Bordertown

Kari Sorjonen is one of Finland's best detectives and had been working in Helsinki but now he transfers to Lappeenranta, a town on the border with Russia. Here he lives with his wife, who is recovering from cancer, and his teenage daughter. He is part of a special unit investigating serious crime. Inevitably most of these involve murder.

Each case typically lasts two episodes, a couple last three, there are also plot lines that run throughout the series. These ongoing plot lines involve the possibility of corruption in the town's administration as well as family issues for Kari. Kari has something of Sherlock Holmes about the way he solves cases so it isn't surprising there is also a 'Moriarty'; a killer who appears in several stories.

I really enjoyed this Finnish series. Each story provides a good mystery and the main characters are a lot of fun to watch. Ville Virtanen does a great job as Sorjonen; I loved how he constantly moves his hands as he thinks through problems. He contrasts impressively with Anu Sinisalo, who does a fine job as his tough-as-nails, ex-FSB partner Lena. The rest of the cast impress as well. It might be argued that family members of the two protagonists get caught up in the crimes a little too often but it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the series. The series has a great look, especially in episodes where the already impressive landscapes are blanketed in winter snow. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to fans of the genre looking for a new location and interesting characters.

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

It's a compelling crime drama that I found quickly addictive. The character development is well done, and there's a nice mix of suspense and twists. My only critique is the dubbing is awful. Luckily I saw the advice of another reviewer to change the audio to FInnish and turn on English subtitles. This allows you hear the proper tone of the actors.

Taking his leave from hectic Helsinki to find more peace of mind and time for his family, Finnish detective Sorjonen finds himself and his loved ones more and more intertwined with the intrigues of Lappeenranta, a small town near the border with Russia.

The show is subdivided into several 'cases' covering three or four episodes each, giving you a quick and steady build-up of suspense that keeps you at the edge of your seat and hungry for answers. The characters develop naturally, and their interactions are natural and witty. Cinematography-wise, the film makers went out their way to contrast the beauty of the Finnish landscape with the dull greyness of a small industrial town.

Sorjonen/Bordertown's reserved characters may be a typical and accurate representation of the overall Finnish disposition, but it's the rough edges, quirky little details and the snarky responses from the somewhat stubborn Sorjonen that give this show a very authentic feel. Sorjonen having to move an inevitable pile of paper clutter from Taina's passenger seat before he can sit down, for instance, is a very natural thing to happen, and would surely be polished out in Hollywood shows. Another refreshing example is Lena, a stocky blonde in her late 40s. As the actual unscrupulous ex-FSB Russian muscle of the show, she won't shy away from a few unconventional methods to get answers. At the same time, she is having a hard time being a mother to troubled Katia.

If you're looking for points of critique, it would be that some of the characters are surprisingly quick in recovering from rather traumatic experiences, and there's a few loose ends that remain unanswered. Also, there's quite a worrying number of really twisted people in the small town of Lappeenranta.

If you are looking for rapid action and wild shoot-outs, this isn't the show for you. If you're into natural acting and subtle, dark humour, then this is highly recommended.

Bordertown features Ville Virtanen as Det. Kari Sorjonen in an engaging performance along with his underlings Niko and Lena (in a compelling role as well). Original and unpredictable plots keep the show riveting from one episode to the next. What doesn't work so well is Kari and Lena's annoying teenage daughters who create one problem after another with their stubborn idiocy. Kari's wife Paulina's subplots are not that interesting (though they eventually pay off), while both her and her daughter Janina inexplicably gripe constantly about Kari's dedication to his work (i.e. saving lives). You begin to dread every time he comes home because you know they're going to give him a load of attitude. As with the other great Finnish Noir series, Deadwind (aka Karppi), you wish the detectives were single and childless. Maybe there's a common perception in Finland that teenage daughters are unbearably full of crap, but it's esp. distracting in Bordertown which is otherwise excellent.

Another review noted that Netflix has dubbed season two. Change the language back to finnish with english subtitles. Much better. Very good show.