If you've ever wanted to know what life is like in a small town in Northern Iceland, this is the show for you. It's ostensibly a murder mystery, and a well plotted one, but more interesting than that is the evocative way the show presents the environment: the cold, the emptiness, the loneliness -- as well as the need for the town's people to work together when they can. There are flaws -- the leading man is a terrific actor but he seems awfully obese to be running a police department; the pacing is slow; the direction often feels a bit pretentious and arty. But all in all, it's really quite good.
Apparently, according to reviews, season 2 is not nearly as good.
Apparently, according to reviews, season 2 is not nearly as good.