This spring’s surprise hit on Netflix, Harry Hole is ranked No. 1 in the platform’s Top 10. And it is above all thanks to an important decision by the leaders.
Trailer for the Harry Hole series on Netflix
It’s the surprise hit of the moment on Netflix. Posted online on March 26, 2026, the series Harry Hole – created by Jo Nesbo and worn by Tobias Santelmann and Joel Kinnaman, is currently No. 1 in the Top 10 of the streaming platform.
Harry Hole could have been a very different series
Why surprise? First of all, because it is adapted from the eponymous literary saga by Jo Nesbo, but is not interested in the first volume. In reality, the story of this season 1 is taken from the 5th book. Then, because the series is 100% Norwegian, from the settings to the actors to the language used on screen.
A logical choice given that the plots of the novels also take place there? Yes, but that hasn’t always been obvious. This was revealed by producer Eric Fellner (Working Title) during an interview with Variety.
Initially, we wanted to do the series in English and even – at the very beginning, we thought about setting the story in the United States. Finally, we said to ourselves: ‘No, we have to be culturally precise,’ and so we chose Norway.
29 countries have already propelled it to number 1 on Netflix: this series is off to a start worthy of the greatest
Netflix has imposed a very important change in Harry Hole
A wise choice, but still not quite the right one. As the producer admitted: “We wanted everyone to speak in English“. Enough to facilitate success in the USA – a country which hates dubbing and reading subtitles, but a direction which did not please… the leaders of the platform.
Quite late in the creative process, Netflix finally said: ‘If we’re going to be culturally accurate, we might as well be really culturally accurate and use the local language.’ And I think they were absolutely right.
This shows that Netflix is capable of putting the creative interests of a work before its own needs for success.
Well, for the record, not everything is 100% culturally realistic. At the microphone of the Times, Jo Nesbo for his part confessed that he had cheated a little to impress us.
We staged an Oslo bigger than it really is. Some of the buildings are larger on screen. And there is a cable car that doesn’t really exist. It’s like Oslo, but 15% more.
We had forgotten this Netflix series, Emma Myers announces the return of Murder instructions for use
44 million views in 10 days: Netflix’s new number 1 film continues to reign supreme on the platform
Forget One Piece, the best live-action adaptation of a manga will have a sequel in 2027 on Netflix
Par
|
Journalist specializing in series, cinema, but also anime and manga. Spends his free time writing stories for children (children’s author) and dreaming of Emma Watson, considers Olivier Giroud as the GOAT and refuses to speak with those who are against the absolute truth which is: How I Met Your Mother is a better series than Friends.
