Media

This presentation is from a transdisciplinary research workshop entitled Nordic Noir, Geopolitics and the North held at Aarhus University in October 2018.

The mobile phone, and more specifically the ‘smart’ phone, has emerged as a key visual, dramaturgical and narrative element of Nordic noir television over the past decade. The smart phone represents an integral part of the crime-solving toolkit, whether its user is an obsessive police officer, a nosy reporter, a witness or a (potential) victim.

This presentation is from a transdisciplinary research workshop entitled Nordic Noir, Geopolitics and the North held at Aarhus University in October 2018.

Nordic TV drama series remain an audience success in Germany and are highly regarded by critics. The reasons for this ongoing popularity can be found in the general accessibility of Nordic television in Germany, the existing success of the Nordic noir genre in crime literature, and in the specific form of narration and aesthetics of the series. In a 2016 audience study on Danish TV series, viewers from Germany highlight the importance of authenticity, female lead characters and a narration that gives characters time and space to develop against the backdrop of the depiction of real topics and concerns.

Cracks work on multiple levels when screened in Nordic noir television series and are never incidental. Visually, the crack draws the viewer in, providing a space of darkness and potential danger. Metaphorically, it can symbolise a large suite of problems, including the disintegration of the welfare state.