Livstid

Livstid begins with a gripping premise: decorated Oslo detective Victoria Woll is serving a life sentence, and the series unfolds in dual timelines to reveal how she got there. Played with stoic intensity by Tone Mostraum, Woll leads a quirky but capable team of investigators while quietly battling systemic corruption and betrayal from within - notably from her superior, Jan Devold.

Each episode features a standalone case, while the overarching mystery of Woll's imprisonment builds in parallel. While this structure allows for variety, it occasionally undercuts narrative cohesion. The prison timeline is too lightly developed in early episodes, which weakens the dramatic payoff.

The acting is more than decent - Mostraum's expressive performance stands out, despite a script that leans on clichés. Supporting characters, like the eccentric Kit Lange and the tech-savvy Dozer, add colour but feel underutilised. The Series builds tension with slow reveals, but pacing issues and a lack of resolution frustrate. By the end of episode eight, you are left with more questions than answers.

Fans of Nordic noir might find enough intrigue in the weekly cases and moody Oslo setting to stick with it. However, the inconsistent writing, uneven tone, and a finale that fails to deliver on the show's potential may leave other viewers disappointed. Livstid shows flashes of promise, but ultimately buckles under the weight of its own ambition.

All in all: watchable, but best for genre enthusiasts with tempered expectations.

Loved FOR LIFE even just watching with the subtitles. Tone Beate Mostraum is outstanding in the lead, Victoria Woll Chief Investigator, with Ingar Gimle shining as her character's official, personal, and para-familial backup. Hallvard Homan takes the role of her paramour and makes what could have been a cliché role truly sympathetic and interesting. The unique and brillant element of FOR LIFE is the interweaving of the that narratives run throughout the series. These show the viewer primarily what appear to be present-day events, crimes, and mysteries addressed by Woll's expert crew and presented for the viewer with cinema-worthy camera shots, blazing action, and scripts clearly meant for intelligent audiences. The additional narrative has Woll a convict in a somewhat futuristic prison, framed, we learn, by her former boss for a murder he committed. Woll is determined to bring him down and, hopefully, persuade the authorites that he framed her. Personally, I hope there won't be a season two. I will indeed watch it if it comes about. However, for me, the show is over, complete, fini. It truly is perfect the way it is.

As this eight part Norwegian drama opens we are introduced to protagonist Victoria Woll, She is in prison being escorted to meet a man. Alone in a locked room he takes a kukri from under the table and lunges at her. The action then cuts back eighteen years and Victoria is a police officer leading a unit that specialises in high profile cases. The man from the opening is shown to be police chief Jan Devold; a man keen to see the unit fail. Each episode features a 'case of the week' as well as being top & tailed with scenes in prison showing Victoria's determination to prove that it is Devold who deserves to be there, not her.

I thought this was an enjoyable series. The individual cases are interesting as is the question of how Victoria might prover her innocence. The characters are solid with the actors doing a good job bringing them to life. The ending does feel more like an end-of-season rather than end-of-series which is a pity as it leaves one wanting more and leaves important questions unanswered. Overall I'd say it is worth a watch if you enjoy Scandi-crime dramas.

These comments are based on watching the series in Norwegian with English subtitles.

Gimmicky time-splicing story (present-day and 30 years hence) never comes together. The 1-episdoe, 45-minute mysteries are thin; the over-arching story involving the future of our protagonist just becomes irritating, Ultimately, I was glad to be done this show (left hanging, predictably) and would not care to see a second series.

Terrible story line. Terrible acting. Terrible characters.