Poromafia

I lived in Finland, so I "got" this. However, I don't think it would be a big success transferred to a foreign audience, at least not on the scale of other nordic/baltic dramas. The characters were quintessentially local and hard to relate to unless one knows the country.

The scriptwriters deserve a medal for the twists and turns in the story. I liked the typically Finnish humour they introduced to the narrative too. Everything was understated, allusions were made and discoveries tumbled out as the plot developed.

The wild vastness of the North with its ruined cabins, aimless inhabitants and wild west mentality was a major part of the plot as were the reindeer of the title.

There were deft touches; the bromance between the two bungling Wolverines was a study in Finnish reserve. No one screamed or shouted. Even under pressure, people appeared calm.

And we got a cliffhanger. So I hope there's another season coming.

This series, set in the north of Finland, near the Norwegian border, follows the events that follow the death of Brita Nelihanka. She owned a significant amount of land and husband Rouku Nelihanka had expected to inherit it... he is beyond furious when he learns the land is to be divided between three people; none of whom is him! He is determined to get the land and is willing to use fair means or foul, mostly foul, to get it. Life isn't too easy for those who have inherited the land; two of them have debts to pay or they will be forced to sell the land.

I enjoyed this series; for the most part it feels like a drama but there are moments of surreal humour. The characters are interesting with the cast doing a fine job making them believable. The snowbound Finnish landscape certainly adds a lot to the series; it is more than just a setting as more than once it proves a danger for characters lost miles from civilisation. The ending is good; it wraps up key plot lines before delivering a surprise that leave things open for a potential second season. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to those looking for something a bit different.

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