It says much about geopolitical tensions in the world that many Nordic TV shows, films, and books now include a Russian-threat subplot. So, it is with the eight-part Finnish TV series Isolated, now showing as part of the Walter Presents strand on Channel 4.
Originally titled Utö in its Finnish release in 2024, named after the remote island in the Baltic Sea, this is a tale far more complex and mysterious than a straightforward military thriller, mixing thriller and supernatural to great effect.
Utö is remote. Finland’s most southerly inhabited island is home to a small community of islanders, a lighthouse, a small shop, and a modest hotel. The Finnish military maintained a base on the island until 2005, but their facilities remain, fenced off with ominous warnings against trespass.
Surrounding Utö is the Baltic Sea, with a ferocious reputation, claiming many casualties – including Europe’s biggest peacetime loss of shipping, the sinking of the MS Estoniaferry in 1994. It’s Finland’s version of the Bermuda Triangle, myths talking of a mysterious force tearing ships apart.
All of these factors lend Utö an air of mystery, something Isolated uses to full advantage. When a young girl, Magda, sets out on her first ferry trip to the mainland, it triggers a chain of events that threatens to destroy the island. Mysterious sonic noises sweep the island, electricity fails, and islanders lose all communication with the outside world. For such a remote community this isn’t unheard of – power has gone before – but always swiftly restored.
This time is different. Days turn to weeks, and the island is cut off from the rest of the world as food and water supplies dwindle. When boats attempt to leave, they vanish, and rumours begin to spread about war, military experiments, and a Russian invasion of Finland.
Island-dystopia dramas have appeared before, from Lord of the Flies to Lost, but Isolated finds its own path. The slow descent into societal breakdown is captured perfectly. Doubt builds, outsiders are viewed with suspicion that turns to violence, and even mundane events take on ominous significance.
Series writers Lassi Vierikko and Petja Läähde pace this decline into anarchy well, adding fresh twists to keep viewers on edge. Like Lost before it, not every mystery is solved, but unlike its predecessor, most threads are tied up by the conclusion – with just enough left dangling to tantalise.
With the majority of the action set on Utö, the sense of claustrophobia is real, and the burden falls heavily on the cast. Yes, there are some beautiful panoramic shots of the archipelago, but characterisation is the true anchor here.
Parents of young Magda – who may be central to the supernatural forces surrounding the island – Maria (Elena Leeve) and Henri (Joonas Saartamo) provide the emotional core. Their imploding marriage is magnified by the island’s forced isolation.
Noa Lange’s Sebastian, seeking refuge after a traumatic childhood, finds himself branded a dangerous outsider. With his grandmother Meri (the ethereal Kati Outinen) holding the key to the islanders’ predicament, Sebastian is torn between fleeing and facing his past.
Perhaps the most compelling performance in a strong ensemble is Ville Virtanen’s turn as a recluse haunted by ghosts and conspiracy theories. A survivor of the MS Estoniatragedy, he lives in his caravan on the margins, his performance a study in torment. Viewers familiar with Bordertown will recognise Virtanen’s skill at embodying troubled minds, and here he excels.
Supernatural thrillers are notoriously hard to pull off – the unexplained is, by nature, elusive. Combine the supernatural with a realistic depiction of societal collapse and the balance is delicate.
Directors Johannes Salonen, Rane Tiukkanen, and Teppo Airaksinen manage that balance with assurance. The supernatural legend of “The Mouth” is given just enough substance to feel credible while leaving space for the imagination. But it is in the human interactions – the slow decline into despair, the fracturing of community – that the series shines.
At eight episodes, the pace sometimes drags, and naval subplots away from the island feel underdeveloped. But these are minor flaws.
In a time when the occupation of sovereign states and military incursions dominate headlines, and when memories of pandemic lockdowns still linger, Isolated feels both timely and resonant. Simple in approach, gripping in execution, it is a well-constructed supernatural thriller that asks what community truly means.Isolated is now streaming on Walter Presents, Channel 4.
Isoloated boxset is now available on WALTER PRESENTS via C4 STREAMING
