Land of Sin

2026 had barely begun when we saw headlines about a Netflix series that had climbed to the top 10 list on the streaming giant in several countries. What series is this, you ask? Synden, or Land of Sin as it is called in English-speaking countries. A new crime drama by director Peter Grönlund set on the Bjäre Peninsula in Skåne. The series follows Malmö police officer Dani, played by Krista Kosonen, who is drawn into a case with personal connections when a teenager disappears on Bjäre. Pretty soon, old family feuds, local loyalties and personal relationships become intertwined, making the case both complicated and extremely sensitive.

Director Peter Grönlund has previously directed hits such as Tjuvheder and Björnstad, productions that have demonstrated his flair for social realism and moral grey areas. In Synden, north-western Skåne is presented as a kind of Swedish "outback" where drugs, family feuds and alienation thrive just below the polished surface.

The authenticity of Skåne is reinforced by the fact that the majority of the cast consists of actors from Skåne, which probably contributes to many viewers choosing to watch the series with subtitles. For those of us who were born and raised in Skåne, however, both the portrayal and the plot raise some questions. Is Bjäre, where Stockholmers flock in the summer, really a haven for criminals and drugs? And what is a Malmö police officer doing far outside his area in north-western Skåne, without any clear organisational consequences?

I myself was born and raised in Ystad and have had to live with seeing the city populated by actors who speak standard Swedish and the town repeatedly portrayed as a mecca for murder and crime. Because of this, I am fully aware that there must be a certain acceptance that this is a drama and not reality. Synden is also a beautiful production that feels like it's of international quality, both in terms of photography, pace and tone. The series has the potential to start a trend of Bjäre noir if its success continues and leads to more seasons. In addition to the well-known Finnish actress Krista Kosonen, the characters in the series are portrayed by lesser-known actors from Skåne. The settings, cinematography and acting performances together create a canvas that, with a stronger script, could have been a really big success.

Unfortunately, the plot and character portrayals do not match the technical quality of the television series. If you are unfamiliar with the geography of Skåne, you might accept that a police officer from Malmö would travel a whole police district away to investigate a disappearance and local crime in Bjäre. But when Grönlund also adds police officer Dani's personal connections to the case, the plot simply does not feel credible.

The police organisation comes across as a bit feckless, where the management doesn't notice if a police officer suddenly spends entire working days in a completely different police district. Dani also brings along his colleague Malik, played by Mohamed Nour Oklah, who seemingly accepts the deviation even though he comes across as someone who wants to do everything right.

The characters that the series' two police officers encounter often have believable dialogue but generally come across as generic. Dani's relationship with her drug-addicted son and his missing friend never really engages me on a deeper level. Although the series consists of only five episodes of 39 to 46 minutes each, it doesn't feel like there is enough conflict or drama to merit my full attention. It's a shame, because both the production and the acting are fundamentally high quality.