Jägarna

I watched it all but was bitterly disappointed. Season One was just about OK, but Season Two was just a farrago of nonsense. And honestly? I'm getting a bit fed up with Rolf Laasgard who plays Erik Bäckström and who is so typecast he doesn't bring anything new to any role he takes now.

Here he is once more, the lonely maverick who is convinced he's right and everyone is wrong. It doesn't matter that he IS right; the problem is that it's absurd that in the face of the clearest of evidence everyone else is on the wrong trail.

I'm going to talk mainly about he second season in this review as it's the one freshest in my mind.

The stubbornness of his nephew Peter, in particular, is unconvincing and the hatred of the rest of the small town is overblown as is the behaviour of the putative murderer. It's clear in episode three who the baddies really are. That the ending is contrived in such a way that the town can continue in its slumbers and prejudices seems to be a total cop out. I don't believe for a second in the decision that Bäckström took regarding his nephew. That such an upstanding and dedicated warrior for truth and justice took the course that he did when Internal Affairs intervened is simply not possible having regard to his character and personality. In any case, there were witnesses outside the police force who could have contradicted his version of events, upstanding members of the public.

But wait! There's an epilogue. And here only an oldie like me is going to understand what I am talking about. Who remembers Perry Mason played by Raymond Burr? Well, at the end of each episode Perry would demolish the DA's case so convincingly that someone in the audience in the courtroom would always be moved to cry out, so forceful and piercing were the words of that famous defence attorney, "I did it" and then proceed to explain why. Bäckström must have been reading up on this old series, or at least the scriptwriters were, because that's exactly what happens here except it is done in a bar amongst a load of drunks. This isn't a spoiler because we know from the beginning that the accused isn't the guilty one. It's utterly ridiculous.

OK, as it was Swedish, I watched till the end therefore three stars. No way is it worth more.

Love it,same style as the movies..very very good tv show and rolf lassgård is awsome like always

When i start to watch this series, so I could not let go. It was so exciting that i saw everything on a sweep. I can recomend this series.

This tv-series could've been good but as usual with a lot of tv-series like this the characters are cliché and do so many stupid things which is insulting to the viewer. Please let the viewer think and stop feeding us all the answers.

Jägarna, the Swedish crime series based on the cult 1996 film, returns with a dark, atmospheric charm and a gripping sense of storytelling. Set in the remote north of Sweden, the show follows retired detective Erik Bäckström, played with great strength by Rolf Lassgård, who returns home only to get caught up in a local mystery involving harassment, vandalism, and eventually murder.

The pace is steady, reflecting the calm of the Norrland setting, but the story never drags. From the first episode, it pulls you in with solid writing, clear direction, and a raw visual style. The cold, moody cinematography adds to the tense feeling throughout, even if the plot doesn't always surprise.

Lassgård is brilliant in the lead role - he gives Erik a believable mix of authority and sadness. He's the type of character you trust, even if he doesn't always follow the rules. Supporting performances from Pelle Heikkilä as a shady businessman, Johan Marenius Nordahl as a young trainee, and Johannes Kuhnke as an unstable officer are good too and help round out a mostly well-cast series. One downside is the lack of female presence; the women in the show - though played by talented actresses - are mostly side characters like mothers or girlfriends, and none take centre stage.

Series one is gripping, although a bit frustrating at times due to some odd decisions made by the characters. Series two, unfortunately, drops in quality: some scenes take you out of the story completely and many of the characters become hard to like. Still, there's something compelling about Erik's quiet determination that keeps you watching.

In the end, Jägarna may not be like many modern thrillers (particularly Scandinavian ones), but it is a return to classic storytelling - slow-burning, emotional, and rough around the edges. Despite a weaker second season, the Series remains likely a thoughtful and enjoyable watch for fans of Nordic Noir and Lassgård.