Notre grande famille

I'm a big fan of anything scandanavian . Great show top notch acting . Really captures modern European family life.

First of all, do not get deterred by the fact that it is Swedish: it has nothing of the dry, coward European cinema. The subject itself is nothing new: the problems of a recent couple along with problems of their children, ex-partners, new partners of their ex-partners. But it is so brilliantly written and perfectly played, it doesn't let you down for a single episode. It a shows about serious matters (family, commitment, divorce, kids...) but approached with a great sense of humor and (rare thing) really funny jokes. It also has great characters and witty comebacks that make it a hidden gem that I hope Hollywood will never remake.

Just a couple of things: The negative or lukewarm reviews here seem to do mostly with people claiming offense at the living arrangements. But this sort of mixed and complex family configuration, which can be found in many contemporary societies, is precisely what the positive term "bonus family" indicates. If you're priggish about contemporary family practices, then don't watch a series whose very title gives you advance warning of what it deals with.

Second, this is absolutely not a Scandinavian version of Modern Family. Except for the general framing of contemporary cross families that have become common with the availability of divorce, there are no similarities between the two series. Indeed, to think that there are is reductionistic and even carries a whiff of ethnocentrism as Bonus Family is much better than Modern Family and not just a rip off but a highly original work that stands on its own merits.

Third, while I share the exasperation with the Eddie character and agree that he is a horrible spoiled brat, he really doesn't take up that much screen time and his presence simply injects a very realistic dimension to the intertwined family lives. No one should not watch the series just for a single character.

This show is incredibly good, it is so real that it transcends language and geographical differences. It is funny, sad, moving, relevant -- everything together but not sappy like so many of these family dramas can be. I loved every minute of it and wanted more when it finished. The fact that it is Swedish does not make it any less relatable -- it makes it even better because we get a glimpse into a country and culture that we read about and know as almost a Utopia, with all their social benefits, great education system, open attitude -- and we see them with problems that everyone has at the same time as being able to appreciate what a great country it is. Please whoever is out there who has power over this series, renew, renew, renew!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hated, I hated, I hated her. She was such a selfish, unmature, whiny and greedy woman with no ability to raise her children. Otherwise this could have been a great serie.