to solve the old mystery of the murder of Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme in 1986.
Stars: Rolf Lassgård, Helena Af Sandeberg, Jonas Karlsson, Ellen Jelinek
Votes: 1,116
19. Hellfjord (2012)
30 min | Comedy
This is the story of the urban police officer Salmander who, after somewhat accidentally killing his police horse in front of thousands of children, gets relocated to the location farthest north in Norway: Hellfjord.
Stars: Zahid Ali, Stig Frode Henriksen, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Thomas Hanzon
Votes: 1,252
20. Rita (2012–2020)
TV-MA | 40 min | Comedy, Drama
Schoolteacher Rita is a very outspoken, rebellious woman who is competent in the classroom but needs her own advisor when it comes to her personal life.
Stars: Mille Dinesen, Lise Baastrup, Nikolaj Groth, Carsten Bjørnlund
Votes: 10,104
21. Pippi Longstocking (1969)
27 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
The adventures of Pippi Longstocking, an eccentric, super-strong, redheaded moppet and her best friends Tommy and Annika.
Stars: Inger Nilsson, Pär Sundberg, Maria Persson, Hans Clarin
Votes: 4,545
22. Moomin (1990–1992)
23 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
The eerie and charming animated adventures of a creature called Moomin and his friends and family.
Stars: Ikue Ôtani, Minami Takayama, Rei Sakuma, Mika Kanai
Votes: 4,668
23. LazyTown (2002–2014)
TV-Y | 30 min | Adventure, Comedy, Family
A pink-haired girl named Stephanie moves to LazyTown with her uncle (the mayor of said town) where she tries to teach its extremely lazy residents that physical activity is beneficial.
Stars: Lorraine Parsloe, Magnús Scheving, Stefán Karl Stefánsson, Julianna Rose Mauriello
Votes: 8,517
24. Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu (2011–2019)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
When the fate of their world, Ninjago, is challenged by great threats, it's up to the ninja: Kai, Jay, Cole, Zane, Lloyd and Nya to save the world.
Stars: Michael Adamthwaite, Kelly Metzger, Kirby Morrow, Vincent Tong
Votes: 7,512
25. Skam (2015–2017)
Not Rated | 30 min | Drama, Romance
The story of young teenagers and pupils on Hartvig Nissens upper secondary school in Oslo, and their troubles, scandals and everyday life. Each season is told from a different person's point of view.
Stars: Josefine Frida Pettersen, Iman Meskini, Ulrikke Falch, Lisa Teige
Votes: 38,585
(added to the poll February 2017)
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