Témoin sous silence

Hitchcock often set his dark thrillers in beautiful, bucolic settings in order to starkly contrast them with his explorations of their dark underbellies. What better setting, then, than affluent,socially advanced, peaceful, stunningly beautiful Norway for these story tellers to do the same. Yes, there's something rotten in Norway.

It all starts with a violent crime accidentally witnessed by two teen boys who keep their mouths shut in order to hide the fact that they were there to have sex. But they've been seen and this puts them in danger and sets off all kinds of twists and turns and reverberations, especially since one of the teens is the foster son of the police officer in charge of investigating the crime.

But this is a character study as much as a procedural drama so that along the way we are exposed to a prickly cast of characters who we get to know and care about despite their many flaws which are highlighted by the dilemmas they are facing. They're pushed to their limits.

With excellent acting, great production design, updated Noir atmosphere, the many twists and turns of the plot and the constant sense of impending danger, this thriller grabs you and runs you ragged much like it does to the characters.

As for series on related topic, I am able to recall Varg Veum, and apparently I have seen all episodes available... Yes, I liked it, but it is more Beck and Wallander than those coming from Scandinavia when you have to watch all in sequence and where are many intertwined events, not every episode dedicated to solving a certain tort or felony.

Øyevitne measures easily up to the currently most famous Danish-Swedish series: gloomy atmosphere, harsh nature, thrilling yet realistic plot with some unexpected changes, fitting actors performing rather as a team than backing someone who is heavily "better" or "distinct" (Axel Bøyum and Anneke von der Lippe had apparently the most versatile characters to play)... Some spend more time on screen, the others less, but they do all have their role and place, not just filling a scene or prolonging the events (6 episodes made the story intense and compact). Plus, I liked the ending as the very final scenes did not contain the odd dramatics so characteristic to the US series, above all. And I also liked that private and sensitive issues were approached in realistic manner, as a part of everyday life, without strict assessments.

I am pleased that Norwegians have vigorously established themselves in the field long dominated by Swedes and Danes. Well done and more similar achievements in the future!

I'm not at all too keen on watch TV-series, but more into film. Occasionally I find time to check out a new one, and especially I have been interested in the Nordic-noir genre which have been given quite a lot of acclaim the latter years. This Norwegian gangster-crime series follows up this trend. Made in Norway with many connections to both Sweden and Denmark.

This is really an edge-of-the-seat-thriller series, and way more than expected. I think this TV-series manages to engage me so much that I've been looking more and more forward to each episode, and really hate when it's all over after the 6th episode. Proper use of cliffhangers ensure that, but also that the persons are of interest. I find that there's many interesting persons, e.g. from different sides and branches of the police forces, as well as you really get to know some of the persons on a more personal level.

Great actors all over, even the two boys are doing a great job. Quite professionally and sincere. What Ifind very pleasing is that the series seems very realistic. Names of places, locations as well as the use of buildings are all very tidy done. Even the news are made with real well-known news presenters, and there's simply nothing which loses the credibility. I've so many times been annoyed with facts that are plainly stupid in TV-series, you know, like name of countries not existing in the real world and so on. Here it's simply impossible to arrest any fact from Norway, Sweden or Denmark. It's all very real and totally believable. The only thing which can be arrested for not being a fact, is the name of the biker Club (6'ers with the emblem 666), which isn't any real club. However, their club location is real of another existing bikers club. I find that quite impressive. A real done job!

The series is well written, and though I in the start found the opening plot hard to believe, it started off a tension which is very suitable.

Once you get hitched, you won't be able to stop watching! You can't really expect more from a TV-series. One of the best I've seen for years, and just as good as the best of the British ones.

Now here's a fine crime series from Scandinavia : well-acted, well-plotted, twisty and full of surprises. The series is also moving, especially where it explores the difficulties, insecurities and tensions related to adolescence. It's the cruelest period in human life, when the difference between fitting in and not fitting in can mean the difference between walking home in peace and quiet and being thrown in a ditch. Try being gay under such circumstances - it's pretty much like having "Please kick me" tattooed on your forehead.

I also enjoyed the beautifully shot locations and exteriors.

I've just noticed that "Les innocents", the French adaptation, is on the telly. Would it hurt the eyes of a viewer from Bordeaux to watch a hillside in Norway ? Even if I get to be a hundred, I'll never understand why television makers look at a foreign series, say "Wow, this stuff is pretty good" and then rush away in order to make their own version. Generally speaking it's an exercice in redundancy.

Norwegian drama/thriller "Eyewitness" was my latest Nordic noir binge. Six episodes - each one increasingly had me on the edge of my seat. The story begins with two teenage boys witnessing a brutal murder scene. This series reminded me a little of Irish thriller "The Fall", in that we learn early on who the killer is. Suspense is heightened by the race to solve the crime before the killer finds the eyewitnesses. This gripping thriller also explores other contemporary issues in society: bikie gangs, addiction, sexuality and relationships. Talented cast - can't wait to watch more Norwegian drama series. Highly recommended crime series.