After the celebrated film from 2011, there is now finally the series ‘Headhunters’, based on the book by Jo Nesbø. Once again, the Norwegians prove that they are currently delivering the best international drama series.
Earn a lot of money at a fast pace. That’s what Roger Brown envisions in the new Norwegian drama series Headhunters , adapted from Jo Nesbø’s bestseller. As an eager headhunter for a large Norwegian recruitment company, but also as a sneaky art forger.
“Roger manipulates, lies and cheats for pleasure,” says the young Norwegian actor Alex Bøyum, who portrays the young headhunter. “He knows how to fool everything and everyone. Until Roger’s path is crossed by a mysterious British woman who tries to convince him that he should put forward a certain Sander Fjellheim as the new CEO of the company Njord Oil. From that moment on things are not very gentle for Roger.”
An exciting roller coaster with action when you least expect it
Bøyum describes Headhunters (‘ Hodejegerne ‘ in good Norwegian) like an exciting and thrilling roller coaster, where the pace is built up in such a way that you get enough time to understand what drives and motivates Roger Brown.
“The action happens when you least expect it,” says the actor who broke through in 2012 with the Emmy-awarded Nordic noir miniseries Eyewitness . “Moreover, you are constantly being misled, because Roger has a lively imagination.”
Headhunters is yet another Norwegian drama production to hit the national television screen in a short time. Earlier, viewers could already get acquainted with the thriller series Furia on right-wing extremism in Europe; Clearing about the single detective William Wisting from Larvik and two seasons Exit about the financial world of Oslo.
Next fall ‘Afterglow’ will be on the roll at NPO
Next autumn will also be at the NPO Afterglow ( Ettergl O d ) is on the program, a drama series by Atle Knudsen starring Nina Ellen Ødegård. This warm relationship drama is already praised in the TV world compared to the British hit Cold feet and tells the story of Esther, who is told on the eve of her 40th birthday that she has a serious illness.
Instead of focusing on misery and sorrow, thus Drama Quarterly concentrates Afterglow focuses on the joy of life and what it means to be surrounded by people who love you.
“It is true that Norwegian television drama is on the rise internationally,” says Bøyum. “After years of looking up to the Danes and Swedes, we went our own way by not just producing drama series that fall within a certain genre. Since then it’s not just Nordic Noir that strikes the clock; Norwegian drama series are very varied in their way of telling stories and the different genres that are offered.”
The turning point, the actor estimates, took place around 2018, when more and more streaming services came. “For a long time, Norwegian program makers focused on the older viewer, who especially appreciated war dramas. The turnaround came almost consciously when the decision was taken to only produce programs and series that challenge the viewer and provoke discussions in the living room.
As head hunters? Bøyum: “From the first moment nothing is what it seems. And that is a smart way to start a series, because as a viewer you are immediately sucked into the story. Whether you want to or not.”
Headhunters Saturday, NPO3, 8.30 pm.