Björnstad

Well constructed...yet, the script push few of the characters into a strange and abnormal behaviour. It's a movie, a fiction, so stop complain about "the book.." Who could ever read all the books and novels to infer a fault ? Just watch the show.

The series very powerfully captures how toxic masculinity can permeate through a small town and destroy lives, but is an absolute travesty to the characters that populated the pages of Backman's original novel.

Characters like Anna, Amat and Benji get so little development I do wonder why they were included at all. The life-long frienship and deep caring between Anna and Maja, one of the most heartwarming parts of the novel, is turned into the two characters just meeting on the first episode of the tv-series, and Anna turns into a complete accessory of Maja, loosing her storyline from the book and any sense of being an independent character. The racism that Amat has felt his entire life is reduced to just a few lines here and there and is addressed just superficially.

As for the adult cast, I have no clue why they decided to turn Peter, who was soft-spoken, loved hockey but loved his family even more, to a hyper-masculine, always yelling, travesty of the original character. I also didn't understand why they decided to make him coach of the B-Team, instead of General Manager of all the teams, as this greatly reduced the roles of Sune and David. The changes to David were the most insulting to me, since he went from a good coach who understoood his team, had trained them since they were little, and loved them as if they were his own children, to an incompetent young-man who was always whining and minging and jealous of Peter.

In essence, while this may be a great series (and it is), it really reduces Bjornstad to its main storyline of Maja and Kevin, without adressing all the other topics (racism, homophobia, conformity, etc) that were such an integral part of the novel. I do think its a great standalone series, that completely captures the essence and raw emotion of the Maja storyline, has beautiful cinematography, and an amazing cast, but, I do think it'll be a bit disapointing for fans of the book.

So I wasn't keen on the subtitles as I tend to go for dubbed versions (please don't judge!) but seeing how much I enjoy the books by Fredrik Backman I wanted to give it a go. Note - I hadn't read the book so can't compare.

I really enjoyed this, the pace, the location & cinematography, the acting, the soundtrack & the story.

Don't let the subtitles put you off if you can't understand Swedish.

The acting is really good from everyone in this serie. Often when I see a show from Sweden there use to be at least one actor that you can't stand. I think this serie show that we have learned alot lately from making good shows and that we are getting better and better at it. To make this serie a 10/10 show we need to bring back Ludwig Göransson from US to make the background music :p

Beartown, the 5-episode Swedish mini-series adapted from Fredrik Backman's acclaimed novel, is an emotionally charged winter drama set in a struggling small town where ice hockey is more than just a sport-it's a way of life. With its atmospheric northern setting, the series kicks off with the arrival of Peter, a former NHL star, and his family, as he attempts to revive the local junior hockey team.

From the very first episode, Beartown sets a moody, snow-drenched tone that contrasts sharply with the explosive human drama unfolding beneath. The Series weaves themes of ambition, masculinity, and loyalty, all set against a sport that becomes a crucible for deeper tensions. While its "soap opera" storytelling style-jam-packed with character dynamics and emotional stakes-is valuable, it delayed its central plotline until late in the game.

Despite some pacing issues and a polarising conclusion, Beartown remains a worthwhile watch. It's gripping, haunting, and-though not a perfect sports drama or literary adaptation-it manages to strike a chord; just don't expect a typical feel-good hockey tale.