Hot Nordic shows coming from Netflix, Viaplay, NRK, DR, SVT, TV 2 DK

We give you a snapshot of each broadcaster and streamers’ Nordic offer and ​ strategy. A Focus on Finland will be published next week.

NETFLIX
Jenny Stjernströmer Björk, Head of Netflix Nordic Original Series, has announced two new hires to beef up her team at Netflix’s Stockholm Nordic hub and Copenhagen satellite office.

Seasoned producer Håkon Briseid, formerly at Monster, has joined the Nordic division of the US streamer a few weeks ago, as Creative Director, reporting to Stjernströmer Björk.
SF Studios’ current Head of Film Production Sweden Annika Sucksdorff (former SF Studios colleague to Stjernströmer Björk) will take on similar responsibilities to Briseid in the spring.

“We are building a slate and want to choose the best projects. Quality is all that matters,” said Stjernströmer Björk who is keen to create “series that resonate with people.”

To grow as a fully-fledged part of the Nordic eco-system, Stjernströmer Björk said Netflix wants to contribute to the local industry’s sustainability. As such, the US group is launching two training initiatives:
1/ Serieskolan in DK - a talent programme for young people doing shorts, eager to go into serialised. A DKK 100,000 DK to the top project will allow the rising talent to do a pilot.

2/ Nordic Talent development programme (in early stages). Designed to train top talent wanting to step into the industry, including producers.

Upcoming Netflix Nordic series for the spring:

• Young Wallander - Killer's shadow -Feb 17 premiere​
• Borgen 4 - spring
• Clark - spring
• Love and Anarchy S2 spring

• Snabba Cash S2
• The Playlist
• Young Royals S2
• New Christmas series from Per Olav Sørensen (Home for Christmas)

NRK
Ivar Køhn will be leaving his position as Head of Drama at NRK in May, to join Rubicon as CEO.

NRK’s platform nrk.tv is at the forefront of the public broadcaster’s strategy. To fight off steep competition from the global streamers Køhn’s strategy is “to think local, be relevant, bold, unique, and do stuff that streamers don’t do”.

NRK commissions 2-3 event series a year, next to smaller budget scripted dramas of 30 minutes. More than 20 shows are commissioned across NRK’s drama, kids and youth, entertainment departments which secures diversity.

Selected upcoming series:

• I am Earth (Monday Scripted), 6x22’ rapsical from creator Amy Black Ndiaye
• Saving the fucking Planet (Fenomen), co-written by Kristin Vestreim, Karina Lystad, Rebecca Wirkola Kjellmann. From the producers of Rod Knock youth drama. Romeo and Juliet story, set in Northern Norway, where the Sami community is fighting to safeguard its environment.
• Boys in the Woods / Gutta på skauen, 10x25’ comedy drama co-written by Per Schreiner, Bjørn Olaf Johannessen, Erlend Loe, offering a satirical view of national heroism during WW2.

DR Drama
Recently appointed Head of Drama Henriette Marienlund said DR’s drama strategy is still to be finalised, but the ambition is “to bring important stories to life, about Danish people, society. “We want to avoid stereotype and generic stories,” she said.

Selected upcoming series:

• Borgen-season 4 (Sam Productions). Hotly anticipated new series created by Adam Price, for DR Drama and Netflix. Premiere on DR 1 and DRTV February 13.
• Friends on a Mission, 8x28’ family series set in Jutland for kids Easter holidays.
• Carmen Curlers. Directed by Natasha Arthy from a script by Mette Heeno. Feelgood period drama about the Danish creators of the electric curler in the 1960s. Commissioned for three seasons.

SVT
"It’s easy to be overwhelmed [by competition], but ultimately, what we all need is a great idea,” reminded Head of Drama Anna Croneman. SVT promotes talents, is fast in decision-making, helps producer keep rights, although does collaborate with streamers, she explained through a playful quizz presentation.
Upcoming series:

• One to one/En mot en (Stella Nova). Directed by Ahmed based, on scripts by Pelle Rådström and Jocke Granberg. Two Gambian asylum seekers facing deportation get a chance to make it big as footballers at a major club in Stockholm. But they realise they are competing for the same place in the team.
• The Fighter (Kärnfilm). Female boxing thriller co-written by Alexandra-Therese Keining with Henrik Engström and Jörgen Bergmark.
• The Big Fix /Spelskandalen (Nexiko). Based on a true story, about a gaming and sports fan, who embark on a crazy hunt for the big money.
• Missing People/Forsvunna människor (Unlimited Stories). Created by Ulf Ryberg (Headhunters). Suspense thriller about ordinary guys, taking wrong decisions-smuggling Syrian refugees in a truck.
• The Pirate Bay (B-RF). Six-part series about the notorious pirate BitTorrent site and its co-founders. Directed by Jens Sjögren (I am Zlatan), from a screenplay by Piotr Marciniak.
• Blackwater (Apple Tree Productions). Crime drama written by Queen of Hearts’ Maren Louise Käehn from the best-selling novel by Kerstin Ekman. Directed by Mikael Marcimain, starring Rolf Lassgård, Pernilla August.

TV2 DENMARK
Katrine Vogelsang, Head of Drama.

Same successful strategy which has enabled the broadcaster to deliver in recent years the biggest drama hits in Denmark. “We’re focusing on relevant stories about ourselves-to ourselves, storytelling about something-through someone’s point of view.”
See upcoming shows: CLICK HERE.

VIAPLAY
Set to launch 60 Viaplay Originals in 2022. “Our goal is to try to secure global rights but we are flexible. We co-commission and co-produce many shows and work both with established and new talents”, said Camilla Rydbacken, VP Scripted Content at NENT Group.

To contribute to sustainability in the industry, Nent Group has committed to collaborating with Nordic film schools. One selected project from each of the five Nordic countries will get a chance to premiere on Viaplay. Details TBA,

Selected upcoming series:

• Harmonica (Warner Bros Int’l TV Production). Swedish music drama from showrunner Josephine Bornebusch who also stars, next to Jonas Karlsson. Selected for Berlinale Series Market Select.
• Made in Oslo (Tordenfilm). Eight-part drama about fertility and child-bearing, starring Pia Tjelta and Jakob Cedergren.

C MORE/TV4
Upcoming 2022 slate consisting of 15 series, combines big brands, such as Solsidan, Beck, new C More Originals and YA shorter series.

See our interview with Piodor Gustafsson (TV4 Media’s Nordic Director of Scripted ) for full strategy. CLICK HERE.

Upcoming series:

• Adult behaviour/Vuxna människor (FLX). Swedish spin-off of the 1999 hit movie. Starring and directed by Felix Herngren.
• Headhunters (Yellow Bird Norway). First Norwegian Original C More, co-produced with TV2 Norway. Inspired by Jo Nesbø’s best-selling crime novel.
• Estonia (Fisher King). Finnish TV show about the tragic 1994 maritime disaster co-produced with Sweden, Estonia and Belgium.
• Riders in Darkness (Jarowskij). Eight-part Swedish drama, written by The Restaurant’s Ulf Kvensler. About sexual abuse in the equestrian world, based on a true story. Co-produced by ZDF.

For 2023:

• Monarchy
• Cry Wolf, adaptation of Hans Rosenfeldt’s novel.
• Hostage
• Sthlm Requiem spin-off