Our 10 Favorite Danish TV Series and Films

Today’s Post

Hi everyone! Today’s post, as you can probably tell from the title, is all about our favorite Danish TV series and films. Scandinavian television is known for being dark and dramatic, so you will find plenty of crime shows on this list. However, we also wanted to include shows for those of you that prefer a comedy or something more light-hearted. Most of the list is TV shows, but we have listed three of our favorite Danish movies as well. All three feature Mads Mikkelsen, of course 🙂

So whether you just want to watch a show with a great plot, you are looking for a way to practice your Danish skills, or, like us, you want to feel a connection to home while enjoying a dark comedy or drama, check out the shows and films on this list! We wanted to include a link to where you can stream them, but this is different depending on which country you are in. We recommend just Googling the name of the show/movie to see where you can watch it, or check out the IMDB links we’ve included for more information. Enjoy!

TV Series

1. Kastanjemanden

This series, released in 2021 and based on the book by Søren Sveistrup, is great if you love a classic Scandinavian noir crime series. It is known as The Chestnut Man in English, named after the little figurines that kids in Denmark often make out of chestnuts. The story itself follows a detective called Naia who is trying to solve several murder cases that are connected to a politician’s missing daughter. It also features a creepy song that will get stuck in your head immediately. We won’t give anything else away, but it is a really entertaining and gripping story that you will absolutely love if crime series are your thing! Don’t expect any major plot twists, though, it is reasonably predictable but nonetheless an excellent show.

2. Borgen

If you are someone who enjoys political shows, then you have to check out Borgen. This is truly a phenomenal show, following the first female prime minister of Denmark, Birgitte Nyborg, through all kinds of different political scenarios and personal drama. It is honestly very realistic, without the gimmicks you might find in other political dramas. The character development is also incredible and you find yourself feeling connected to everyone in the show and very invested in each new dramatic decision or scandal. It also gives very good insight into how Denmark’s politics work, so you can even learn something about international politics without trying! This one is definitely a must-watch series on this list.

3. Rita

Compared to the first two shows, this one is classified as a comedy-drama and is far more upbeat and funny. It follows the life of Rita, who is a high school teacher in Denmark, and who has a very unique personality. She is funny, rebellious, and incredibly protective over her students and kids. Her personal life is always a mess, which means there is plenty of entertainment in every episode. The supporting characters are also great, like her friend and fellow teacher Hjørdis, who is a bit timid and awkward but very lovable, so basically the opposite personality to Rita. Anyway, we would definitely recommend this show – it is genuinely funny at times but also tackles a lot of important real-life issues and themes!

4. Dicte

When I tell you that this show had a chokehold on me for so long…I mean it! It ran in Denmark from 2013 to 2016, but only became available in the UK and the US after that, so I think I watched it when I was in college. It is also a crime drama (no surprise there) but takes a slightly different angle than a lot of other shows. Dicte is a crime reporter who tends to get a bit over-involved in cases (of course), so there is plenty of drama and suspense included. She gets in plenty of arguments with the police and her personal life is also a mess, which seems to be a common theme amongst these shows. Plenty of interesting cases and definitely enough drama to keep you hooked – would highly recommend!

5. Sygeplejersken

This is a recent show (2023) and I have to admit that I have not seen it yet, but Sofie has! It tells the true story of a nurse who tries to kill her patients, told from the point of view of another nurse who slowly starts to uncover what is going on in the hospital. Super creepy if you ask me, and definitely sounds like an entertaining watch. It is short (only 4 episodes) so definitely one that is worth binge-watching over a day or two!

6. The Rain

This one might hit a little close to home after the COVID pandemic, but it is definitely full of drama and entertainment! The Rain is a post-apocalyptic thriller that follows two siblings, Rasmus and Simone, as they navigate the aftermath of a deadly global virus and try to find a cure. When it came out, I remember being immediately hooked by the storyline and the main characters, and it really makes you want to stick around to find out what is going on! In my opinion, the acting is not as great as in some of the other shows on this list. However, the thrilling plot does make up for it most of the time. There are three seasons but in all honesty, I think I have only watched the first, but Sofie watched the whole thing and says it’s worth it to resolve the story line as long as you can handle some of the cringy writing/plot lines at times. If this sounds like your cup of tea, definitely check it out!

7. Broen

Disclaimer: This is not an exclusively Danish show! It is Danish and Swedish, and it was actually produced as a joint project between major Danish and Swedish television networks. You may know this show by its English name, “The Bridge,” which is what Broen means. It is named as such because the show starts with a body found right on the Denmark-Sweden border, on Øresundsbroen, or the Øresund Bridge. The investigation that follows brings plenty of twists and turns and lots of drama. Many spin-offs have been made in other countries, including a US-Mexico and a UK-France version.

Films

8. Jagten

This movie is probably the epitome of depressing Scandinavian plotlines that don’t involve murder or death. It tells the story of Lucas, who works at a kindergarten and is wrongly accused of acting abusively towards his best friend’s young daughter. The rest of the story deals with the fallout of this accusation and the terrible way his small tight-knit Danish community turns on him. It is a tough movie to watch because you feel so much empathy for every character. It almost makes it even worse that it really is just all a tragic misunderstanding. Jagten, or “The Hunt” in English, was nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, so it also gained a lot of recognition beyond Denmark. This is one of my favorite Danish films, and while depressing, it is just full of excellent acting and directing!

9. Flammen og Citronen

I am personally not someone who loves war films, but this one is an exception. Flammen og Citronen (Flame and Citron) tells the story of two fighters in the Danish resistance movement during the Nazi occupation of Denmark in World War II. These two fighters were real people, and while the film is somewhat historically accurate, it obviously does take some liberties. I think it is a great film because it does not lean too much into the idea of these two characters as heroes. They still do some terrible things, even if they are on the right side of history. Definitely check this one out, as it deals with a difficult topic and theme but does it very insightfully. I also find it artistically very unique to the rest of the films and shows on the list!

10. Druk

Our final addition to this list is also a somewhat recent film from 2020: Druk, or in English, “Another Round.” This is categorized as a black comedy-drama, which I would say is reasonably accurate. It follows four friends who are all teachers at the same high school in Denmark and experiencing mid-life crises. They decide to embark on an experiment testing the theory of a psychiatrist called Finn Skårderud. Their goal is to maintain their BAC level at 0.05% to feel more relaxed in their daily lives. This leads to some interesting outcomes in their personal and professional lives.

I don’t want to say too much more, but it is a very emotional and beautiful film. It won Best International Feature Film at the Oscars, dedicated to the director’s daughter (meant to star in the film herself) who died in a car accident four days into filming.

Thanks for Reading!

On that not so cheery note, thanks for reading today’s post! We hope it gave you some inspiration for shows and films to watch – we would really recommend any of the ones on this list. We also welcome any inspiration you might have for us – what shows/films are you currently watching? Do you have any other Danish or Scandinavian favorites? Share with us in the comments below!