Netflix’s Harry Hole paints Oslo as a dystopian nightmare—is the city really that grim?

The Norwegian capital takes on a dark, crime-ridden persona in Netflix’s hit series Harry Hole, where drug dens, rat-infested streets, and open-air prostitution dominate the landscape—far removed from the polished image often portrayed in films like those of director Joachim Trier. But does the show reflect reality, or is it pure fiction? Dagbladet asked locals and experts for their take.

“This isn’t your Oslo—it’s Harry Hole’s Oslo,” wrote VG’s reviewer, describing a city drowning in filth and vice. Dagbladet’s own critic noted the series serves up “syringe piles, scurrying rats, trash-strewn alleys, and daylight sex trafficking”—hardly a tourist brochure. Yet many of the city’s most prominent voices admit they haven’t even seen the show.

Harald Eia, the comedian behind the fictional character “Oslolosen” (a satirical Oslo local), told Dagbladet he hasn’t watched it—meaning neither has his alter ego. Former Oslo mayor Fabian Stang confessed in a text: “Haven’t had time yet, but I’m looking forward to it.” Even Storting politician Agnes Nærland Viljugrein (Labour), a native of the working-class Tøyen district, hasn’t seen it. “On Vålerenga, we sing ‘We’re the scum, we’re the welfare state,’” she said. “It’s refreshing that Oslo isn’t just shown as some idyllic Joachim Trier fantasy. Finally, some respect for the grittier parts of the city.”

Meanwhile, Oslo’s self-appointed culinary critics—Vink-jentene (the “Wine Girls”), known for reviewing the city’s bakeries—have binge-watched the series. “The only accurate part is the number of rats,” said Ellen Øxning Eriksen, one half of the duo. Her partner, Henriette Marvik Berg, added that they’ve already visited Harry Hole’s regular haunt, Schrøder restaurant, and are eager to test his signature waffles. “We’ve offered to help director Øystein Karlsen find the best bun shops for next season,” Berg said, half-jokingly volunteering for a cameo.

Eirik Hoff Lysholm, editor of local paper Avisa Oslo, has seen the first two episodes. While he appreciates the artistic liberties, he dismisses the Gotham City comparison: “Harry’s Oslo is far more brutal than the safe, pleasant city most of us experience. Oslo is absolutely not a hellhole.”

Markus Slettholm, a commentator for Morgenbladet, acknowledges the exaggerated noir aesthetic but finds it “kind of cool to give little Oslo some LA vibes.” “They’ve turned it into a Skid Row pastiche—darker, dirtier, more dramatic,” he said, referencing the infamous downtown Los Angeles district.

The sole dissenting voice comes from outside Oslo. Trude Drevland, former mayor of Bergen, didn’t hesitate: “Oh my God! I’m addicted!” she exclaimed when asked about the show. “It gets under my skin. I wake up next to a red star every morning.” (The “red star” is a nod to the series’ communist-era visual motifs.)

So is Harry Hole’s Oslo pure fantasy, or a distorted mirror held up to the city’s underbelly? For now, the debate rages—though most locals seem more amused than offended.