HenriTheDane

I want to chime in here to say I thought Season 2 is good. I don't understand why people thought it had no point to it. I liked the story. It's partly about the revenge-cycle and partly the eternal vendetta between two powerful antagonists. Sure, there are some digressions, but it's a show, not a movie, and I thought all the various scenes related to the central struggle, at least peripherally.

It's true the fight scenes and some other details are far from realistic, but that was true in Season 1 as well. Perhaps the most ridiculous scene in the series is in Season 1 when a troop of elite soldiers attack a house. They don't coordinate the attack, use cover or formations, appropriate weaponry, reconnaissance, etc - nothing you would expect elite soldiers to do. That and the last fight in Season 2 were the most silly, in my opinion. In the meantime, heroic civilians take 30 hits and keep shooting. Still, despite the lack of realism, it's theatrically exciting and the action always involves characters or events you care about, which makes you vested in the outcome.

The biggest disappointment was most of the last part of the last episode, which was predictable and dragged on for a bit. I'm hoping for a Season 3.

I read the other reviews and noticed only one other person highlighted Parker's performance and character, so I want to bring some attention to her work here. She is really outstanding, and her character has a heart-wrenchingly sad arc. There is a moment when Joe Denton and Charlotte look at each other when they first meet that speaks to how well the movie is made: you understand that more is going to happen between them but it's wonderfully (and realistically) underplayed. If you like dark, it's worth watching the movie just for Charlotte's story.

Other than that, I think it's obvious I agree with the other positive reviewers and won't repeat too much what they've said. What makes Small Crimes true Noir is Denton's weaknesses and what they do to him.

About the background story, it's true you don't get all the details, but you get the information you need when you need it in order to follow the actions in the present. There are no flashbacks, so you have to pay attention to the references the characters make in dialog.

It's enjoyable if you watch it as a crime-based drama, not as a suspense thriller. It's true it's easy to guess who the villain is, but for me that just adds to the tension, which builds up nicely throughout the show.

I don't get the criticism of the main character. I thought she was effective. She is suffering from childhood trauma and not happy about being back in Sweden for her adoptive mother's funeral, so she is intentionally in a 'going through the motions' type of mood a lot of the time. At some point she says outright she wants to go back to America "because it's suffocating here." However, she livens up when something happens she is passionate about, which is especially children in danger. I thought the actress did that well.

I do agree Alicia, the kidnapped girl, didn't have much personality, but as she doesn't get that much screen time, I don't think it detracts from the show that much. It's also true some things were left unresolved, but as these were not part of the central story, I also don't find that so important.

Giving it 7/10. It doesn't break new ground, it's not a super-brilliant mystery, but it's a solid drama around a kidnapper and kidnappee.