Nobel

Nobel is a stunning portrayal of the complexities of the war in Afghanistan and points to why after more than a decade of fighting this war is still ongoing with no end in sight.

The story evolves around an elite special forces group from Norway whose leader is ordered to complete a mission while on leave after returning home.

The characters are strong and believable and will draw you into their lives as their world teeters on collapse when the competing sides of politics of peace and business collide.

It demonstrates real world politics and how a peace nation like Norway and not unlike Canada and other nations have had to not only be peace keepers but peace makers and more. One difference is that Norway is also about to award the Nobel Peace Prize with all the political intrigue that it involves.

Nobel was brilliantly shot and this Canadian was drawn into the story and look forward to a second season. Again well done.

This gives a surprisingly complex portrait of tension through stories of family, war and class. In its dramatic prowess, although very succinct, this looks like a period piece. And in its reenactment of professional politics, it's prudent and amazingly attentive.

Participation in modern peacekeeping operations has given countries like Norway new oppurtunities to show their skills and values more on wider international level. Mostly successfully, but everything has its price and influences on participants... All this is rather well depicted in Nobel where people working in various govenrmental institutions have to daily (re)assess their own concepts and attitudes.

But for me, for a person quite familiar with living in Nordic countries, not all the events shown seem plausible - as Norway is one of the least corrupted and most secure countries in the world. So the thrill and tension tend to fade away sometimes, and the main theme full of development aid, NGO contracts and guarding services do not let to share common feelings; the switch from personal issues to others is not always smooth as well. Moreover, in the last episode, you start to figure out what happens, and the very final scenes are too "rounding up", i.e. trivial.

The performances, however, are good, particularly Aksel Hennie as Lieutenant Erling Riiser and Anders Danielsen Lie as Lieutenant Jon Petter Hals; female characters are sketchier as often in films depicting war and military. Thus, from me, 8 points for acting and 6 for plot; the title is also confusing.

Nobel is not a bad Norwegian series, but I find e.g. Okkupert, Frikjent, Rød snø more versatile and catchier for "wider" audience.

What a quality: A superb Nordic series. Great to view from many angles the complex world we live in. A view from the side of the government, from the side of the army and from within a family where these worlds meet...

The story gives me a feeling that is the reality we have to deal with. I also have this feeling of reality when I watch the series Homeland. I have to admit that most American series are not my cup of tea. Can't get rid of the feeling that this series gave inspiration to Nobel. Normally the Nordic series do it the other way :) Personally I hope we also get some more seasons... Anyone some meets about a season 2?

Even though I had to watch this and read the subtitles at the same time the series was so well done that I had a difficult time not watching it at one sitting. Character development.,Realism, content, and story line were riveting. I wish the American broadcasting industry produced quality programs. The foreign broadcasters is heads above anything found on US television, as this series affirms. The many political, military, and social factors involved in the Afghanistan conflict were presented so well. The mixture of venues, Afghanistan and Norway, were done so well and without disrupting the flow of the episode. The actors from top to bottom did an excellent job. A job well done.