TV shows we love: Occupied

By Michalis Iacovides

I had seen trailers of the Norwegian TV series Occupied for some time on Netlix but never got around to watching it. Somehow the plot about Russia ‘invading’ Norway did not really draw me in.

However, after Russia invaded Ukraine a few weeks ago my disposition changed and I decided to have a crack at it. And how happy I am that I did!

Occupied is a political thriller set in the near future and based on an original idea by Jo Nesbo. The Green party government, which came to power after a hugely destructive hurricane (blamed on global warming) that left hundreds dead, and an ongoing war in the Middle East, decides to shut down its fossil fuel production. In its place, it promises the world a new form of nuclear energy, that of the metallic chemical element Thorium.

The EU are shellshocked by the decision (the US is not interested as by this time they have become energy independent) and ask Russia to help convince the idealistic Norwegian prime minister Jesper Berg (Henrik Mestad) to reverse his decision. This was achieved in a matter of minutes after the EU Commissioner told Berg that if he did not play along, Russia would invade.

With the blessing of the EU, Russia takes command of the Norwegian oil production and gradually begins to impose its own political agenda through the unlikable yet very effective ambassador Irina Sidorova (Ingeborga Dapkunaite).

There are lot of twists and turns in this series with freedom movements surfacing, terrorists wreaking havoc in Oslo, financial gain forcing people to switch allegiances.

What makes this series very different from most of the ones I have watched over the past few years is that there are no good and bad guys (with the exception of Russia and the EU who always come across as bad). Throughout the series my sentiments towards the main characters kept on changing, as their actions range from noble and patriotic to egotistic and vicious, even barbaric at times.

Occupied premiered in 2015 and needless to say Russia was furious at the time.