Veronika

Veronika is probably one of the best recently released Nordic Noir shows within the last 3 years. Although it is not an extraordinary serie such as Wallander, The Bridge, The Killing or Beck, it is still worth watching. The uniqueness of this serie is that it combines Nordic Noir with Victorian Ghost Stories so it is an interesting mix. The atmosphere of this series is eerie, dark and even creepy and nature of Sweden is as usual stunning. Alexandra Rapaport and Tobias Santelmann are acting as usual great. If you have not seen Sandhamn Murders and Gåsmannen by Alexandra Rapaport you should definitely watch them. I think that this serie worths 8 over 10.

Too slow paced and unoriginal series. When seeing a only the first few episodes of this series I got the feeling I have seen it all already sometime before. Couldn't put myself to watch it until the end. So tiresome it gets annoying. A minimum of at least six hundred characters is required to submit a review, but man... It not even worth all the typing. Three episodes in and I still have the feeling it's not going anywhere and on the other hand you already have a pretty good feeling of where the story and character development are heading towards. I'm not going to spoil anything because for die hard Scandinavian detective series this might still be worth watching.

But not in a good way.

The writing is appalling and so naive that it makes the first year film students look like professionals.

I doubt these amateurish has any idea how lame and unoriginal their work.

There is Zero dramatic talent - only dull and uninteresting scenes one after another.

And how the many so called producers weren't capable of seeing how this material was is a pure mystery.

Perhaps they were themselves inept to judge its underdeveloped storyline.

It truly pains to see these actors wandering around without any sense of direction.

The look is adequate and the overall production as well - but shame on the quality of writing and poor direction.

A complete waste of everyone's time.

In the competitive world of crime television, 'Veronica' stands out - but for all the wrong reasons. This Swedish crime series, which had the potential to weave an intricate tale of mystery and suspense, instead plods along with an excruciatingly slow pace that tests even the most patient viewer's endurance. Instead of dynamic action or deep, meaningful exchanges, the audience is treated to the lead actress spending a majority of her screen time staring vacantly into the air. This choice, presumably intended to convey introspection or emotional depth, instead comes off as tedious and fails to advance the plot or develop her character in any significant way.

Adding to the show's challenges are the bewildering choices made in post-production. Every indoor scene is bathed in a peculiar white haze, a stylistic decision that might have aimed for a sense of dreaminess or otherworldliness but instead feels out of place and distracting. This, coupled with the decision to shroud scenes in darkness, often makes it impossible to decipher what's happening on screen. While dim lighting can enhance the atmosphere of crime dramas, making it a tool for building tension and mystery, 'Veronica' takes it to an extreme. The result is a series of scenes where viewers are likely to find themselves squinting at their screens, trying in vain to make out the characters and actions.

The show's failure to utilize its visual and narrative elements effectively is a disservice to its audience and a squandered opportunity to contribute something memorable to the Swedish crime genre. Instead of drawing viewers into a gripping, atmospheric story, 'Veronica' leaves them adrift in a sea of frustration and unfulfilled potential. One can only hope that future endeavors in this genre learn from these missteps and strive for a balance between style and substance, rather than sacrificing one for the sake of the other.

Must admit that the Nordic Noir genre is not my favorite. It happens far too little in general and in Veronika it's really tough, to say the least. I like Alexandra Rapaport as an actress but this role playing a pill abusing cop is not her best. She is not convincing in her role and sometimes the acting feels exaggerated. The dialogue between the actors is far too slow and far too little happens. However, that they brought in actors who are otherwise relatively unknown in swedish film is a plus. The serie is okay to pass the time on a Sunday when it's raining or if you want a background sound when doing something else.