Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole

Harry Hole (officially titled Detective Hole for us English speakers) premiered on Netflix today. I’m going to forego any "Hairy Hole" jokes because, god damn, I’m not that juvenile, but god damn, Oslo is a shithole. I thought it was this nice, pristine city where everyone lives in perfectly organized Nordic apartments or chalets, I guess? But it’s easy to understand why Oslo would be the Gotham City of Scandinavia, considering the cops don't really have "copping" on the mind.

Joel Kinnaman is in this, and he’s such a badass. So sexy, and that deep voice. I don't get why he’s not a bigger star. He killed it as Rick Flag in those Suicide Squad movies, and it was incredibly stupid for James Gunn to have that idiot Peacemaker kill him. Like, fuck that. Kinnaman forever.

He plays Tom Waaler, who drives a Lotus supercar and seems like he’d be a lock for the lead role of Harry Hole (pronounced Hair-y Hole). Instead, he’s the "malignant narcissist" corrupt colleague who you wouldn't want to visit in at a glory hole, while Tobias Santelmann brings his own kind of gravity to the lead role. Since Santelmann is the hero, he gets to be "lighter" by nature. You know, lighthearted stuff like watching in horror as his sister got her hair stuck in elevator doors as a kid and watching a chunk of her scalp rip off. Or the comedy of his first girlfriend committing suicide. Or the opening minutes where he’s in a police chase and gets his partner killed... because he’s an alcoholic in a high-speed pursuit of bank robbers.

After the cold open, he’s in recovery and has a cool partner who plays electric guitar in a rock band. He’s in recovery, but don't get too attached to that. He spends time with his girlfriend and her son at a swimming pool because it’s a "blistering" 88°F (31°C). I guess those hardy Nords aren't used to what most places call a pleasant summer day, but they are treating it like the end of the world. Harry is also prone to walking around with his shirt off because of the "heat."

Everyone wears Docs.

I haven't read the books, but whoever put this show together has great taste in music because Nick Cave is involved. Nick Cave I swear Nick Cave doesn't suck. Warren Ellis is also involved in the music. I didn't know he did anything but comics, so I guess that is cool. Even though the majority of the ominous soundtrack is just two chords. But it’s still -1 for Nick Cave and -2 for the show thinking it’s deep to have Harry chilling at home with a cigarette to Warren Zevon. Those are the names I think of immediately when I think of Norway—especially "urban shithole" Oslo. And I write that with complete sarcasm.

There's a lot of talk about people going to prison, and I have long joked with my husband that we should go to Norway to commit crimes because:

Please note this prison cell has a mini-fridge and and window that opens.

I don't know much about Harry Hole, but I do like that there seem to be a couple of cool things going on. First, Joel Kinnaman as the corrupt shadow. Second, the serial killer—the "Courier"—is leaving five-pointed red diamonds under the victims' eyelids. It’s ritualistic and satanic as hell. 🤘🏻💫