How Nordic Streamers Are Reshaping True Crime Storytelling
Viaplay's 'Norske Krimsaker' brings investigative depth and victim perspectives to Scandinavia's most notorious cases
The KrimiNyt editorial team
When Viaplay launched 'Norske Krimsaker' (Norwegian Crime Cases) in 2019, the Nordic streaming platform signaled a notable shift in how Scandinavian true crime content reaches international audiences. Rather than exploit sensational details, the series pursues a more methodical approach: layering archival investigation materials with testimonies from people intimately connected to victims and cases.
The documentary series emerged at a moment when Nordic crime content had already captured global attention—from Swedish exports like 'The Nurse' to Danish productions examining systemic injustice. Yet 'Norske Krimsaker' distinguishes itself by prioritizing investigative transparency and personal narrative equally.
One of the series' focal points is the August 2019 case against Philip Manshaus, a shooting that became one of Norway's most scrutinized incidents of recent years. By examining such high-profile cases through the lens of investigation and human impact, the series reflects a broader Scandinavian documentary tradition: treating crime not as entertainment but as a lens through which to examine justice, institutional response, and societal fracture.
The series incorporates perspectives from Leif A. Lier, who held a prominent position in Norwegian homicide investigation. His involvement underscores the production's commitment to investigative credibility—bringing viewers not just the narrative arc of a case, but the methodology and reasoning behind it. This approach aligns with how Nordic true crime has increasingly positioned itself internationally: as serious documentary work rather than crime spectacle.
For international viewers unfamiliar with the Norwegian legal system, such series serve an additional function: they illuminate how Nordic jurisdictions approach serious crime investigation, prosecution, and victim support. Norway's transparent public record tradition and relatively small, tight-knit investigative community mean that cases often unfold with a directness that differs markedly from larger, more fragmented justice systems elsewhere.
The series targets audiences aged 15 and above, reflecting its serious treatment of complex subject matter. This age gating acknowledges the weight of the cases discussed while assuming mature viewer capability to engage with difficult narratives—a philosophical stance that differs from true crime programming in some other markets, where graphic sensationalism sometimes supersedes contextual depth.
Nordic streaming platforms have invested significantly in original true crime content over the past five years, recognizing both regional audience demand and international appetite for Scandinavian crime narratives. 'Norske Krimsaker' positions itself within this competitive landscape by emphasizing investigative integrity and humanistic framing. The series avoids cheap reconstructions or dramatic scoring in favor of direct testimony and archival evidence.
For true crime audiences accustomed to American or British productions, the Nordic approach often feels notably restrained—less about dramatic revelation and more about systematic explanation. This reflects broader cultural preferences in Scandinavian media toward transparency and measured analysis over sensationalism.
As international true crime consumption continues to fragment across streaming platforms, series like 'Norske Krimsaker' represent a meaningful counterweight to purely entertainment-driven crime content. By centering investigation and voice, the series suggests that Nordic platforms see their audience as capable of engaging with crime narratives that demand intellectual and emotional seriousness rather than exploit them.
The success of such productions internationally will likely shape how other Nordic platforms approach crime documentation in coming years—signaling that there remains substantial audience appetite for true crime that respects both victim dignity and investigative complexity.