Ivalo

The scenario in itself is not extraordinary but you quicly get close to the characters. The actors are quiet good but i want to give a special award to Venla : Amazing Kid !!!

I just finished both seasons of Arctic Circle ("Ivalo"). I liked it. Yes, there were some strange twists of plot that strained credulity and were quite farfetched. That said, the drama was marked by good acting, sympathetic characters, an engaging storyline, and gorgeous Nordic vistas. I was going to give it a seven, but the surprises that unfolded late in the second season caused me to add a point and bump it up to eight.

Arctic Circle met my criterion for a good drama: I cared about all the major characters. Lina Kuustonen was a strong lead as policewoman Nina; both her sister Marita and her ex (and baby daddy) Esko became sympathetic characters as the story unfolded. And I can't say enough about actress Venla Ronkainen, an actress with Down Syndrome, who played Nina's special needs daughter, also named Venla. Often I find that kids in dramas don't add much to the storyline. But Arctic Circle was the exception. Venla was possibly the most endearing character I've ever seen in a drama. She played an important role in the flow of the action, and lit up every scene she was in. The actress was great. I don't know if she'll ever act in another production, but she did herself proud with her performance in 16 episodes of Arctic Circle.

As I write this, I have no idea whether there will be a third season, but I would watch it.

This Finnish series is set in Finnish Lapland, near the Russian border. Nina Kautsalo, a local police officer, is part of the investigation into what happened to a Russian prostitute found in a remote cabin. The case is complicated when it is discovered that she is carrying a deadly disease that has previously only been found in a remote corner of the Yemen. German virologist Thomas Lorenz is sent to investigate the disease and the two work together and discover a sinister and dangerous plot. The second season sees Nina once again involved in an investigation that crosses the border when somebody who seeks her help is silenced by a wealthy hunting party.

I really enjoyed this series. The cases were interesting and the characters were fun to watch. The first two seasons feel as if they are set in totally different places; the first is snow covered as far as the eye can see while the second features a green landscape. I always like to see shows set in places I know little about. The cast did a fine job; especially Iina Kuustonen as Nina, Venla Ronkainen, who played her delightful daughter and Maximilian Brückner as Thomas. There are some family issues in each season but these give depth to the characters rather than distract from the story. Overall a solid series; I hope we don't have to wait too long to get the third season here.

These comments are based on watching the series in the original languages with English subtitles; it should be noted that the characters talk to other nationalities in perfect English.

I have to say that some of the plot lines are somewhat fantastical but I enjoyed them for all that. The acting was good and once more I am just so impressed at the proficiency of so many European actors in English. And a special mention, as so many others have done, for the young woman who played Venla so incredibly well.

The second season is freshest in my mind as I just saw it last week and I was left with an impression that the series was grappling with ethical and moral dilemmas as well as being a cop drama. The writers took the position that any form of vigilantism is completely wrong even if it were a considered, researched one. And extrapolating from the events in season two, that the death penalty is wrong if only for the fact that the executed person might be innocent.

Tension built as new revelations about the characters grew and explained their motivations. We also saw the very real difference between Finland, the supposedly least corrupt country in the world, and Russia where the authorities collude in lawlessness and corruption.

We also had human interest themes - the aforementioned Venla, infidelity and betrayal, the grisly fate of gays in Russia, relationships with parents.

I hope I'm not making this sound terribly worthy and boring as it isn't. Both seasons were fast paced and gripping. I hope there will be a third.

Arctic Circle is a very interesting yet somewhat underrated Finnish-German co-production series to watch. I enjoyed it with pleasure, despite its flaws.

• (+) Very good acting by all the cast, with a big V. The beautiful Iina Kuustonen was a joy to follow through. By the way, Venla should have been properly credited as she did an awesome job. Shame on you the Executives.
• (+) Amazing depiction of the harsh climate (~ -40 Celsius), snow-blanketed Lapland and Ivalo with super beautiful vast landscapes, filming, sceneries and shots. One of the high plus of the show.
• (+-) Scientifically Interesting premise and screenplay with touching sub-storylines, unfortunately with big plot-holes, complemented with more than bad editing and super unrealistic happenings, events and results.
• Definitely deserves a final season 2 with new twists and turns and tying loose ends. Hope they are smart enough to realize it.

14 reviews only for a nice and thrilling European series finished one and a half year ago. There is something definitely wrong here!

Hope it is graced with a second season and followed by more dramatic series from thrilling Finland. They are on the right path, though, they still have a lot to learn from deeper Scandinavian marvels like Bron/Broen.