Avis des utilisateurs

Whiskey on the Rocks is a delightful and satirical take on one of the Cold War's most bizarre and tense moments-the grounding of the Soviet submarine U 137 in Swedish waters. The series brilliantly juxtaposes historical gravity with humor, crafting an entertaining narrative that simultaneously pokes fun at the absurdities of the situation and paints a vivid picture of its era.

The stunning cinematography captures the cold, tense beauty of the Swedish archipelago, while the meticulous period details transport viewers back to the 1980s. Rolf Lassgård's portrayal of Prime Minister Thorbjörn Fälldin adds depth and authenticity to the story, balancing the weight of political responsibility with the comedic undertones of the script.

The writing is a standout feature, offering a playful, irreverent lens through which to view this historical event. The vodka-fueled antics of the submarine crew are portrayed with such charm and wit that they feel like characters straight out of The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared. This resemblance underscores the series' knack for blending historical fact with whimsical fiction, creating a narrative that's as thought-provoking as it is entertaining.

Whiskey on the Rocks may have sparked controversy for its timing and tone, but as a piece of satirical art, it succeeds in turning a Cold War flashpoint into a uniquely Swedish comedy of errors. It's a must-watch for fans of history, satire, and striking cinematography.

A not fully truthfull but really fun description of the events following the stranded Russian U-boat in Swedish waters. I myself served in the army during this event and can assure that it was a really tense situation. The following decade was full of imagined incidents. U-boats, russian divers snooping around in Stockholm, spies taking pictures in prohibited areas. Some of it probably true, some of it probably just "the Russian scare" running amok in peoples imagination. It was a another time then, God knows what would happen today if there was a U-boat loaded with nuclear warheads stranded yet again...

Review of Whiskey on the Rocks

Whiskey on the Rocks is a Swedish miniseries that takes on one of the most dramatic events of the Cold War: the grounding of the Soviet submarine U137 off the coast of Karlskrona in 1981. The series delivers suspense, political intrigue, and a fascinating glimpse into an era marked by mistrust and power struggles.

Rolf Lassgård shines in the role of Prime Minister Thorbjörn Fälldin. His performance is impressive, capturing the essence of the Swedish leader through both body language and dialect. Lassgård's portrayal is a testament to his versatility as an actor and his ability to carry a story.

The production design is another highlight. The series successfully recreates the atmosphere of the time with an authenticity that feels tangible. From the costumes to the interiors-every detail is carefully crafted, grounding the narrative in its historical context.

The humor woven throughout the series is also worth mentioning. Subtle, well-placed comedic moments-often centered on the cultural and linguistic misunderstandings between the Swedes and the Soviets-add a lightness that balances the otherwise serious tone and makes the characters more relatable.

With its high production quality, Whiskey on the Rocks is not only compelling for Swedish audiences but also for an international one. While the series takes some liberties with historical details, it also balances drama, realism, and humor, keeping viewers thoroughly engaged. The historical significance of the event and its connection to the Cold War make it particularly relevant.

In summary, Whiskey on the Rocks is a powerful miniseries deserving of all the attention it can get. With great acting, impressive production design, and a gripping story laced with humor, it leaves a lasting impression.

It's meant to be comical and take into far sometimes. It pokes fun at all nationalities involved. If you like Guy Richie movies, this is a good series for you. It is weird in places. The actors are not meant to be like the leaders at the time. They're meant to just give a comical taste of the serious events that actually happened. It's Swedish production. So let them do what they want with it! Great fun, edgy, & you want another series really.

Good film effects & camera shots. Probably boast, but the only British actor is Mark Noble who plays The President of USA & his scenes are the funniest! Good humour!

See this as satire rooted in reality-90% truth, but with 10% fiction to keep the audience engaged and able to take in all the real absurdities that are hard to believe actually happened.

It's a mix between The Office, Blackadder, and Russians being their authentic selves. Many great characters and well-acted performances.

To truly appreciate the series, you probably need to have lived during the time it takes place. The settings and details are spot-on. A phone booth becomes a secure phone line, someone traveling is, of course, unreachable until they arrive, and everyone smokes freely everywhere. The calm and diplomatic Swedish approach clashes with the more confrontational American mentality.

And the Soviet Union's complete lack of competence in waging war is just like Russia today. But they compensate with alcohol. Sure, it's satire at a high level, but satire is grounded in truth and a sense of relatability.

Take the series for what it is-a fun satire. But if you have the time and interest to do a bit of research afterward, you'll be surprised how much of what made you laugh actually happened in real life.

This is a welcome satirical tale in dark times. We need more laughs, not less. I don't see the problem of doing a comedy based on true facts. This was a dramatic but also embarrassing event at the time it happened. A breath of fresh air for fans of Armando Ianucci and Jonas Jonasson. Clever script, wrapping uncomfortable truths in humor and absurdity.

For a Swedish production, the humor is biting, and often dark, but it's also grounded in very human moments.

Some great and tense wargame scenes.

Whiskey on the Rocks is an nice addition to the landscape of dark comedy and satires on television.

This is really an unusual nordic TV series. It has epic scenes, and a very funny satirical tone.

Loved the humor, and you can sense it's the same team that was behind the hundred years old man movie. Definitely not your usual nordic noir production. The pace, the tone, the dialogues, and the editing are a welcome change from most swedish programmes. A fun ride. Great acting performances. Rolf Lassgård is brilliant, and Mark Noble delivers an amazing part as Ronald Reagan.

I watched it on SVT in Sweden, and for what I understand it's going to be released on Disney + later this year. Warmly recommended.

The critics of this television program don't understand Swedish international relations and military history very well. During the Weimar Republic, Sweden helped aid German militarism, a process that continued during the war (Wiebes, C., & Aalders, G. H., The Art of Cloaking Ownership. The Case of Sweden. The Secret Collaboration and Protection of the German War Industry by the Neutrals, Amsterdam University Press, 1996). During the lead up to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Sweden spent the years 2009 to 2021 importing $72,647,114,698 worth of Russian oil, the equivalent of 8/14% of the Russian military budget which was $892,019,600,000 (based on UN and SIPRI statistics). Sweden aided its alleged enemy or security threat yet again. This television shows again the now established pattern, i.e. The Swedish military helps undermine Swedish security in the face of security threats (real, imagined or exaggerated). That's the key to this drama. In contrast, diplomacy, cooperation with the state framed as "enemy," and old fashioned common sense helps solve conflicts far more effectively. The lesson builds on history and was confirmed by academic studies thereafter (Stern, Eric, and Bengt Sundelius. "Managing asymmetrical crisis: Sweden, the USSR, and U-137." International Studies Quarterly 36.2 (1992): 213-239). For this reason, the movie is trashed by militarists, the Swedish military, and militarily over-interested persons, what is called in the singular "MÖP" - "militärt överintresserad person" (in Swedish). So, this comedy is far more relevant and important than the army of so-called "defense experts" who blather on about Russian threats and can't admit to the culpability of NATO expansion in helping to trigger Russian militarism. They want to eradicate the history which is cleverly conveyed in this documentary.

While the Cuban Missile Crisis remains the most dangerous time in human history with many near misses, other events like this have brought periods of danger.

The world is more at risk from miscalculations than serious intent. That is what makes this an important film for our time. There seems to be controversy about why the submarine got trapped, but that misses the point. It doesn't matter how we got there. What matters is how we get out.

It's an accurate reflection of conflicting personal agendas in big organizations and how most people just want to go on with their day. I loved the understated humor, acting, and characterization.

Typical Swedish production: Excellent photography, lousy script.

No, wait, "lousy" is too positive, let me rephrase that. The abomination used as a script seems to be something they scraped off of the bottom of the submarine after dragging it off of the rock; it should have been court-martialled and given a one-way ticket to Siberia. The writing is so bad that I and my mates did better with school plays in sixth grade.

Worse still, the series follows the official Soviet explanation for the real-life incident, which is troublesome in itself to say the least. It requires some improbabilities, such as the submarine having to cross several islands before hitting the rock, but what's more, the true story is much, much better.

The truth is that Sweden has never been as close to war with the Soviet Union ever, and that the submarine most likely ran aground while on a secret mission which the Soviet military leadership was fully aware of. Reducing that to a lame farce not only torpedoes what could have become a great movie; it also makes a mockery of those people whose bravery and courageous quick thinking very, very narrowly averted a full-scale war.

This was a pleasant surprise to see! I didn't expect such whimsical view of something there's a serious is nuclear war. The six episodes indeed were drawn out. But nevertheless fine entertaining and whimsical. I really hope they do another one of those types again because it's something about something as serious as a nuclear war and made in such a whimsical way just makes it more intriguing. If you haven't seen it yet please do so because you're gonna be pleasantly surprised find entertaining and something to really enjoy when you have the time to watch. The female actress who played the The Russian diplomat is astounding. It's a must watch for those I like this type of genre.

Very hard to come to grips with the rationale behind Wiskey on the Rocks (WotR). Initially it feels like an attempt at genre mixing between drama documentary and humour. As it turns out, claiming WotR is inspired by actual events is probably a joke - if you find it funny you may, just, enjoy this series.

As events unfold it, pretty quickly, becomes apparent that WotR is an attempt at humour. A not particularly successful attempt. It's "kicking down humour". Almost all jokes rest on the premise of ridiculing "real people" - few of them deserving the ridicule. You can joke about anything, joke being the operative word. Bullying is a very different matter...

If you enjoy putting down individuals and cultures "just for the sake of it" this might be right up your alley. If you have moved on from that WotR is likely to fall into the "waste of time" category - and possibly leave a foul taste in your mouth.

I did not like this to be based on a serious real milirary accident/event. Especially not in those days. It gets both Sweden and Russia looks like fools. And with current situation in the world timing is nothing else than awful. But well, it is a comedy. I would like to see a serious take on this event at some point. Could be a good moved. Very various quality of the actors, but some made it good while others was close to amateur level. The take away for myself is that I god more interested in the military event and will search for good documentaries etc. And there was some laughts as well... /Henrik.