Springflut

I don't know why programs like this are so rare over here in the U. S. All the Scandinavian countries - Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Denmark - produce impressive dramas frequently enough that "Nordic noir" has become a distinct, recognizable genre. For that matter, the French, Belgians, and Dutch do some pretty darned good shows, as well. Rarely do you see a car chase, thank goodness.

Springfloden ("Spring Tide") is one of Sweden's better offerings in the past several years. It began slowly, and built at a snail's pace, but every moment was important to the plot. For my money, season 2 was much better than the first, though I give both very high marks. Knowing there were only 10 episodes for each meant I knew there would be story resolution and not some endless cliffhanger arc with no conclusion. There were some mildly frustrating moments for me that I can only attribute to cultural differences between American and North European societies. Characters' attitudes toward homelessness, drug use, the sex trade, and other issues surprised me in some instances. I think what makes these programs so interesting to me is when the action goes in a slightly different direction than I expect. Keeps me on my toes. Anyway, this is a great series, and I hope to see a third season. But as with all good things in life, we may only get this little bit and no more.

After a couple of episodes I'm really enjoying this series. There are some interesting lively characters, a great mystery & fascinating plot lines. Cinematography is good, nice production values, good acting and the subtitles flow without feeling stilted or intrusive. The lead female is stunningly pretty (almost distractingly & unrealistically so) but contrasts nicely with all the truly scruffy, realistically unattractive blokes around her LOL On the down side, it all seems a little disjointed but I suspect that will lessen later as the story unfolds and disparate story lines are drawn together. I will return to this review when I've finished the series & update it but I saw there was only 1 review for this intriguing show and thought it deserved more. Unlike the other reviewer, I am not a fan of True Detective and don't find it a "benchmark" for anything other than how NOT to make a mystery, crime series. But both of us seem to think this series is good so I guess that in itself speaks volumes for the show! Give it a whirl. If you're not afraid of subtitles it is well worth it.

Definitely another binge series. thank you for absolutely great entertainment. It is the intricate plot split in two murders in two countries and it is much more then just that. It is the variety of likable characters' lives the viewer will care about just as much as the unfolding of the story, brilliantly keeping your attention.

Along with Denmark, Sweden is a leading representative of fine crime series and Nordic Noir, and after Millennium or The Bridge sagas one might wonder is there any room for more of the same or close quality and thrill, when you can do without constant shootings and chases, without fancy policemen... And yet, the Swedes continue surprising.

As many others, the events in Springfloden started working from the very beginning. True, the pace is calmer than in most US and many UK series, but this is one of their special characteristics. There are different cases to be solved, from past and present, and their sophistication and intertwining let fill the 10 episodes nicely, without undue tardiness or inclusion of "filling" characters or scenes. The solution of the major crime might seem trivial, but is realistic, and an unexpected twist in the very end rounds the series up in a fine manner.

But the gem of this series is undoubtedly Kjell Bergqvist as Tom Stilton (for this, above all, my total 9 points). I have seen some of his performances before, they were decent, but not so special to start to follow films or series based on his acting. But here in Springfloden, he is really something, his performance worth of Emmy of even Golden Globe, if the language of the series was different... But he obtained Kristallen for his role, a big honour in Sweden.

Thus, a highly recommended series, even for audiences outside Scandinavia.

PS Series 2 is a bit weaker, including Berqqvist less on screen, but still at least 8 points worth.

I binge watched season 2 (10 episodes) in just one sitting (!), something that I've never done before. The second season of ''Springfloden'' is based on the second novel in the Rönning/Stilton series, written by the Swedish duo of Cilla and Rolf Börjlind with the title ''The Third Voice''. The two Swedish authors are well-known for their scriptwriting for a number of Nordic Noir television series such as ''Beck'', ''Wallander'' (the Swedish edition with K. Henrikssen), ''Arne Dahl'' and ''Graven''. I've already read the book so I knew what to expect in terms of story and plot but nevertheless the series had a profound effect on me, thus I found myself unable to stop watching it. Julia Ragnarsson and Kjell Bergqvist both deliver strong performances in the primary roles and the same is true for the actors in the secondary ones, especially Dar Salim (Abbas), Cecilia Nilsson (Mette) and Johan Widerberg in the role of wayward police informant Minken. The episodes are short in terms of length (around 40 minutes each) and the plot moves forward in a rather fast pace leading to the final two episodes where the whole truth about the two cases, one in Marseilles and one in Stockholm, is revealed to the viewer. I found the final twists rather satisfying, something rare for every seasoned crime fiction fanatic, and overall I can say that the second season of ''Springfloden'' is worthy of the attention of all Nordic Noir enthusiasts around the globe.