Grenseland (2017) User Reviews

I really hope there will be a season 2

[aggelosandreou-17839 · 6/10 · 2 July 2018]

If they stick to that ending and not shoot a second season I will get massively angry.

Nordic crime dramas are always complex, dark, sophisticated and they drag you into their slow-pacing and excruciating world, where you think there will be no salvation (hint: normally, there's no salvation...)

BUT, Borderliner really can't end with season one. There too many questions to answer, too many characters to explore.

Overall, I was hooked by the way the plot was unfolded throughout the episodes, the impeccable acting from the entire cast and the magical norwegian scenery.

It would have been an 8 or even 9, if the ending did not leave me wondering if there was an episode 9 and netflix has missed it.

On a side note, it was the first series I've seen where a gay character is the protagonist, and is NOT defined by his sexuality. Good job!

Well filmed and competently acted but disappointing plot devices almost ruin it.

[msghall · 7/10 · 3 April 2018]

I enjoyed this series, despite the frustrating ending designed to provide a cliffhanger for the next season, not yet available on Netflix. While the series as a whole is quite enjoyable, the silliness of some choices by the lead actor can only be a result of the writers not being clever enough to devise more believable plot twists. You are left a few times feeling cheated and not just by the less-than-satisfying ending, but by the palm-to-forehead choices of the actors. I am looking forward to the next season but not holding my breath. At best a pleasant and sometimes involving diversion, 'Borderliner' needs better writing in terms of plot development to fully achieve its goals.

After 8 episodes that's the best you could do?

[Cryss66-45-703108 · 7/10 · 29 August 2018]

It's like they ran out of budget, time and story. Took some nice twists and turns, went back on itself a few times but was ok for possibly 10 episodes. So the ending we got is absolutely rubbish. If you are binge watching you will be so disappointed. Here is hoping for season 2, otherwise don't waste your time.

Where is this going?

[B24 · 7/10 · 12 March 2018]

One hardly knows what to say at the end of viewing this eight-part series. The filming is technically superb. The soundtrack complements the action reasonably well. The acting is good, not great. But the plot is complicated by leaving too many loose ends at its conclusion. English dubbing seems OK, though the Norwegian and Swedish original must have nuances that escape the senses of an Anglophone. Is it a mini-series for TV yet to be concluded or is it intended as a stand-alone film? Or is that left to the imagination of the viewer? If no continuation is foreseen, then one must be mildly disappointed in spite of all the good things Borderliner has going for it.

Briefly stated, the main detective character as played by Tobias Santelmann is caught up in what is either a sting operation involving drug smuggling or a set of personal circumstances surrounding multiple deaths among family and other acquaintances that call into question both his professional ethics and his moral compass. The viewer is never quite sure where the center of this drama is leading. As an individual, his character is fascinating. But one's sympathies are never fully engaged because the plot keeps letting him down, either by too much diversion or too little internal resolution.

In a way, I hope there is more to come, because as I have pointed out it is a good overall production...just inconclusive.

What happened

[thomwhelan · 7/10 · 23 January 2019]

Was enjoying this until the WTF ending ?? There wasn't one ! So disappointing after quite a good series

Interesting dynamic.

[briansammbr · 10/10 · 11 March 2018]

They flip the usual script for a detective drama by having the main character spend most of his time trying to cover up a crime, rather than solving it. It's an interesting dynamic.

Great to see a queer protagonist treated identically to how a straight protagonist on a similar show would be. Often queer characters have some kind of plot point or story element hinging on their queerness.

Writer's Block

[fromkin-23-290370 · 7/10 · 23 April 2020]

I was really enjoying this series, right up until the end. And, then, it was apparent that the show runner had no idea how to end the season - and so he or she just ended it.

Dark as a Norwegian Winter

[pseawrig · 10/10 · 19 August 2018]

This show is very noir. The protagonist does some very bad things, but for what he thinks are the right reasons. In perfect noir style, none of the characters are who they seem to be. Each is pursuing a hidden agenda. As a consequence, the story unfolds in layers. Also in noir style, the story world has a nightmare quality to it. It traps the protagonist at every turn. If you like shows like The Bridge (SE), The Killing, Marcella, Case, and Trapped, you'll probably like this one too. Just the cinematography is incredible, but the story telling is first rate as well . . . as long as you are willing to pay close attention. It's in Norwegian with English subtitles.

Almost predictable

[mc96822 · 6/10 · 10 July 2018]

I like European's crime TV show because it goes deep into the character's feeling while the Americans' usually focus more on the action.

The most corrupted police force ever on this one though that it just doesn't settle in right. Lots of loop holes, needs better editing on the script. From the middle episodes you kind of know where this is going to, but some of the details do not match up like (spoiler), Tommy Hogan's wife should know better on the night where his husband got killed... but it's never explored since the plot is built toward the father's role on this whole thing. Yet Linda Hagan is the closest person to him...

All and all, well acted, and that s the one thing that made me stay till the end... although afterward I kinda regret it.

Great start but ending is terrible.

[cepineasaf · 5/10 · 16 July 2018]

First few episodes were great. Loved that the lead character was gay. Great actors. But half-way through, the plot-lines kept changing and moving around so much it got annoying and confusing but mostly boring and repetitive. After investing in 8 episodes, the ending of the last episode 8 just totally pissed me off. Did no-one say "we have to give the viewers some degree of resolution." No. Just a "cliff hanger" to keep us guessing and wondering - ripped off viewers big-time. You can't end an 8 part series with the last scene - as if it has a next episode, next week. There are very few endings of any tv series/movie that made me so angry as this did. Viewers invest so much time in a series - they deserve some partial resolution to a story.

Addictive and Tense

[davidmaxwelldm · 9/10 · 2 September 2018]

Great show. The only reason i didnt give a 10 was the ending. It wasn't bad but open to interpretation and hopefully a season 2. You really empathise with the main character, Niko. Clever opening to each episode giviny us a bit more detail to the plot. Very stressful watch and really hope there's a season 2.

Was going to give it a 9 but the last Episode....

[jorgegoraieb · 6/10 · 25 December 2020]

Great story, great acting, but the ending could only be explained if there was a Season 2...(or if they ran out of cash within Season 1)....a shame because as it stands, it is unfinished....hence a generous rating of 6 and only because of the excellent 7 episodes prior the the last one's fiasco.

So disappointed how the series ended!!

[Milan_de_Wolff · 4/10 · 23 January 2019]

I was hooked from the start. Nordic series and movies are my favorite. Binge watched all 8 episodes and was expecting some kind of 'happy ending' or conclusion. I could stop myself from throwing the TV out of the window. I have never felt so angry because so many questions were not answered.

Borderliner

[Tweekums · 7/10 · 11 March 2022]

Nikolai Andreassen is an Oslo police officer who is given leave after he gives evidence against a popular senior officer accused of murder. He goes to his home town and stays with his brother, also a policeman, and his children. The next day he accompanies his brother when a body is found. It looks like a suicide but he isn't so sure. Before the first episode is out he learns the identity of the killer; it is his own brother and he gives a plausible explanation as to how it was self-defence. Once Nikolai has accepted this and helped cover up certain details he can't easily get out from the lie. Fellow officer Anniken Høygaard-Larsen gets more and more suspicious that things aren't as people claim and more secrets are revealed.

I thought this was a solid series. Early on it seemed obvious which way it was going but as it progressed there are some good twists and turns as well as a sense of danger. The pace might be considered slow by some but I didn't find that to be a problem; some things don't need to be rushed. The cast is solid; most obviously Tobias Santelmann as Nikolai. The ending wraps up many questions but left things open for a second season... although after five years I can't see that happening. Overall a good series that I'd recommend to fans of Scandinavian crime dramas.

These comments are based on watching the series in Norwegian with English subtitles.

[6.7] Turbo car and Snail pace

[cjonesas · 7/10 · 31 March 2021]

A Thriller Crime series where almost nothing was memorable besides the beautiful filming, photography, camera works and aerial shots. Oh, I got to know Opel Insignia Turbo too!

The acting and characters lacked any intensity and it was like seeing captives forced to stand and act in front of a camera. I liked Bengt and Anniken, though they were crushed too beneath the boulders of the show's lethargic acting and heavy flow.

The ending was atrocious, made by unprofessional s with complete lack of concern (being it writer or producer) and though it had some development potential for a season 2, I think that they either got tapped on the hands or hypnotized by their own failure, they decided that was it.

What is not understandable is what N-lix is doing with this show and why that's one of their Original Series!

• Screenplay/premise: 7
• Development: 7.5
• Realism: 7
• Entertainment: 6.5
• Acting: 7
• Filming/cinematography: 8.5
• Special/visual effects: 8
• Music/score: 7
• Depth: 6
• Logic: 6
• Flow: 6
• Drama/thrill: 6.5
• Ending/closure: 4.

Borderlines are fluid

[stoneleigh-585-164741 · 8/10 · 7 August 2018]

I liked this thoughtful, dark meditation about where our borders--national, ethical, familial, linguistic, workplace, gender--lie. The ambiguity of the metaphor permeated the series and gave it depth, making up for the occassional weak motivation.

Corrupteresting

[NikkoFranco · 7/10 · 20 May 2018]

The above title is a play of the words corrupt and interesting. Dark like the Scandinavian landscape during winter, its main characters tangled in a web of lies, deceit, greed and corruption. Its interesting catch lies in the aspects concerning his family and how the main character is trying to hide it from his partner. It is not as addicting as The Bridge original version but has a Jo Nesboesque feel to it. If you are new to the ScandiKrimi genre, this is a mild start for you.

Interesting Story the Gay Aspect was a Neat.

[cacharoes · 8/10 · 8 March 2018]

It was a rather interesting show, I had picked to watch it because the description had sounded interesting and I enjoy Norwegian media. I was rather pleasantly surprised to find that the main character was actually gay. It is pretty rare for the sole main character to be gay in a show, when the show subject is not about being gay, so that was neat. I liked the aspect that it featured a normal mystery crime story with a gay character though him being gay was a very small detail, you could easily forget he was gay as it his interactions with his love interest are probably only 10 to 30 seconds of each episode. I sort of wished his interests character had somewhat more involvement in the show to see they perhaps work together but overall I felt it was a nice touch in showing a gay character in a normal context. Aside from that aspect the story had some depth to it and the situation gets ever complicated as things go on. Nikolai can never seem to get break which made me feel bad for him. It is true that some parts do seem a bit dull but there were some heart felt moments and some twists that made it grab your attention, and I always looked forward to seeing how love interest would show up and be incorporated.

So Overall I rather enjoyed it and it was an interesting crime/mystery show with a hint of LGBT in there. If a second season of this was made I certainly would watch it and see how it develops further and hopefully improves.

Certainly good, but somewhat over-sophisticated and fabulous

[BeneCumb · 7/10 · 11 November 2018]

Well, Norway is one of the least corrupted country in the world, and such an intertwined conspiracy spreading for a long time, even across borders? But apart from that, the course of events is gripping, there are some nice twists (true, I as an "experienced" crime series watcher began to surmise some of them), and the background mood and doubts among main characters are captured well. The leading performances are realistic, without pointless vanity and toughness we often see in US series, but the pace is somewhat uneven, particularly in the last episode where it seems that either the screenwriters or producers made rustle and wanted to round up the events prematurely. There are also no hints that Season 2 would appear....

All in all, strong 7 points from me. Not so catchy and smooth as e.g. Øyevitne or Halvbroren, but still good stuff.

A complete waste of time

[Maarten68 · 1/10 · 8 April 2020]

And it started so well. A typical Nordic police series I usully enjoy very much. Dark, well acted, corruption within the police force... it had it all.

Halfway the 8th and final episode I was wondering (and curious) how they were going to wrap things up.

Well, they didn't. So spare yourself the frustration, because after the 8th episode you will know just as much as you did after the first minute. And the cliffhanger is no cliffhanger, bacause there is no second season. Yes, that's right, no second season.

Safe 8 x 45 minutes of your precious life and do something else. You will thank me for it.

WTF

[pfarkas-886-769505 · 24 September 2021]

If your not sure you can finish a story, don't lead viewers on and just drop them. It's really bad form. Disrespectful.

... really ... that's-it.. ??

[bjarias · 8/10 · 17 July 2020]

... what-happened-here ... after-8 fairly-decent-episodes ... last-one looks-as-if there should-have-been couple-more-remaining

... there-have-been numerous-productions with-awkward-endings ... this-one surely in-top-several heading-up-list

Frustrating....

[gbolhuis · 7/10 · 29 March 2018]

He seems to find a clue then RUN with it...and, once again, got it wrong. While I enjoyed it, I found so many flaws. Disappointed, to say the least. The actors are awesome.

Kept My Interest to the End...Unfortunately

[clintstevens · 5/10 · 4 April 2018]

I usually enjoy miniseries that originate in Scandinavian countries as they are more complex and make you think more than American series seem to, and I was hoping this would be one of them. Too bad it ended up being a disappointment. The story had too many slow spots, to the point that I almost nodded off more than once. Also, I don't mind when the main character in a series is gay (and no one in the story seemed to care that he was either), but it seemed to me this was thrown in because it has become trendy to do so. I would have given this a lower rating, but decided to add a star or two, just because it kept me watching until the bitter end; an ending that left me disappointed.

Meh... Interesting But Not The Most Amazing

[neener3707 · 7/10 · 6 March 2018]

Just finished it and I am still not sure what to say. I liked it, it was definitely compelling at times, but it didn't really shine like other Netflix series like Dark and Stranger things. Its a little slow at the beginning but the end of the first episode grabbed my interest, but its grip loosened in and out throughout, leaving me bored in some places and interested in other places. Story is simple but becomes interesting when other story lines enter the mix, a cop covers up a murder committed by a fellow cop and brother, not knowing the depths of the conspiracy involved, and gets caught up in admittedly complicated situation. I liked the story, found it interesting enough.

The cinematography was also interesting, some nice shots and camera effects, the region of whatever country this was filmed in is beautiful. The acting is also superb in some cases, some actors really shine, like the lead cop's brother, but others are very average at best. So all in all I suppose I enjoyed it, though at certain points I wasn't sure I wanted to finish it, but I did enjoy it for the most part. I was really expecting more but I am a little picky so it might just be me. While it wasn't the best Netflix show, it was also certainly not the worst.