10 Best Nordic Noir TV Shows To Stream on Netflix

The Nordic noir genre has been around for quite some time, but its popularity among American viewers has been steadily increasing over the last few years. Set in bleak landscapes, and featuring gritty investigative narratives and a moody atmosphere, Scandinoir shows make for a highly engaging viewing experience. These series always center around an intriguing mystery and feature a complex protagonist, usually a detective or official of some kind, who works to unravel it. Beyond its surface of crime and suspense, these stories also come with emotional and psychological depth, as well as social commentary.

Netflix has been increasing its Nordic noir library with titles like The Chestnut Man and The Glass Dome. This list serves as a curation of the streaming platform’s greatest 10 Scandinoir titles. Some follow the traditional Nordic noir formula, while others subvert it or add a fresh twist. All are incredibly compelling to watch.

‘Deadwind’ (2018 – 2021)

Deadwind introduces Sofia Karppi (Pihla Viitala), a 30-something recently widowed detective who has just become solely responsible for a young son and teenage stepdaughter. When she returns to work at the Helsinki Police Department, she’s partnered with a rookie, Sakari Nurmi (Lauri Tilkanen), who has just been transferred from the financial crime unit. Their first case together involves the discovery of the body of a young woman found on a construction site, which leads to a conspiracy tied to big business and dirty politics in the city.

Nordic Noir at Its Finest

This moody crime drama from Finland has become an essential entry in Nordic noir, encapsulating the best of the genre, from its bleak, atmospheric setting to its slow-burn storytelling to its psychological depth. The story engages viewers not just with its mystery, but also with an emotionally complex protagonist. Sofia is a troubled but tenacious central figure who is easy to become attached to. As she digs deeper, her grief and struggles with motherhood intertwine with her investigations, exploring the emotional cost of justice.

‘Equinox’ (2020)

Based on the Danish podcast Equinox 1985, this dark and twisty Netflix original miniseries unravels its mystery through two alternating timelines. It stars Danica Ćurčić as Astrid, a radio host whose sister, Ida (Karoline Hamm), disappeared into thin air 21 years earlier, along with her class, while celebrating their graduation. Ever since, Astrid has been haunted by strange visions and nightmares. When she receives a disturbing call from one of the survivors, she sets out to discover the truth about that fateful day, becoming plunged into a sinister conspiracy spanning decades.

Nordic Noir With a Supernatural and Folk Horror Twist

Equinox is different from other entries on this list, blending Nordic noir with elevated horror — think Scandinoir with echoes of the German series Dark and Ari Aster’s Midsommar. Gripping from beginning to end, it has been praised for weaving mythological elements into a moody crime story, signature to the genre. The show boasts a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

‘The Chestnut Man’ (2021)

Danica Ćurčić also stars in this highly acclaimed Nordic noir series from Denmark. The Chestnut Man opens in 1987 with a brutal multiple-murder on a rural farm, in which many figurines made out of chestnuts are found. In present-day Copenhagen, the body of a woman is found with a similar chestnut man figurine at the crime scene. The object contains the fingerprint of a politician’s presumably dead daughter. Naia Thulin (Ćurčić) and her new partner Mark Hess (Mikkel Følsgaard) are put on the case. When another woman is found murdered under similar circumstances, they race against time before the killer strikes again.

A Breathtaking and Twisted Nordic Noir

The series is based on the novel of the same name, whose author, Søren Sveistrup, is the creator behind the Danish hit series The Killing, which was later remade into a popular American crime drama. The Chestnut Man is not only one of Netflix’s greatest thrillers, but also one of the finest additions to the Nordic noir genre in recent years, with the crime show holding a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Set against a stunning backdrop of autumn rusts and oranges, it makes for perfect fall viewing. Masterfully using cinematography to set the dark tone and heavy atmosphere of the story, The Chestnut Man is an immersive, unforgettable experience. With a standalone sequel in the works, now’s the perfect time to catch up on the show.

‘Entrapped’ (2021)

Hailing from Iceland, Entrapped is the third season of Baltasar Kormákur’s award-winning mystery crime drama Trapped, which boasts a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes. While Entrapped functions as a standalone sequel, and you don’t need to watch the first two seasons of Trapped to enjoy it, you can catch up on them on the Roku Channel for free if you’d like to before beginning this six-episode series. Ólafur Darri Ólaffson and Ilmur Kristjánsdóttir star as detective Andri Ólaffson and officer Hinrika Kristjánsdórrie.

A Gripping Mystery With a Side of Paganism

The story follows as the duo get drawn into a war in the remote highlands, after a land dispute leads to murder. Two rival groups have their own set of reasons for fighting over specific pieces of land. One is a neopagan sect that calls itself The Family, and is led by their spiritual leader Oddur (Egill Ólaffson), who sees the land as sacred. The other is a leather-clad biker gang, who, led by Gunnar (Haraldur Stefansson), have their own motivations. Ivar suspects the case is tied to the disappearance of a young woman years earlier.

‘The Nurse’ (2023)

The Nurse is a Netflix limited series based on true events that happened in a hospital in Denmark in the 2010s. The story is dramatized from Kristian Corfixen’s investigative book titled The Nurse: The True Story Behind One of Scandinavia’s Most Notorious Criminal Trials. The Nordic noir docudrama stars Fannie Louise Bernth as Pernille Kurzmann, a nurse who, while working her first job after graduation, starts to suspect that her accomplished and respected co-worker, Christina Aistrup Hansen (Josephine Park), may have a hand in a string of patient deaths.

A Chilling True Crime Drama From Denmark

This gritty, realistic four-episode series will shake you to the core. With a suspenseful atmosphere and compelling whistleblower narrative, The Nurse is an effective Nordic noir that unsettles with its dark subject matter and ominous tone. Pernille is a protagonist who functions as an amateur detective. As she investigates her suspicions and gathers evidence, she struggles with having anyone believe her, risking her own livelihood for justice.

‘A Nearly Normal Family’ (2023)

A Nearly Normal Family is adapted from M.T. Edvardsson’s eponymous Scandinoir crime novel. Developed by Hans Jörnlind and Anna Platt, the limited series centers on the Sandell family. When their 19-year-old daughter Stella (Alexandra Karlsson) is accused of stabbing 32-year-old Chris Olsen (Christian Fandango Sundgren) to death, their lives in idyllic Swedish suburbia are completely upended. Her arrest pushes her parents — attorney Ulkira (Lo Kauppi) and pastor Adam (Björn Bengtsson) — to go to desperate lengths to protect her.

A Slow-Burn, Suspenseful Narrative

With only six episodes spanning a total runtime of roughly five hours, A Nearly Normal Family makes for an optimal weekend binge. The series engages with its intricate plot and character depth, slowly pulling the layers back on its mystery, and keeping viewers hooked episode after episode.

‘The Glass Dome’ (2025)

This limited series stars Léonie Vincent as Lejla Ness, a criminologist with a tortured past. As a child, she was abducted and kept in a mirrored glass cage. After her escape, she was adopted by Valter (Johan Hedenberg), the chief of police. When her adoptive mother dies, she returns to her small hometown of Granås in Sweden. During her stay, her friend is found murdered, with no trace of the woman’s daughter. It resurfaces old trauma for Lejla, who finds a connection between the young girl’s disappearance and her own abduction.

A Brilliant, Gritty Nordic Noir With a Twisty Narrative

Created by renowned Swedish crime author Camilla Läckberg, The Glass Dome is one of Netflix’s most popular and critically acclaimed shows of 2025. The six-episode tale is full of twists and turns, keeping viewers hooked from beginning to end, and making for a highly addictive binge. Set against a dreary, cold Scandinavian winter, the show’s atmospheric backdrop establishes a distinct tone characteristic of the Nordic noir genre and mirrors the protagonist’s inner turmoil.

‘The Breakthrough’ (2025)

The Breakthrough dramatizes the non-fiction book by journalist Anna Bodin and genealogist Peter Sjölund, which explores how the 2004 murders of eight-year-old Mohammed Ammouri and 56-year-old Anna-Lena Svensson were finally solved in 2020 through forensic genetic genealogy. On the show, they’re renamed as Adnan (Marley Norstad) and Gunilla (Anna Azcárate), respectively. Despite witnesses, a description of the killer, help from the FBI, and abundant DNA evidence, the case almost went cold until a genealogist revealed a way to crack it open.

A Tense and Highly Emotional Crime Drama

This story about Sweden’s second-largest criminal investigation spent weeks on Netflix’s Global Top 10. At only four episodes, it’s another show that you can easily get through in one sitting. As intriguing as the suspenseful crime drama is, you’ll definitely be tempted to binge it. If you enjoy Nordic noir with atmospheric, subtle, and emotional storytelling, then this one is for you.

‘The Åre Murders’ (2025)

The Åre Murders is a Swedish crime drama based on Viveca Sten’s murder mystery novels Hidden in Snow and Hidden in the Shadows. After a suspension and break-up, Stockholm-based detective Hanna Ahlander retreats to the small, remote ski resort town of Åre to take a break and get centered. Soon after arriving, a teenage girl is found murdered, and Hanna can’t resist getting involved in the care and taking a temporary job with the local police. Her newly appointed partner, Daniel Lindskog (Kardo Razzazi), is reluctant to cozy up to her.

A Fascinating, Puzzling Mystery

The series draws viewers in with its mystery and gritty investigative work, but also with Hanna’s attempts to rebuild her reputation, redeem herself, and fight her inner demons. Its bleak, frozen backdrop and winter landscape checks off all the boxes of a Scandinoir setting, and makes for an immersive viewing experience. At only five episodes, you can devour the show in one evening.

‘Secrets We Keep’ (2025)

The Swedish limited Secrets We Keep is set in an isolated, affluent neighborhood north of Copenhagen. Cecile (Marie Bach Hensen) and her family live next door to and are best friends with Katarina (Danica Ćurčić) and Rasmus (Lars Ranthe). When the neighboring wealthy family’s Filipino au pair, Ruby (Donna Levkovski), goes missing, Cecile can’t help but to look into her disappearance, since the young woman had ominously asked her for help the night before. As she tries to help the police uncover the truth, Cecile finds out the dark truth about those closest to her.

A Bingeworthy Crime Drama

The Nordic noir drama is another entry on this list to have a perfect score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. When it premiered, it entered Netflix’s Top 10 in 82 different countries. The series engages the audience with an intriguing mystery, drawing them in further with its exploration of exploitation of immigrants, rape culture, class, privilege, and misogyny.