Arctic Circle is back for a third season on Channel 4’s Walter Presents, and fans of this popular Finnish drama won’t be disappointed. It packs a real punch, and, to put it mildly, there’s a lot going on in this one.
Season three sees Nina Kautsalo return as Ivalo’s new police chief, investigating the murder of a local pharmacist and uncovering the mystery of a stolen car prototype from a high-security testing facility.
The programme opens with a music and title sequence that is super dark and sinister. While this follows the expected norms of Nordic noir TV, it’s probably laying it on a little thick, as the series is more complex and measured than your standard twisted murder mystery.
Nevertheless, season three of Arctic Circle is certainly happy to embrace the somewhat fantastical (but just about stays on the right side of plausibility). The set-up of the carmaker is straight out of a Bond movie, with obligatory villains and an HQ and testing facility akin to the futuristic baddie lairs of the mid-60s, but re-envisaged for current times. And to that point, the missing car prototype at the centre of the plot bears an uncanny resemblance to a Tesla Cybertruck – the significance of which would not have been fully appreciated when the series was in production.
There are several really interesting characters in this series, all with their own issues and stories to tell. Of course, there are the predictably alcoholic and violent characters and the inevitable ‘doesn’t quite get it’ police chief (now retired), but what Nordic crime drama would be what it is without the stereotypes we’ve come to love? And Arctic Circle is certainly a cut above Walter Presents’ recent Finnish series Freezing Embrace, which had more than its fair share of two-dimensional characters.
Season three serves up some really nice human backstories woven into the plot, led by the difficulties faced by the very likeable lead Nina, played by Iina Kuustonen. She shows both strength and vulnerability as she battles to solve the crime mysteries while struggling with tough life issues.
Certainly, the series is not afraid of taking on big issues. Bullying, drug and alcohol addiction, violence against women, and disability all feature prominently in Arctic Circle, but they’re handled well within the context of the stories. Season three also addresses the cultural issue of the Sámi way of life being changed by modernisation and globalisation.
And for viewers who like watching all things Nordic, Arctic Circle certainly delivers on the settings and scenery. As you would hope, we are treated to stunning forests, snowscapes, and authentic Scandi interiors.
The only slight disappointment is the small presence of Nina’s sister Marita, played by Pihla Viitala, who is excellent in Deadwind. The depiction of the wayward sister struggling to keep her drug problem at bay has an interest all of its own. Maybe that’s one to be developed further in a future season.
Arctic Circle Seasons 1-3 are available on Channel 4 Player with Walter Presents – which one has been your favourite?
