Meurtres à Åre

Just like you want a murder mystery to be. I liked the style of this one, effective and straightforward. The actors then had to show more than tell, and there were plenty of scenes whey they came through loud and clear. Breathtaking scenery about a part of the world we see little of in the States - but then I love foreign films for this very reason. Not everyone behaves like Americans and I love to immerse myself in other cultures' nuances. Of course we share a global commonality: murderers and police departments and family members all inextricably connected which makes for a basic premise that we love to journey through as we try to guess who-done-it also. Good writing keeps it unpredictable and this show delivers.

So what if there was a familiar scene from a famous horror film - a nice tribute to that film while treating it wholly differently. Good show. I would like to see it renewed for season two in order to follow through with the characters storylines - I'm already hooked!

Abusive husband busting through a hotel door with an axe to assault his wife and child? Sounds familiar. But it's just a throwaway scene in this rather odd procedural/Scandinoirish series. It's supposed to be a 5-episode season but it's more like two seasons of 3 and 2 episodes respectively, as they pertain to the investigations of unrelated cases. Brevity is the soul of wit or something, and kudos to the show for being efficient and economical. I admit I'm the first to gripe when shows pad the runtime with extraneous twists and goofy red-herrings. Here, however, the show goes to the inverse extreme since the investigations are so truncated and straightforward that their resolutions are banal; plus the characters don't get quite enough development to make an impression.

I have watched all five episodes and enjoyed them.

They are based on a series of books by a very well known author, Viveca Sten.

There are two distinct stories here... so the first three eps are a complete "story" and then they are followed by two more which extend the characters a bit more.

These are good. I am a huge Scandi Noir fan and love series like this. I find the ones filmed in winter particularly interesting and enjoyable. The conditions are often awful and I just love how the characters move thru the weather like it is nothing special (which it isn't in Scandinavia).

The first story takes a bit of time to get started. By the point we get to the second story, we're familiar if not comfortable with the characters and can sit back and appreciate the plot.

BTW if you're wondering "why two stories?" this is not unusual for series like this. Go with it.

There's nothing super special here. It isn't Beck or Wallander or etc. But it is solid acting and good, engaging plots.

The two main characters (Carla and Kardo) have charisma and a certain *something* between them. And alas, in part this is the reason I'm giving this an 8 instead of a 9 or 10... I don't want to spoil anything but there are hints of something that I'd rather just be left out.

Alternatively, I liked the Charlie plot line in eps 4 and 5.

The other criticism, is, of course, that we see one of the characters doing stupid stuff that in reality I'm guessing the police would never do. But this is common throughout the genre in order to add danger to the plot. So I'm not going to criticize it too much.

So if you're a Scandi Noir fan, or even just a fan of a good detective series, I recommend this.

And as always I recommend watching it in the original language with subtitles. Seriously.

The plots are clever enough to keep you guessing, and yet this is fairly straightforward and dare I say simple storytelling. There's humor. There's drama. There's some intense stuff that gets scary.

Recommended.

I agree with the other reviewers, the problem with the series is the script. The location is beautiful and it's nice to have a series not set in Stockholm or Malmo or.... In general I have no problem with the cast. Episodes 1-3 are one story, 4 & 5 a second story.

Hanna is a stereotype of a green detective who goes off on her own and doesn't take orders from her senior partner. She has maturing to do and admits that she should have waited and not gone alone. One would think after her recent Stockholm experience, that she'd look before she leaps.

I'm a big fan of the "Beck" series set in Stockholm, that series has a really good cast and superior scripts. This is not a Beck, but it's better than some other Swedish police procedurals..

I'm also a fan of "Sandhamn Murders" also from Viveca Sten mystery novels. Different cast, writers and different production companies. I'd like to see more Swedish crime dramas from Netflix.

There are times when you come across a show that feels like a hidden gem-a real gold mine. Unfortunately, The Åre Murders isn't one of them.

While the series boasts a fine cast, strong direction, and breathtaking cinematography that enhances the overall experience, it somehow lacks the warmth of your typical Netflix and chill session. And I don't blame the visuals-the real issue lies with the story itself, which never feels truly resolute.

Viveca Sten is undoubtedly a fantastic crime thriller writer, with nearly 20 books to her credit and an international bestseller reputation. However, The Åre Murders leaves gaps that can't easily be ignored. At times, it feels like just another stretched-out episode of CSI-a simple story where characters are grieving, and that's about it. Nothing more, nothing less.

I am going to with a decent 6/10 for this one, you can skip this if you want to.