In the recent wave of crime thrillers and shows hoping to tap into a crime noir vibe, one seems to be rising above the rest, earning a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and snatching the #2 spot on Netflix‘s Top 10 Most Watched list. This time, it’s the shadowy streets of Oslo that are calling, bringing to life a story that’s based on a wildly popular series of crime novels. So if you’ve been looking for something with a morally gray and beleaguered detective, a notorious serial killer, and police corruption, then look no further.
While it’s still early days for the series, the early reviews for Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole are incredibly promising. The series, which was also penned by the original author of the novels and is therefore much closer to his vision than the earlier attempts to bring Harry Hole to life, centers around the titular Detective Harry Hole and is based on the fifth book in the series, The Devil’s Star. As the events unfold, Harry finds himself not only chasing a brutal killer whose violence has rocked Norway to its core, but also going head-to-head with his longtime rival, Detective Tom Waaler, a man he knows is as corrupt as the day is long. The two men find themselves locked in a heated battle as one seeks justice and the other attempts to escape it. Through it all, lives hang in the balance, and it’s up to Harry not to let himself be pulled down by the past.
Critics are full of praise for this newest iteration of Detective Hole, and while the early reviews are still coming in, it’s worth noting that the series has earned a 100% critics rating. Aside from its stunning cinematography, a staple in the Nordic noir subgenre, the casting is perfection, and the story, while meandering in certain places, is mostly taut and filled with a sense of urgency. “This is an altogether tastier kettle of pickled herring than the film. It puts the character—a brilliant, driven, temperamental, introverted loner who struggles with alcoholism and depression—back on the right track,” says critic Pat Stacey. And while the trope of a depressed, bitter, angry man going on a violent mission to reclaim his sanity could be viewed as trite, there’s something incredibly refreshing about the way that actor Tobias Santelmann portrays those qualities in Harry Hole.
While critics are wildly in favor of the series, audiences are a bit more critical, dishing out an early rating of only 79%. Their main complaint? The pacing feels cramped, as if the showrunners were too afraid of a trademark Netflix early cancellation and attempted to pack too much into the first season just in case the series wasn’t renewed. It’s a fair fear, and the series could only have benefited from a bit more breathing room. But, overall, it’s still an entirely gripping watch—one that is more than deserving of a second (and third) season.
Do you have a favorite moment from Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. And don’t forget to check out the ComicBook forum to keep the conversation going with other fans!
