A Nearly Normal Family (Netflix series, 2023)
A Nearly Normal Family is the engrossing adaptation of the internationally acclaimed bestseller by Swedish author Mattias Edvardsson.
En helt vanlig familj, as it is called in Swedish, is a crime drama series that tells an absorbing story about how we can never really know each other, even if we’re lovers or even family.
Per Hanefjord directs the six part series, from a script by Hans Jörnlind and Anna Platt. It tells the story of the nearly normal Sandell family, living comfortably in the suburbs of Lund, and whose only problem seems to be that they harbor a murderer in their midst.
Okay, that’s kind of big, so let’s backtrack a little.
There is the father, Adam (Björn Bengtsson), who is a morally upright priest. There is the mother, Ulrika (Lo Kauppi) who is supposed to be very good at her job and who can judge whether a possible rape case has any chance in court.
And then there is their precocious daughter Stella (Alexandra Karlsson Tyrefors, quite brilliant), who is the flirtatious kind and who, at 19-years-old, has an affair with a man of 32.
Things go bad when said man ends up dead and Stella is not only brought in for questioning, but also accused of murder.
Adam and Ulrika would love to do nothing more than to prove their daughter’s innocence, but the proof that she committed the crime would seem to be irrefutable. In working through their anguish they learn a lot about each other and their Stella.
It’s an interesting set-up, and it didn’t take me long to become engrossed in it. The story is told from three separate points of view and it’s fascinating how you get to know these three main characters.
A Nearly Normal Family is well-told and well-acted and also raises a lot of moral questions. It’s definitely no coincidence that the parents are a lawyer and a priest. Stella herself, however, remains the most fascinating character. If she really is a killer, then exactly how messed-up is her family? And, perhaps even more important, is this series for you?
Well, let’s take the stand and look at it from a legal perspective. The only ‘con’ I can think of is that, okay, in the end, it’s another murder story, with lots of revelations along the way, and if that’s not your cup of tea, feel free to skip it.
But if after all this, you’re just dying to find out how this plays out, I have a feeling you won’t be disappointed.
Ever since the halcyon days of Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö the Swedes have enjoyed a great reputation of making doom and gloom crime shows, a reputation only enhanced by the whole Scandi Noir phenomenon of the last fifteen years.
A Nearly Normal Family plays into that typical Swedish sentiment, but with a slightly different edge, cause it cleverly mixes elements from different forms of drama: crime, courtroom and, perhaps most of all, family.
Based on the first couple of episodes, and coming down in favor of the ‘pro’ side, I’d strongly suggest you give it a try.