If you like detective novels and the Scandinavian movies inspired by these novels and you also appreciate British television series, but especially if you like intelligent films with interesting heroes, then you will probably want to watch ‘Annika‘. It is a British mini-series (two seasons of six episodes, at least so far) whose action takes place in Scotland, more precisely in Glasgow and on the land and by the water surrounding this city. The atmosphere and colors of the waters and the sky seem imported from Scandinavian films, and the main heroine who gives the series its name is a police inspector of Norwegian origin newly appointed head of a team in the city’s maritime criminal police. In addition, she is also a literature lover and each episode is related to a famous literary work, from Scandinavian legends, through Ibsen’s theater to Aeschylus’ tragedies.
‘Annika‘ uses the recipe for success of police series in which the private lives of the police officers occupy an equally important place as the enigmas they have to solve. Police inspector Annika Strandhed is Norwegian by origin and raises Morgan, her 15-year-old daughter, alone. Almost inevitably, Morgan will have problems at school and will go through the turmoils of adolescence, the mother will not have enough time to take care of her, and the phones related to her daughter’s problems will ring at the most inopportune moments. In addition, like any single woman in her 40s or 50s, obsessed with her profession, intelligent and quite beautiful, she cannot avoid her own sentimental adventures. The team under her command is multi-ethnic: a policeman with a family of Caribbean origin, a policewoman with a family of Asian origin and a local policeman who had dreamed of her job before Annika landed as their boss. In addition to all this, at least one body will surface in each episode on the shores of the Clyde maritime lake or river. The police team will solve the cases while also dealing with their own personal problems.
All of these may seem quite banal and viewers may have the feeling that they have seen it before in other places. What saves the show is the quality of the writing and acting. The series is created by Nick Walker and is based on a radio series that had been successful a few years before. The plots are interesting, the dialogues flow naturally, the solutions to the puzzles have logic. The main role is played by Nicola Walker, an actress specialized in television, who is, I read, in her eighth role as a policewoman in a British series. You can feel the experience, humor and control of the means of expression. In addition, Nick Walker adds a sympathetic trick, with the goal of erasing the conventional distance between the heroes and the viewers. From time to time, the main actress looks directly at the camera and comments on the situations she finds herself in or consults with the viewers, making them share her thoughts. The procedure is interesting, breaks the narrative routine without disturbing and adds humor. The two seasons of ‘Annika‘ were created and broadcast in 2021 and 2023. I have only seen the first one, for now. I understand that there are no new episodes planned. What a shame!