Welcome to Sweden

Swedes, like myself, love to hear and see what other nationalities think of us. A lot of our entertainment is about laughing about ourselves and embarrassing situations. We love sarcasm and innuendos as well, but embarrassing situations really is popular.

Welcome to Sweden exposes a wide range of odd Swedish behaviourisms and is as entertaining to laugh with as it is to laugh at. The confused reactions of the character played by Greg Poehler helps to add to the humour.

If you know a Swede or someone who moved there or away from there, this is a funny way to get an insight into this very bizarre culture of the world's happiest people. There are things to learn and avoid from Swedish "wisdom", but in both cases it can be fun to laugh at (or with).

If you don't really like "etno humour", then you would probably rate this TV series a lot lower than me, but I find these 20 minute bitesize pieces of Swedish (and American! as the author is American) humour delightful.

For Swedes who think the series stereotypes us: Yes it does. All entertainment does this. Learn to laugh at yourself (or in worst case, others) and enjoy life rather than whine. :P (Yeah, so we're not all like this, but I'm guessing any intelligent person (even Americans) get that!)

The show could have been so much more, but Greg's awful acting, horribly played-out sad-sack role could have been given so much more depth if it were played by another actor. Any other actor.

The show does play hard on the cultural discontinuities between life in the US and life in Sweden, striking up *every single* possible stereotype (and I've got no problem with that), to the exclusion of other location-agnostic jokes that might be a good fit for that specific situation. The show's writers obviously suffer from a strong lack of creativity or have been specifically told to keep the topic on Sweden. All the time. Yawn.

What would really help take this show into a second season (or at least to the end of this season before being canceled) is if the writers added a little more depth to his wife's character and showed us more of the parents (who seem like engaging actors taking on roles that beg more exploration). I can honestly say that all 5 points that I've awarded this show go firmly to the actors who play the family of Josephine Bornebusch. Hopefully one of the Poehlers is reading this.

There is really so little to like about this show; it's a nepotistic slap in the face for anyone expecting to be even mildly entertained on a Thursday eve. Essentially a mix of contrived, cliché characters that play on a familiar theme; an awkward American trying to fit into a foreign culture. Yet for this formula to work, one has to like (or actually tolerate) the American in question, and Greg Poehler (Amy Poehler's brother....surprise!) is just too painful to watch; apparently years of being Amy's brother and being told he's pretty talented himself actually gave him the delusion he could act. Yet from the very opening scene with a cameo from Amy herself, it is blatantly apparent that the talent, timing and overall ability to pull-off a lead in a sit-com sat on only one side of that table. Once in awhile obscenely bland shows like this can spring forth an "Urkle" which saves it from cancellation, yet the cloyingly predictable bumbling uncle who is clearly a reincarnation of "Belkie" from "Perfect Strangers" (i.e. the foreigner who wants to be American) is just sad. Bad editing, bad writing, bad acting and a BAD choice overall.

I started watching "Welcome to Sweden" without any expectations. The series turned out to be very funny and entertaining. It makes a lot of fun about strereotypes and as a Finn I understand those jokes. But I don't think that for example some Austalian guy who knows nothing about Sweden would get all of the jokes. But not all the jokes are based on Sweden or Swedish stereotypes. There are plenty of jokes that anyone can get. There are few characters that are a bit annoying but luckily they don't show up very often. Greg Poehler and his character are my absolute favourites. But yeah, surprisingly good show but I think Swedes and other Nordic people understand the jokes best.

I enjoy this show. I like the play between American and Swedish cultures. The writing is fun and quirky. I like unusual shows, but they usually end up canceled. Not a lot of people into quirky I guess. I'm hoping this ones runs at least a few seasons. Greg Poehler reminds me of Greg Kinnear a bit, and I love seeing Amy Poehler and other guests pop in and out of the episodes. Also, the struggle for an American trying to find work in a foreign country without speaking the language is real. I don't think Greg Poehler's character is a 'sad sack' as another reviewer said, he's just an American fish in Swedish waters. And let me say, that trying to write ten lines for every review is kind of a pain! I give that a 3 stars!