Wisting (TV series)


Wisting is a Norwegian police procedural television series starring Sven Nordin as widower William Wisting, a senior police detective, and in the first five episodes, co-starring Carrie-Anne Moss as FBI Special Agent Maggie Griffin.
Wisting is the most expensive television drama series produced in Norway. This ten episodes thriller is based on two Jørn Lier Horst novels, The Caveman and The Hunting Dogs. In episodes 1-5, Wisting heads a murder investigation with FBI collaboration since the suspect is a serial killer hunted in the US. In episodes 6-10, Wisting has to defend himself against accusations of tampering with evidence in a previous murder case.
The Norway and Sweden broadcast commenced in April 2019. In the United Kingdom, the series was acquired by BBC Four from Banijay Rights and commenced broadcast on 28 December 2019, with two episodes being shown back-to-back for five weeks.

Plot

A man's body is found, hidden in the snow, under a tree in a Christmas tree farm near Larvik, Norway. This is investigated by William Wisting and his team of detectives. Fingerprints link the death to Robert Godwin, an American serial killer who has been on the run for over 20 years. He is believed to have fled to Larvik, "hiding in plain sight", having assumed the identity of a local resident. In response, the FBI sends Special Agents Maggie Griffin and John Bantham to assist the Norwegian investigation. But they must keep their presence secret to avoid alerting the killer, who they fear will flee again. Wisting's daughter, Line is a journalist writing a story about their next-door-neighbour, who had died alone in his house. Unwittingly, her investigating opens up connections with the police murder investigation, and she becomes a target. Line's liaison with Bantham, allowing her to discover his identity, compromises his cover. Meanwhile, the police discover the killer's principal dumpsite, the body count sharply rises, and the hunt moves over the border into Sweden, before Wisting and Griffin corner the killer in a dramatic climax.
Wisting appears on a national television show to discuss the Robert Godwin case. Instead, he is ambushed by Philip Henden, a lawyer representing Vidar Haglund who was jailed for 17 years in a different murder case. Now released, Haglund has always maintained his innocence. The crucial DNA evidence, placing him at the crime scene, is shown to have been tampered with, so Wisting is suspended while the investigation is carried out. Line Wisting is outraged that her father is being hounded by the newspaper for which she works and resolves to clear his name, but a murder case she is working on starts to become connected to everything else.

Cast

Wisting is based on two books by Jørn Lier Horst namely The Caveman and The Hunting Dogs. Horst is a best-selling author in Norway and has been translated into over 30 languages. Filming started in January 2018 on a 150 day schedule. The adaptation was written by Trygve Allister Diesen and Kathrine Valen Zeiner. Diesen also directed episodes along with Katarina Launing.
Wisting had a budget of NOK 110 million. This sum incorporated a €1 million grant from Creative Europe as well as a grant of NOK 26.05 million from the Norwegian Film Institute. This makes the show the most expensive drama ever produced in Norway.

Reception

The Nordic press viewed the series favourably. Stavanger Aftenblad commented that it was "intricate and riveting", Jyllands-Posten called it “a sure winner” and Aftenposten praised its “nonstop momentum”.
Writing in The Wall Street Journal, Dorothy Rabinowitz found the series "seamlessly woven" and "superbly layered".
Writing in UK's The Guardian, Euan Ferguson described the series as "... the best Nord-noir ever. Since the last one. What did Scandinavian film-makers think they were ever doing, 80 years of existential angst and Death playing nihilist chess, before remembering: we have crime. Coal. Snow. Blood. Fire. Cheekbones. Let’s do that."