Entertainment - Foreign TV Crime and Mysteries - Strip.jpg

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Foreign TV Crime and Mysteries

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This page contains an extensive list of foreign language crime and mystery television series and movies.  Though I am American, my appetite for these series and movies is insatiable and beyond an addiction level.  As compared to their American counterparts, these foreign language series and movies tend to rely less on glitz and gimmicks, and focus more on the investigation, procedure, sub-plots, and character development.  One key factor that enables this is the program length, which can range up to multiple hours per case or story.  Due to the sheer number, they are divided into some very rough categories, which are summarized below. 

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  • Police Detectives:  The theme of this category concerns murder, and the main characters are one or more police detectives.

  • Private Detectives:  The theme of this category concerns private detectives that solve mysteries and cases which involve a crime or murder.

  • Citizen Sleuths:  The theme of this category concerns private citizens who are sleuths that solve mysteries involving crime or murder.

  • Forensics:  The theme of this category concerns forensic experts that assist police detectives with murder investigations.

  • Profilers:  The theme of this category concerns profilers or criminal psychologists, and they assist the police with solving serial murders.

  • Policing:  The theme of this category is policing of crime, and uniformed police or non-murder detectives are the predominant characters.

  • Legal:  The theme of this category concerns the legal aspect, the legal team, or the resulting trial of crimes including murder.

  • Journalists:  The theme of this category concerns journalists who investigate crime, murder, or political corruption.

  • Espionage, Terrorism & Political:  The theme of this category concerns espionage, terrorism, or political intrigue and scandal.

  • Heists & Organized Crime:  The theme of this category concerns heists, where thieves are the predominant characters, or organized crime.

  • General Mysteries & Crime:  The theme of this category is mystery or crime, and the predominant characters are generally not the police.

 

Repeat visitors can visit the Update History on the About page to see what was added by date.  The summaries and my comments about each series are dynamic, and might be updated over time, so a date is listed when each was updated.  

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Police Detectives

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The general theme of this particular collection concerns murder or serial murders, and the primary characters are police detectives.  Click on each toggle to expand it and show further details.

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Dicte (TV Series 2013-2016)

Dicte is a Danish language television series from Danish television network TV2 Danmark. The series is based on novels by author Elsebeth Egholm. The primary character is Dicte Svendsen, who is a journalist and crime reporter. She helps the police solve crimes, both with and without their approval. Dicte is portrayed by Danish actress Iben Hjejle, and police detective John Wagner is portrayed by Danish actor Lars Brygmann. The series ran from 2013 to 2016, and there are a total of 15 independent stories or cases that run about 90 minutes each.
Dicte is a solidly entertaining series. The somewhat expected antagonistic relationship exists between Dicte and the police, but the lead detective does genuinely values her assistance in the end. One aspect that makes the series entertaining is the number of recurring characters, including her daughter, her ex-husband, two of her friends, and other reporters. If you enjoyed Dicte, consider trying the series Modus, and Rebecka Martinsson. If you like actor Lars Brygmann, consider the series Borgen.




Case (TV Series 2015)

Case is an Icelandic language television series from Icelandic television network Stöð 2. The series is called Réttur in Iceland, and was re-titled Case in English language markets. The story concerns Logi Traustason, who is a down and out attorney. When a young girl is found hung to death in a ballet theater, he gets involved in investigating her death. Logi is portrayed by actor Magnús Jónsson, and the police detective is portrayed by Icelandic actress Steinunn Ólína Þorsteinsdóttir. The series aired in 2015, and there are ten episodes that run about an hour each.
This series was unique and entertaining, which I viewed via Netflix. The series is definitely not for everyone due to extreme graphic content, including drug use and nudity. As might be expected from the basic plot summaries, the down and out attorney realizes that this case might be his one shot at some type of redemption. If you enjoyed Case, some other Icelandic series to consider include Lava Field and Trapped. If you like actress Steinunn Ólína Þorsteinsdóttir, consider the series Trapped.



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Citizen Sleuths

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The general theme of this category concerns citizen sleuths that solve mysteries and cases generally involving crime or murder.  Some of these sleuths may operate cooperatively with the police, while others may have antagonistic relationships with the police.  Click on each toggle to expand it and show further details.

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L’Accident (TV Mini-Series 2016)

L’Accident is French language television mini-series from French television network France 3. The French title translates in English to The Accident. The story begins with a woman who is killed in a car accident, and the police dismiss the accident as a case of drunk driving. The rest of the story follows her husband, who does not believe the police findings, and begins to investigate on his own. The mini-series aired in 2016, and there are a total of six episodes that run about an hour each. This was a below average drama, which I watched via Acorn TV. I found the pace to be far too slow, and the plot to be shallow. If you enjoyed L’Accident, consider trying Dicte or The Disappearance.



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Forensics

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The general theme of this category concerns forensic experts that are the predominant characters of murder investigations, and may have antagonistic relationships with the police.  Click on each toggle to expand it and show further details.

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Dicte (TV Series 2013-2016)

Dicte is a Danish language television series from Danish television network TV2 Danmark. The series is based on novels by author Elsebeth Egholm. The primary character is Dicte Svendsen, who is a journalist and crime reporter. She helps the police solve crimes, both with and without their approval. Dicte is portrayed by Danish actress Iben Hjejle, and police detective John Wagner is portrayed by Danish actor Lars Brygmann. The series ran from 2013 to 2016, and there are a total of 15 independent stories or cases that run about 90 minutes each.
Dicte is a solidly entertaining series. The somewhat expected antagonistic relationship exists between Dicte and the police, but the lead detective does genuinely values her assistance in the end. One aspect that makes the series entertaining is the number of recurring characters, including her daughter, her ex-husband, two of her friends, and other reporters. If you enjoyed Dicte, consider trying the series Modus, and Rebecka Martinsson. If you like actor Lars Brygmann, consider the series Borgen.




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Profilers

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The general theme of this particular category concerns a profiler or criminal psychologist, who assists the police with solving serial murders.  Click on each toggle to expand it and show further details.

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Modus (TV Series 2015-2016)

Modus is a Sweden language television series from television network TV4 in Sweden. The title is the same in Swedish. The primary character is Inger Johanne Vik, who is Swedish criminal psychologist and profiler, who has also worked with the FBI. When one of her daughters witnesses a crime and murder, she becomes involved with helping the police solve it. Inger is portrayed by Danish actress Melinda Kinnaman, and the police detective is portrayed by Danish actor Henrik Norlén. The series aired in 2015 to 2017, and there are two seasons, and each consists of eight episodes that run about an hour each.
This was a entertaining psychological and profiler type of police procedural. I’ve not yet seen the second series, and am somewhat leery, as the reviews were negative and the plot sounded ridiculous. If you enjoyed Modus, some other series to consider include The Bridge and the Killing. If you like actress Melinda Kinnaman, she has a minor role in one of the series of The Bridge.



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Legal

 

The general theme of this category concerns the legal aspect, where the primary characters are lawyers or judges, and the resulting trial of crimes including murder.  Click on each toggle to expand it and show further details.

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Case (TV Series 2015)

Case is an Icelandic language television series from Icelandic television network Stöð 2. The series is called Réttur in Iceland, and was re-titled Case in English language markets. The story concerns Logi Traustason, who is a down and out attorney. When a young girl is found hung to death in a ballet theater, he gets involved in investigating her death. Logi is portrayed by actor Magnús Jónsson, and the police detective is portrayed by Icelandic actress Steinunn Ólína Þorsteinsdóttir. The series aired in 2015, and there are ten episodes that run about an hour each.
This series was unique and entertaining, which I viewed via Netflix. The series is definitely not for everyone due to extreme graphic content, including drug use and nudity. As might be expected from the basic plot summaries, the down and out attorney realizes that this case might be his one shot at some type of redemption. If you enjoyed Case, some other Icelandic series to consider include Lava Field and Trapped. If you like actress Steinunn Ólína Þorsteinsdóttir, consider the series Trapped.



Rebecka Martinsson (TV Series 2017-2020)

Rebecka Martinsson is an Swedish language television series from television network TV4 in Sweden. The primary character is Rebecka Martinsson, who is a successful lawyer from Stockholm, who returns to her hometown for a funeral. When she becomes suspicious of the circumstances, she begins to investigate the death, while dealing with some psychological issues. Martinsson is portrayed in the first series by Swedish actress Ida Engvoll. The first series aired in 2017, and there are eight episodes that run about an hour each. There is a second series also with eight episodes.
This was an entertaining and unique series, which I watched via Acorn TV. The second series features a new actress taking on the role of Rebecka Martinsson, and I didn't finsih viewing the series, as I didn't feel the same connection to the character. If you enjoyed Rebecka Martinsson, another series with a psychologically flawed character is The Break. If you like actress Ida Engvoll, she has a minor role in one of the series of The Bridge.



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Journalists

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The general theme of this category concerns journalists as the primary characters, and they investigate crime, murder, or political corruption.  Click on each toggle to expand it and show further details.

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Dicte (TV Series 2013-2016)

Dicte is a Danish language television series from Danish television network TV2 Danmark. The series is based on novels by author Elsebeth Egholm. The primary character is Dicte Svendsen, who is a journalist and crime reporter. She helps the police solve crimes, both with and without their approval. Dicte is portrayed by Danish actress Iben Hjejle, and police detective John Wagner is portrayed by Danish actor Lars Brygmann. The series ran from 2013 to 2016, and there are a total of 15 independent stories or cases that run about 90 minutes each.
Dicte is a solidly entertaining series. The somewhat expected antagonistic relationship exists between Dicte and the police, but the lead detective does genuinely values her assistance in the end. One aspect that makes the series entertaining is the number of recurring characters, including her daughter, her ex-husband, two of her friends, and other reporters. If you enjoyed Dicte, consider trying the series Modus, and Rebecka Martinsson. If you like actor Lars Brygmann, consider the series Borgen.




Case (TV Series 2015)

Case is an Icelandic language television series from Icelandic television network Stöð 2. The series is called Réttur in Iceland, and was re-titled Case in English language markets. The story concerns Logi Traustason, who is a down and out attorney. When a young girl is found hung to death in a ballet theater, he gets involved in investigating her death. Logi is portrayed by actor Magnús Jónsson, and the police detective is portrayed by Icelandic actress Steinunn Ólína Þorsteinsdóttir. The series aired in 2015, and there are ten episodes that run about an hour each.
This series was unique and entertaining, which I viewed via Netflix. The series is definitely not for everyone due to extreme graphic content, including drug use and nudity. As might be expected from the basic plot summaries, the down and out attorney realizes that this case might be his one shot at some type of redemption. If you enjoyed Case, some other Icelandic series to consider include Lava Field and Trapped. If you like actress Steinunn Ólína Þorsteinsdóttir, consider the series Trapped.



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Espionage, Terrorism & Political

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The general theme of this category concerns espionage, terrorism, or political corruption and scandal.  Click on each toggle to expand it and show further details.

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The 12th Man (Theatrical Movie 2017)

The 12th Man is a Norwegian and German language theatrical movie from Norway. The move is based on the true story of Jan Baalsrud. The story is about a group of Norwegian soldiers who return to Norway to covertly destroy German targets, and enhance the resistance movement. The mission fails, and he is the lone survivor on the run from the Nazis. The title in Norwegian is Den 12 Mann. The movie was released in 2017, and runs about two hours.
This was an above average and entertaining movie. It is a straight up and typical World War II commando and espionage storyline. I found it on Hulu, and figured I would give it a try after seeing that Jonathan Rhys Meyers played the role of the Nazi officer. I didn’t realize that the movie was foreign language, which does not matter to me, as most streaming services do not clearly identify that fact.



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Heists & Organized Crime

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The general theme of this category concerns heists where thieves and grifters are the predominant characters, or organized crime where gangsters or hitmen are the predominant characters.  Click on each toggle to expand it and show further details.

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Rebecka Martinsson (TV Series 2017-2020)

Rebecka Martinsson is an Swedish language television series from television network TV4 in Sweden. The primary character is Rebecka Martinsson, who is a successful lawyer from Stockholm, who returns to her hometown for a funeral. When she becomes suspicious of the circumstances, she begins to investigate the death, while dealing with some psychological issues. Martinsson is portrayed in the first series by Swedish actress Ida Engvoll. The first series aired in 2017, and there are eight episodes that run about an hour each. There is a second series also with eight episodes.
This was an entertaining and unique series, which I watched via Acorn TV. The second series features a new actress taking on the role of Rebecka Martinsson, and I didn't finsih viewing the series, as I didn't feel the same connection to the character. If you enjoyed Rebecka Martinsson, another series with a psychologically flawed character is The Break. If you like actress Ida Engvoll, she has a minor role in one of the series of The Bridge.



Dicte (TV Series 2013-2016)

Dicte is a Danish language television series from Danish television network TV2 Danmark. The series is based on novels by author Elsebeth Egholm. The primary character is Dicte Svendsen, who is a journalist and crime reporter. She helps the police solve crimes, both with and without their approval. Dicte is portrayed by Danish actress Iben Hjejle, and police detective John Wagner is portrayed by Danish actor Lars Brygmann. The series ran from 2013 to 2016, and there are a total of 15 independent stories or cases that run about 90 minutes each.
Dicte is a solidly entertaining series. The somewhat expected antagonistic relationship exists between Dicte and the police, but the lead detective does genuinely values her assistance in the end. One aspect that makes the series entertaining is the number of recurring characters, including her daughter, her ex-husband, two of her friends, and other reporters. If you enjoyed Dicte, consider trying the series Modus, and Rebecka Martinsson. If you like actor Lars Brygmann, consider the series Borgen.




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General Mysteries & Crime

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The general theme of this category concerns general mysteries or crime, and the predominant characters are generally not the police. The themes of these series and movies do not readily fit into the other categories, so this is simply a catch-all category.  Click on each toggle to expand it and show further details.

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L’Accident (TV Mini-Series 2016)

L’Accident is French language television mini-series from French television network France 3. The French title translates in English to The Accident. The story begins with a woman who is killed in a car accident, and the police dismiss the accident as a case of drunk driving. The rest of the story follows her husband, who does not believe the police findings, and begins to investigate on his own. The mini-series aired in 2016, and there are a total of six episodes that run about an hour each. This was a below average drama, which I watched via Acorn TV. I found the pace to be far too slow, and the plot to be shallow. If you enjoyed L’Accident, consider trying Dicte or The Disappearance.



Case (TV Series 2015)

Case is an Icelandic language television series from Icelandic television network Stöð 2. The series is called Réttur in Iceland, and was re-titled Case in English language markets. The story concerns Logi Traustason, who is a down and out attorney. When a young girl is found hung to death in a ballet theater, he gets involved in investigating her death. Logi is portrayed by actor Magnús Jónsson, and the police detective is portrayed by Icelandic actress Steinunn Ólína Þorsteinsdóttir. The series aired in 2015, and there are ten episodes that run about an hour each.
This series was unique and entertaining, which I viewed via Netflix. The series is definitely not for everyone due to extreme graphic content, including drug use and nudity. As might be expected from the basic plot summaries, the down and out attorney realizes that this case might be his one shot at some type of redemption. If you enjoyed Case, some other Icelandic series to consider include Lava Field and Trapped. If you like actress Steinunn Ólína Þorsteinsdóttir, consider the series Trapped.



      

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© Copyright  -  Timothy J. Barron  -  This page was updated September 6, 2021

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