Netflix adapts Jo Nesbø’s Harry Hole in a dark and gripping Nordic noir series
The long-awaited Netflix adaptation of Jo Nesbø’s Harry Hole delivers a strong debut, blending brutal crime investigation with the signature bleakness of Nordic noir, writes reviewer Roger Grosvold in Dagbladet. Based on the fifth book in Nesbø’s series, Marekors (2003), the eight-episode series premieres on March 26.
The story unfolds in Oslo during a sweltering summer, where rising gang violence and debates over police armament set the backdrop. Detective Harry Hole (Tobias Santelmann), haunted by a five-year-old case that reshaped his life, is drawn into a new investigation—only to clash with his volatile colleague Tom Waaler (Joel Kinnaman). When a woman’s body surfaces missing a finger, with a blood-red star-shaped diamond hidden beneath her eyelid, Hole realizes a serial killer is taunting the city. A chilling message from the killer confirms the stakes: “I am the creature you hoped didn’t exist… the one who rides you to hell.”
The series excels in atmosphere, weaving social commentary with a tense manhunt. While the plot occasionally stumbles—particularly in balancing Hole’s personal demons with the murder mystery—it avoids the pitfalls of 2017’s widely panned The Snowman adaptation. Director Øystein Karlsen and Anna Zackrisson ground the story in the gritty realism and moral ambiguity that define Nordic crime drama, elevating it above formulaic procedurals like Norway’s Varg Veum films.
Tobias Santelmann’s portrayal of Hole is a standout, transforming what could have been a clichéd “brilliant but broken” detective into a compelling antihero. His performance lends depth to Hole’s self-destructive genius, making the character’s flaws feel earned rather than indulgent. Santelmann’s chemistry with the ensemble cast—including Pia Tjelta as Hole’s love interest Rakel Fauke and Joel Kinnaman as the menacing Waaler—anchors the series. Kinnaman, in particular, delivers a unsettling turn that may redefine his on-screen persona.
The supporting cast reads like a who’s who of Scandinavian acting talent, from Ingrid Bolsø Berdal and Anders Baasmo to Peter Stormare and Kristoffer Joner. While the sheer star power risks overshadowing the narrative at times, it underscores the production’s ambition—a far cry from the assembly-line feel of earlier Norwegian crime adaptations.
Minor missteps aside, Jo Nesbø’s Harry Hole succeeds as both a faithful adaptation and a gripping standalone thriller. For fans of the books, it’s a welcome return to Hole’s world; for newcomers, it’s an immersive introduction to one of Nordic noir’s most enduring characters.