TV shows we love: Trapped

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, I have developed an addiction for Nordic crime series, preferably binge watched.

I have gone through so many of them faster than one could say ‘takk’ – thank you, for the poor souls who have not yet familiarised themselves with Icelandic, Swedish or Norwegian.

I must have watched at least 15 shows from Scandinavia, some were very good, some were mediocre, not a single one was plain bad.

But the last one I watched – Trapped – was a high point, possibly ruining all other Nordic series for me.

Set in the remote northern village of Siglufjörður, Trapped is the most expensive TV series ever produced in Iceland, and tells the story of gruff police chief Andri Ólafsson, who is catapulted from a scenario of perpetual boredom to solve the murder of a former townsman whose mutilated corpse is recovered by fishermen.

The sheer violence of the act changes the lives of everyone in the village, whether they are involved in the murder or not. Meanwhile, a bout of severe weather also traps everyone, no one can leave. Add to that a nod to the struggles faced by migrants – sound familiar? – and you have a series that is not only compelling, but terribly familiar.

Why then does it not become cliché? Well, we have the setting to thank for that. Iceland’s unwelcoming, ethereal, remote and pristine white fjords and mountains provide some of the most breathtaking, albeit perhaps off-putting locations.

But, if you’re looking for fast paced action, quick turnarounds and compelling dialogue, Trapped is not for you.

Series director Baltasar Kormákur does not aim to stun the audience, rather to hypnotise it with numbing cold, significant and long pauses, astonishing drone footage and a superb soundtrack, composed by Jóhann Jóhannsson.

Giving away even just a clue would probably spoil the entire two-seasons – unconnected, a big plus in my opinion – so I’m not going to go into further details. Just be prepared, Trapped might just become your latest, albeit most likely short-lived, addiction.