English Translations of Scandinavian/Nordic Mysteries & Thrillers discussion

I recently discovered the Danish TV shows The Eagle and The Protectors on Netflix Instant Play and thoroughly enjoyed both.

Netflix has all three seasons of The Eagle and both seasons of The Protectors. If you like great TV dramas, and have access to Netflix Instant Play (or some other way of watching these), I definitely recommend them. (Yes, they have subtitles although there are long sections of certain episodes of both shows that happen to be in English.)

Does anyone have any recommendations for other shows like these? I have tried the French show The Spiral but haven't really gotten into it as much as these two Danish shows.

Thanks in advance!

I too enjoyed The Eagle and The Protectors. I just finished watching Season 2 of the Swedish version of Henning Mankell's Wallander series. I liked the Swedish version better than the British Masterpiece Mystery version. Season 1 is on Amazon but there is a rental fee for each episode.I also have enjoyed the Swedish series Annika Bengtzon: Crime Reporter. There are six episodes on Netflix

The Eagle was great. Unit One (Danish cop series) was also excellent and put Mads Mikkelson on the road to success. We just finished watching Anna Pihl (another Danish cop series) - the crime aspect of it was very light and fluffy but the characters were fun and likeable. Forbrydelson (spelling?) is the original Danish version of The Killing and is brilliant (annoys me they have to make an English language version for the US market when the original was so good). And although it isn't a crime series, Borgen (Danish series about fictional first female prime minister) was fantastic and well worth watching. Next for us will be Broen (The Bridge).

There are so many of these EXCELLENT dramas.
We really liked The Protecters.
Have a try of the Varg Veum series. IMO really excellent.
Also the film Headhunters, from the Jo Nesbo book of the same name.
Agree totally re Unit One and The Bridge, Borgen 1,2&3. The Killing but only original version as with Millenium ....original best.
Old series that are still very good is Beck.
Give a google to YellowBird...Yellow Bird is a Swedish film and television production company founded by novelist Henning Mankell and film producers Ole Søndberg and Lars Björkman. The company was founded to produce films based on Mankell's Kurt Wallander novels.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_B...
Lumiere / YellowBird have put out so many films and amazing series. They tend to be 1.5 hours each. Liza Marklund, Johan Theorn, Helene Tursten's Irene Huss.....
Been watching them for years. My advice stay away from USA or UK remakes as they cannot touch the originals. The USA remake of The Killing was silly. Also original Wallander series YellowBird with K Hendrickson has triple the stories as there are novels and all 1.5 hours long. There is a third box set out now starting with the very last Wallander book plus five!
There are some very gritty Italian series too and French.

Ellen wrote: "I too enjoyed The Eagle and The Protectors. I just finished watching Season 2 of the Swedish version of Henning Mankell's Wallander series. I liked the Swedish version better than the British Mast..."

Aren't they excellent....agree. Totally addicted. We don't like the very old Wallander series but the one with Krister Hendrikson is fabulous and has way more stories than there are books, with a third box set just out.

Recommend the Irene Huss series too.

Unfortunately, Netflix no longer has The Eagle available! Wanted my 91 year old Mom to watch it. I thoroughly enjoyed it; why did Netflix remove The Eagle?

I think that Netflix has to pay to host each of the series they have and their agreements with the distributors are for fixed periods. Generally they are around for quite a while, but unfortunately not forever.

I found the PBS posts shows like Masterpiece Theatre on their site and on Roku but you have to be on your toes because your window of opportunity is often just a couple of weeks.

So Netflix is isn't so bad! Maybe there will be some new cool Danish series coming along to fill the gap. I can always hope!

I have managed to buy DVDs of Morden, Wallander, The Bridge, The Killing, Anna Pihl, The Protectors, Borgen, Unit One and am now looking for The Eagle, the DVD is apparently being re-published due to high demand. Also SBS OnDEmand has so many great Nordic thrillers and dramas. I also regularly check and call Dymocks, ABC shop, J B HI FI and check ebay and Amazon for these DVDs. Just make sure you but DVDs for PAL area 4. Otherwise they won't work on your DVD or computer.

Hi Lucy. I'm in the DVD industry in Oz so I'll see if I can find it for you. Like you, adore all the Nordic series and The Eagle was great. Icelandic I believe. Angela

Hi Lucy. I'm in the DVD industry in Oz so I'll see if I can find it for you. Like you, adore all the Nordic series and The Eagle was great. Icelandic I believe. Angela

Lucy there is a full box set of The Eagle on eBay from an Australian ebayer. But it's region 1 so you would need a multi zone player.

hi Angela,
I managed to get series 3 of The Eagle on eBay but was out-bid on series1 and 2. It is a Danish series but the lead character is meant to be half-Icelandic. The one I got was for Region 4 so all well. But I'd be happy to buy the whole box set if it comes up and I'll give my individual series 3 to any number of friends who would love it. I saw a boxed set on Amazon but it looked like PAL region 1 from what I could tell. If you see one for Oz please let me know. Our computer can be set for any zone (Apple Mac) but a hassle to keep resetting it. I am suffering Nordic withdrawl symptoms already. Been reading Henning Mankell - Excellent Wallander novels. Thanks for your response!

Lucy - It's only Series 1 that's on eBay with a Buy It Now price. So long since I saw The Eagle that I'd forgotten there were so many series. I have family that live in Sweden and I'm going there soon so may bring back a few DVD's to share. Thankfully my library is keeping up with a good range of Scandi/Nordic books.

Hi Angela,
I am also going to Sweden in July with my teenage son. When are you going? Maybe we can meet there. I will check out eBay. cheerio

HI Lucy - I go in June. My son ran away to see the world some years ago and ended up in Sweden with a Swedish wife and now 4 daughters! I go regularly -or when I can. Hence I became interested in Scandinavian books and film.
Where do you live in Australia? I'm in Sydney.

I leave on 27 June for about 3 weeks. I live in Canberra.

Although not Scandi, I think you might enjoy Salamander...a belgian crime show. Also, Dicte is a show I just started watching on Netflix.

Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed Dicte. I will try Salamander. Thanks for the tip.

I'd be interested in seeing the Danish original of "The Killing" since I really like the Seattle-based US remake. I don't expect Netflix in the US will get it though, sadly!

Some good news.......
http://nordicnoir.tv/news/new-iceland...

Dicte is a good series.
The UNIT is pretty full on.
RITA is great fun.
Lilyhammer three seasons very gritty and fun.
Just ordered the DVD box sets of the Van Veeteren series from the good books by Hakan Nesser.
1864 is amazing!

Sharon wrote: "Dicte is a good series.
The UNIT is pretty full on.
RITA is great fun.
Lilyhammer three seasons very gritty and fun.
Just ordered the DVD box sets of the Van Veeteren series from the good books by..."
Sharon - who did you order the Van Veeteren DVD series from?

Angela wrote: "Sharon wrote: "Dicte is a good series.
The UNIT is pretty full on. Meant Unit One!
RITA is great fun.
Lilyhammer three seasons very gritty and fun.
Just ordered the DVD box sets of the Van Veeteren series from th..."

Amazon....decided on DVD as cheaper, two volumes. Also film The Keeper of Lost Causes. And a few others and The Legacy part two, excellent series and happy to read that a third season being made. Btw I was going to order from Nordic Noir but for once the prices were better on Amazon!
Also very good Arne Dahl series http://english.arnedahl.net/?rID=1114

Try the Team (Mord Uden Grænser) if you can find it, an international, multi-language criminal investigative team starring Lars Mikkelsen http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3681610/c...
I haven't seen all episodes, so all I can say is that it's worth checking out

Also check out your local library. We have a large selection of dvds available. I was able to watch the whole Beck series, The Bridge (season 1), all of the Wallanders, Irene Huss, Varg Veum & Borgen among others all for free!
:-)

Icewineanne wrote: "Also check out your local library. We have a large selection of dvds available. I was able to watch the whole Beck series, The Bridge (season 1), all of the Wallanders, Irene Huss, Varg Veum & Borg..."

Very good point....have friends in Canada having great success with many European series and films from their public library.
Also happy to see the series you name mentioned. All IMO excellent.

Nordic Noir TV
9 hrs ·
Did you manage to watch the final episode of The Saboteurs on Friday? If you've missed any or want to watch again, The Saboteurs is out on DVD and Blu-ray 10th August. Available to pre-order today.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00YEBTC0A...

The Saboteurs [DVD]
The Saboteurs [DVD]
AMAZON.CO.UK

I really liked the swedish/danish 2d serie "the bridge". This was available on Dutch cable. So I'm now looking for the first. Maybe I've ti check the library here for it.

Lekker wrote: "I really liked the swedish/danish 2d serie "the bridge". This was available on Dutch cable. So I'm now looking for the first. Maybe I've ti check the library here for it."

Both have been on NPO and on Canvas. Netflix is streaming season one here in NL and many many other great international series, including the good French Noir Witnesses currently.....Netflix also streams many of the HBO series as well as many of their own products like the current gritty series Bloodline which we just watched the end of last night! Good value here too as you can watch and search to add to your favourites list on iPhone, iPad or PC then watch on your tv all connected to your email! Works well. The annual July detective month on NPO 1 has been very good this year too! Tot ziens!

I was in Finland and Norway for most of the month of July and was able to watch The Bridge on Netflix. But when I got home to finish series 1 I was very disappointed it was not on Netflix in the US. I joined Hulu and found season 1 and more. I loved The Bridge, especially the unusually charming Saga!!

Lori, you'll have to come back to Finland or Sweden in the fall! Bridge season three is shown simultaneously in Denmark, Sweden and Finland!

You're so lucky Fizzycola. I'm still waiting eagerly for The Bridge's season 2. My relatives all live in Finland, I'll see if they can send me season 2 - Hah!

Icewineanne wrote: "You're so lucky Fizzycola. I'm still waiting eagerly for The Bridge's season 2. My relatives all live in Finland, I'll see if they can send me season 2 - Hah!"

Amazon ? Or from. http://nordicnoir.tv/news/dvd-discoun...

Sharon wrote: "Icewineanne wrote: "You're so lucky Fizzycola. I'm still waiting eagerly for The Bridge's season 2. My relatives all live in Finland, I'll see if they can send me season 2 - Hah!"

Amazon ? Or from..."

i also searched on amazon prime, no luck :( so i decided to go with hulu, it had several other shows i wanted to watch. thanks for the link. Nordic Noir just gives updates, right?

Fizzycola wrote: "Lori, you'll have to come back to Finland or Sweden in the fall! Bridge season three is shown simultaneously in Denmark, Sweden and Finland!"

Oh, I will be! My son lives there with his wife and my first granddaughter. I love Finland, so different from the U.S.

The Unit.......sorry meant Unit One.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rejse...

We've been getting "The Unit" in the U.S.

At least in the USA, Netflix recently added season 2 of Dicte (about a Danish crime reporter) and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

Sharon wrote: "The Unit."

Sharon, is that the same as "Unit One"?

Carl wrote: "At least in the USA, Netflix recently added season 2 of Dicte (about a Danish crime reporter) and I'm thoroughly enjoying it."

Isn't it good! Have watched season three and it just gets better....read recently they are making more :-)

Sandy wrote: "Sharon wrote: "The Unit."

Sharon, is that the same as "Unit One"?"

The Unit is American......
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rejse...
Unit One.

IMO an excellent series is the Arne Dahl series .....good team and dramas.
http://english.arnedahl.net/?rID=1114

Sharon wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Sharon wrote: "The Unit."

Sharon, is that the same as "Unit One"?"

The Unit is American......
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rejse...
Unit One."

Thanks!

Perhaps a good source or two ....
http://www.arrowfilms.co.uk
And
http://nordicnoir.tv

Suggest you sign up for free email newsletters. They are very useful sources.

Love Dicte, great characters!!

Hi everyone! I'm brand new to Goodreads and just found this group and discussion thread... For Netflix subscribers in the US, Dicte: Season 2 is no longer available; it was removed after just 5 weeks on 28 Jan 2016. :-( If you're in the UK, you'll be able to stream it on All 4 later this year... Here's a resource for those of you in the UK or US: http://theeurotvplace.com/euro-tv-sho... -- this has all the English-subtitled Euro TV programs currently available and where you can watch them on telly and online... Now I'm off to watch Unit One for the umpteenth time. :-)

Netflix seems to play games with Dicte. Sometimes they are available and then disappear only to return once more. At least that has been our experience.

Suppose the trick is then to watch a series when you find it. Nice thing about most Netflix items, binge watching is easy. It just streams episodes... Or buy or rent or loan box sets.

Suppose the trick is then to watch a series when you find it. Nice thing about most Netflix items, binge watching is easy. It just streams episodes... Or buy or rent or loan box sets.

A great one I bought recently was "Johan Falk". Swedish Special Crime Unit show. Brilliant! Has Joel Kinnaman in it too. Great story lines and fabulous characters with their own problems, dilemmas etc. Love it.

Agree Falk but is great. Varg Veum too.