Netflix has been doing a fantastic job with its recent wave of crime thrillers like The Night Agent. But it’s the platforms’ foreign-language options like the Spanish series In the Mud or the German offering Unfamiliar that have truly risen above the rest. And that’s also the case for this long-anticipated book-to-television adaptation, which has easily taken the #2 spot on Netflix‘s Top 10 Most Watched list. So if you’re looking to be pulled into the shadowy streets of Oslo beside a beleaguered, morally gray detective and his corrupt rival, Netflix has the series for you—one that will erase the failings of Michael Fassbender’s dismal attempt to bring him to life previously.
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The sheer amount of views, as well as the incredible ratings from critics and audiences alike, mean great things for Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole—namely, the potential for more of the book series to be adapted for television. The adaptation, which was also written for television by Jo Nesbø, is based on the fifth book in the series, The Devil’s Star. The story centers on Detective Harry Hole as he races against the clock to find a brutal serial killer whose violence has shocked the country of Norway. Not only that, but Hole is also going head-to-head with Detective Tom Waaler, his rival, whom he believes is corrupt. As the two men find themselves locked in a heated battle, one seeks justice as the other attempts to escape it, and it’s up to Harry not to let himself be pulled back into his past.
Detective Hole Highlights How to Properly Do an Adaptation
Speaking with Tudum about what makes this adaptation so successful, director and executive producer Øystein Karlsen says, “It is a great mix of a fast-paced whodunit and a genuine drama with real people and lives the viewer can relate to—and it has more twists and turns than I can remember having seen in any thriller series.” And critics agree, having rated the first season of the thriller series 93% for its labyrinthine mystery, as well as the grim-dark nature of Hole himself.
“A roundhouse-kick of a thrill ride that lives up to the promises baked into the thriller subgenre’s name, Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole delivers virtually everywhere it should — which is nothing less than what a modern legend deserves,” says critic Kelcie Mattson. Overall, it appears that this new foray into familiar territory is exactly what the IP deserved, finally finding its new life and undoing the damage done by the earlier film that failed to resonate with audiences.
Do you have a favorite moment from Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole? Let us know in the comments! And don’t forget to check out the ComicBook forum to see what other fans are saying.
