There is a certain irony in the fact that Harry Hole—a surname that, in his native Norwegian, carries no potential for double entendres but, when read in English, inevitably invites a string of easy jokes—had to wait so long for a TV adaptation that did him justice. The history of adaptations of Detective Hole, created by Jo Nesbø and the protagonist of numerous bestsellers, got off to the worst possible start in the last decade, with Hollywood’s attempt to bring The Snowman (2017)—where Michael Fassbender was spectacularly wasted in a hastily edited film that still stands today as a cautionary tale of how to squander far richer and more multifaceted source material.
The series now available on Netflix with its nine episodes is an ambitious undertaking, not least because Nesbø himself is behind the screenplay, having chosen to oversee his creation personally. And having reached the end of the season finale, we can say that his supervision has been a real asset.
Demons and Gods
To be precise, the events of the series are primarily inspired by the novel The Devil’s Star, the fifth book chronicling the (mis)adventures of this unconventional detective. The detective is still grappling with the trauma of a car accident that occurred five years earlier—an event that led to the death of his colleague and set him on a downward spiral, both personally and professionally. A long-time slave to alcoholism, he tried to get his life back on track through a relationship with a single mother, but now a series of disturbing murders threatens to force him to confront his old demons once again.
While hunting a methodical serial killer who leaves tiny red pentagram-shaped diamonds as a signature for his crimes, the protagonist finds himself caught up in a power struggle with his corrupt colleague Tom Waaler. A struggle that, episode after episode, grows increasingly ambiguous and dangerous…
A series that captivates and convinces
A compelling mystery, a dense yet not overloaded plot, and a steady pace that keeps the viewer hooked throughout. This first episodic incarnation of Detective Hole gets almost everything right, offering us a character who is just the right amount of tormented and, above all, an antagonist worthy of the name—something that is by no means a given. Much of the credit for this obviously goes to the two actors, who bring to life a tense showdown that unfolds throughout the entire season.
Tobias Santelmann has a commanding yet fragile physical presence, capable of conveying—without resorting to excess—the tension of a broken man, ready to fall back into his addictions but also to rise again like a phoenix. Wearing Mayhem and Ramones T-shirts, with a punk rock spirit just like in the books, his is a rock-solid performance that conveys feelings and emotions through silences and the unsaid, perfectly embodying a torn yet irresistibly captivating character.
Meanwhile, Joel Kinnaman, a face already more familiar to the general public, once again confirms his ability to bring ambiguous characters to life with extreme naturalness. His Tom Waaler, Harry’s colleague and his not-so-hidden enemy, is perhaps the series’ best creation: charismatic and icy, capable of transforming every exchange into something more. In a cast that’s just diverse enough, Ellen Helinder also stands out as an inspector whose mannerisms and tics occasionally seem to pay homage to Abby from NCIS, as does Peter Stormare in what amounts to a sort of brief cameo spanning just two episodes.
And then, of course, there’s Oslo, which—as in many local productions—is not merely a backdrop but a vibrant, pulsating stage, magnificently captured on film and oscillating between the icy luxury of middle-class apartments and the gritty underbelly of the streets where gang wars rage, with Nick Cave’s soundtrack providing the perfect dark, atmospheric accompaniment to the events.
All things considered, we are faced with a production that is flawless in its technical and acting execution, gripping in its best moments, and capable of standing out even in that central part of the season that does suffer from a slight “slackening.” But with its plot twists, a fascinating and unsettling mystery, and a pleasantly feverish take on the genre’s archetypes, Detective Hole works, appealing to both fans who already know and love the character and winning over new potential viewers, as evidenced by its rise in the Netflix rankings of most-watched titles.
Nine episodes in which Nordic noir regains its character and ambition, thanks to Tobias Santelmann, who imbues Jo Nesbø’s most famous detective with the necessary, pained humanity, and to Joel Kinnaman as his perfect, relentless nemesis. Detective Hole, supervised by the author himself, succeeds by relying on the quiet charisma of its tormented protagonist and his ambiguous relationship with his own demons and with the case he must solve—a raw and mysterious one capable of arousing curiosity and suspense as a plot unfolds that is less predictable than expected.
