Norway’s TV Golden Age: 8 New Shows That Will Obsess You

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Amid the excitement of Canneseries, the Norwegian drama “A Better Man,” managed by Beta Film, was given a grand red-carpet premiere on Sunday, leaving Marianne Furevold Boland, head of NRK drama, thrilled with pride. And indeed, she should be!

Ever since its debut in 2018, NRK has garnered a total of eight awards, with “Power Play,” a political drama, taking the best series prize in 2023 and “Dumbsday,” a comedy, earning the best screenplay award in 2024. Albin Lewi, Canneseries artistic director, praised Norway as the most innovative TV country during his announcement of the 2025 lineup, stating, “For me, it’s the most inventive TV country in the world.

As a dedicated advocate for Norwegian drama over the past eight years, I’ve had the privilege of being at the helm, guiding NRK’s dramatic endeavors since 2023 – most notably, the groundbreaking youth sensation “Skam.” I believe our nation’s remarkable golden age in drama can be attributed to several factors.

First and foremost, we are a small country that nurtures an incredible pool of talented storytellers. Our production landscape is brimming with skilled professionals, which has allowed us to consistently deliver dramas of exceptional quality.

Secondly, the passion for storytelling runs deep here, from the creators who dream up these captivating narratives, to the decision-makers who bring them to life on screen. We’ve all been driven by a shared ambition: to create stories that resonate with our audience, are entertaining, authentic, and have the potential to captivate viewers across the globe.

Lastly, we never lose sight of our audience. Their engagement and feedback serve as constant inspiration for us to push boundaries, innovate, and create drama that not only reflects the essence of Norway but also transcends cultural barriers.

In alignment with NRK’s unique approach to drama production, she emphasizes that our mission as a public broadcaster is to foster and uphold our democracy, and bring people together through narratives reflective of our society, inciting meaningful discussions. Our aim is to connect with a wide range of viewers by offering them an impactful shared experience. We take pride in the fact that we’ve achieved this success most recently with our satire about influencers titled “Requiem for Selina,” which not only garnered an award at Series Mania but also resonated with various demographics upon its premiere on NRK in March.

For the organizer of dramatic productions, “A Better Man,” a series shown at Canneseries that explores topics like online harassment, gender roles, and cancel culture, among others, is another thought-provoking program likely to stimulate discussion.

Furevold-Boland emphasizes that NRK’s collection of dramas maintains a harmonious blend, encompassing genres such as drama, comedy, content for young audiences, and children’s programming. A diverse array of commercially successful shows and more specialized content catering to youth or minority groups is included in this mix. Approximately 40% of the content is created internally, while the rest is commissioned to independent Norwegian production companies.

Following the financial structure and editorial direction of NRK, the public broadcaster has allocated around 250 million Norwegian Krone (approximately $24 million) for drama production in the year 2025. This budget does not include investments in acquisitions or co-productions, notes Furevold-Boland. However, it’s important to keep in mind that this amount can fluctuate from one year to another.

She assures that she provides at least three premium shows annually to her Nordic broadcasting companions within the N12 alliance, as well as one show per year for the European drama platform New8. However, she emphasizes that these agreements do not preclude additional collaboration opportunities.

Up until now, NRK has adhered to its traditional seven-year exclusive first window policy and hasn’t granted streaming rights to global platforms like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, but this could potentially shift in the future.

The drama head is expressing that we’re going through a phase of change, and we’re vigorously investigating various forms of joint ventures and cooperative alliances, such as co-productions and strategic partnerships. I firmly believe that adaptability and teamwork are crucial elements as the industry undergoes further development.

Furevold-Boland was asked about upcoming shows following “A Better Man,” and mentioned several titles. These include “The Wedding Party,” a Sámi-themed family comedy-drama that premiered at Berlinale Series Market, the medical series “Still Breathing,” the drama “Holmlia Love” inspired by real events involving racism in Norway, and the courtroom drama “Henki,” which centers around AIDS.

Furevold-Boland will also be present at Canneseries during the first gathering of the Broadcasters’ Conclave for the industry days.

Cammo 3″ (Comedy)
This drama, produced by NRK and created by Caroline Glommes, centers around an unusual friendship between an influencer and a woman with Down Syndrome. In the year 2023, it was awarded a special prize in Seoul. The local premiere is scheduled for April 2025.
Distribution: Primitives

“Whispers” (youth drama “Rykte”)Produced by Mothership Entertainment. A school drama penned by Christoffer V. Ebbesen, revolving around themes of friendship, bullying and self-discovery.
Premiere: Local spring 2025
Distribution: Beta Film

Family Bliss” (Comedy)
Producer: Seefood. Exploring a myriad of small and big squabbles that take place within the confines of a household.
Local Premiere: Spring or Summer 2025

Holmlia Love” (Drama)
Produced by Fremantle’s Monster Scripted, with Mikael Diseth as creator and director, and Andre Cochron also directing. The story revolves around a community devastated by a heinous crime committed by a Neo-Nazi, exploring their journey towards healing and unity.
Local release is scheduled for September 2025.
Distribution: Wild Bunch.

Hellerudsvingen 2″ (Animation, Satire)
This Norwegian production, akin to ‘South Park’, was created by Erlend Mørch, Steinar Klouman Hallert, and Halvard Harboe.
The local premiere is scheduled for fall 2025.

Glory Days 2″ (Norwegian “Våre beste år 2,” dramedy)
Produced by Feelgood and set in the era of Norway’s cultural awakening, this series crafted by Ole-Martin Ihle and Eivind Holmboe revolves around a socialist family, as they grapple with the tumultuous currents of 1980s capitalism.
The local debut is scheduled for fall 2025.
Distribution: Rabbit Films

A Better Man” (originally “Ølhunden Berit,” a drama)
Produced by Maipo Film in partnership with Artbox for NRK, jointly produced with ZDFneo. Crafted by Thomas Seeberg Torjussen. The character Tom (Anders Baasmo), a Norwegian internet troll embodying toxic masculinity, finds his identity exposed. To evade prosecution, he is compelled to cross-dress.
Premiere scheduled for November 2025 locally.
Distribution handled by Beta Film.

VGS” (Youth Drama)
Produced by BBC Studios Nordic Productions. This series explores the enchanting and complex aspects of being sixteen years old, created by Caroline Svartdahl. The local debut is scheduled for either spring or fall 2025.
Distribution: STV Production Norway handles sales.

“‘The Wedding Party’ (or ‘Heajastallan’) – a Comedy Drama” (Originally produced by Mer Film and Tordenfilm)
This is a dark comedy, penned by Åse Kathrin Vuolab, revolving around a troubled family who gather to host a traditional Sámi wedding in Kautokeino.
The local debut is scheduled for January 2026.
Distribution rights: REinvent

“Still Breathing” (produced by Rubicon), a gripping drama series set in a hospital, showcases the daily struggles of four interns navigating the demanding and overburdened healthcare system. This thought-provoking creation is the brainchild of Karianne Lund. The local debut is slated for spring 2026.

Henki” (Drama)
In Pre-Production. This emotionally charged production is brought to you by Klynge and Scanbox, under the creative direction of Jan Trygve Røyneland. The story revolves around Henki, a character who embarks on a relentless journey through the legal system, reaching as high as the Supreme Court, in a bid for justice and the restoration of his dignity. This drama centers around the challenging theme of AIDS.

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2025-04-26 19:19