In recent years, many Scandinavian TV shows have become popular across the globe. Norwegian hit Skam is one prime example, and series like Rita have put Denmark on the map. But what are the best Swedish TV shows on Netflix?
As Scandinavia’s largest country, Sweden has had a huge impact on the region’s output in terms of entertainment. Stockholm is a popular destination for many aspiring actors and actresses, and the country’s creative streak shows no bounds of ending any time soon.
And while Swedish isn’t spoken widely worldwide, you will still find a selection of Netflix originals in this particular language.
When you think of Scandinavian TV on streaming services, you probably think of Nordic Noir. And admittedly, many Swedish series fall into this category.
But to say that’s the case for all of them would be misleading; you’ll find something to meet your interests, regardless of what you’re into.
This article will reveal the top Swedish TV shows on Netflix. You’ll also learn about how you can watch these programs, plus more.
Are there any Swedish shows on Netflix?
With 10.4 million people, Sweden has a relatively small population in a global context. And as you might expect, the Swedish market for Netflix shows isn’t particularly huge. Nonetheless, you will still find some.
Netflix has dozens of Swedish TV shows, some of which have run for several years. In addition to the mainstays, you’ll also find a selection with one or two seasons.
The availability of Swedish programs on Netflix depends on where in the world you’re based. If you live in Scandinavia, you’ll have a larger selection than you would in other parts of the globe.
Nonetheless, you will also find some programs in countries further afield — such as the UK.
How can I watch Swedish shows on Netflix?
To watch Swedish TV shows on Netflix, you’ll need to have a subscription. The price will depend on the specific plan you choose, and you’ll also pay a different price depending on which region you live in.
If you want to sign up for a Netflix subscription, doing so is pretty simple. All you need to do is visit the Netflix website before choosing your plan and paying once you’ve confirmed everything.
Once you’ve got an active account, you can watch Netflix on multiple devices — including your computer and tablet.
The availability of Swedish programs on Netflix will depend on where you live. Of course, you can always move to Sweden — but doing so might not be too practical. If you’re unable to move north, your best option is to use a virtual private network (VPN).
When using a VPN, you can connect your devices to servers in multiple countries — including Sweden. Once you’ve done this, you’ll be able to watch various Swedish TV shows on Netflix without needing to worry about geographical restrictions.
You can find various VPNs with access to the Swedish version of Netflix. If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve written a complete guide to the best VPNs for Sweden – so be sure to check that out.
Which Swedish TV shows are on Netflix?
You will find plenty of Swedish TV shows on Netflix to keep yourself entertained, including classics like The Bridge. On top of that, you’ll find lesser-known gems worth watching and much more.
In the sub-sections below, we’ll reveal the best Swedish TV shows on Netflix…
The Bridge
The Bridge, known as “Bron” in Swedish, is one of the best Nordic Noir series of all time. Many people credit it with the modern success of this particular genre; you’ll find plenty of similar shows in Norwegian, Finnish, Danish, and Icelandic.
The Bridge is a Swedish-Danish co-production. The series’ name derives from the Öresund Bridge, which connects Malmö — Sweden’s third-biggest city — with the Danish capital Copenhagen.
It begins when a dead body is found in the middle of the Öresund Bridge, prompting an investigation from police forces in both countries.
Much of the series circles around Swedish police detective Saga Norén, who is played by the actress Sofia Helin. Kim Bodnia, a famous Danish actor, also features heavily as a detective from Copenhagen. Bodnia plays the role of the fictional character Martin Rohde.
As it turns out, the murder on the BRIDGE is the first of many violent crimes that need investigating throughout the series. The Bridge lasts for four seasons, which originally aired between 2011 and 2018.
The Bridge has been recreated in several countries, including an English-language version called The Tunnel. It’s set on the Channel Tunnel, which connects England with France.
Other cross-border versions include the Estonia and Russian border, Germany-Austria, and the United States and Mexican border.
Love and Anarchy
Known as Kärlek och Anarki in Swedish, Love, and Anarchy is a romantic comedy series set in Stockholm — the country’s capital. It’s one of the newer Swedish TV shows on Netflix, having originally aired in November 2020.
Love and Anarchy follows two main characters: Sofie, who is played by Ida Engvoll, and Max — the role of which is played by Björn Mosten.
Love and Anarchy is a Netflix original series, and it’s the second one of its kind. The first season follows Sofie’s marriage at home; already at a breaking point, it continues deteriorating over the course of the series.
She and Max give each other a selection of dares, which start off relatively harmless before escalating further.
At the same time, both are working for the same company. Max is an intern, while Sofie is a consultant. During the series, you gain an insight into the other people who work for that particular business — along with its ongoing internal politics.
The second season of Love and Anarchy premiered on Netflix in the summer of 2022.
Störst av Allt
Known as Quicksand in English, Störst av Allt — which translates directly to “Biggest of All” — was the first Netflix original series in Swedish. The program premiered in 2019, and it works somewhat as a mix of Nordic Noir and drama.
Störst av Allt is based on a hugely popular novel written by the Swedish author Malin Persson Giolito.
The series primarily follows the fictional character Maja Norberg, and her role is played by the Swedish actress Hanna Ardéhn. Actor and musician Felix Sandman plays Sebastian Fagerman in Störst av Allt, and he is another prominent character in the series.
Störst av Allt follows the story of a school shooting that takes place in a Stockholm prep school, which takes place in a wealthy suburb. Norberg is the only survivor of the attack, which includes the death of her best friend.
She’s arrested not long after the incident takes place. The incident is not based on a real-life event that took place, though the neighborhood it’s set in — Djursholm — is real.
The series lasts for just one season, and it follows the lead-up to the eventual shooting. We learn about Fagerman’s troubled relationship with his father, along with the complications of Norberg and Fagerman’s complex personal connection.
The show also follows the court proceedings that followed the tragic event.
Anxious People
Anxious People is another Swedish TV show on Netflix that is based on a book. In Swedish, the series is known as “Folk med ångest”. Anxious People falls into the comedy category, and it was directed by Felix Herngren.
The series follows a hostage situation in a Swedish bank, which ultimately fails; the bank robber disappears after his attempt is unsuccessful. Tasked with having to solve the crime are a father and son working together, though this particular crime is out of the ordinary for them to try and solve.
Anxious People is shot in the municipality of Södertälje, a small town that forms part of Stockholm County and isn’t far away from the city center. All in all, eight people are taken hostage during the original robbery.
If you’re familiar with Stockholm Syndrome, you might get familiar vibes.
The series originally aired on Netflix in December 2021. It includes various Swedish actors and actresses, including Leif Andrée, Per Andersson, and Marika Lagercrantz.
Bonusfamiljen
Known in English as Bonus Family, Bonusfamiljen is one of the best Swedish TV shows on Netflix. It’s set in and around the Stockholm area, and it follows a set of dysfunctional families and complex characters who somehow cross paths; needless to say, it leads to pretty spectacular fireworks.
Caught in the crossfire are their children, who also play leading roles in the series.
Bonusfamiljen is another Swedish Netflix series to be directed by Felix Herngren. It ran between 2017 and 2019. The fictional characters Lisa and Patrik are the two main adults in the series; both have recently separated from their partners and have children of their own.
Lisa and Patrik’s relationship becomes trickier as the series progresses, with personality clashes between their children being one of many challenges to deal with. We also see the lives of the two partners they split from, both of whom have complicated love lives following the end of their previous relationships.
Bonusfamiljen runs across four series, with the first three including 10 episodes — with the last one having eight. You will find all of them on Netflix in multiple countries.
Clark
Sweden hasn’t had many famous criminals, but perhaps the best-known of them all is Clark Olofsson — who lived far from a quiet life. Born in Trollhättan on the West Coast of Sweden, Olofsson spent time in prison for various crimes.
He was also asked to go to the Norrmalmstorg bank during its 1973 robbery, which is largely famous because it’s the origin of the term “Stockholm Syndrome”.
Despite serving a prison sentence at the time of the robbery in Stockholm, he wasn’t deterred. In 1975, he escaped and participated in a bank robbery in another Scandinavian capital: Copenhagen. Later, he was involved in several other crimes — before also being deported to Belgium.
Clark on Netflix follows Olofsson’s life as a criminal, with famous Swedish actor Bill Skarsgård playing the main man in this particular series. You see several key moments from his time in the underworld, including scenes from that notorious Norrmalmstorg robbery.
We also learn about Olofsson’s early life, which involved growing up in a turbulent household. The series lasted for one season and was released in 2022.
Snabba Cash
Snabba Cash stands for “Easy Cash” in Swedish, and it takes a deep dive into the Swedish criminal underworld. Actress Evin Ahmad plays the role of the main character Leya in the movie, and she starts off as an ambitious entrepreneur.
Snabba Cash is based on three films that were released earlier in the 21st century, which themselves take inspiration from a set of books.
Leya is in search of investors for her new company, but once she finds one, she has to give money to the previous ones. To make this happen, her brother-in-law gives her a loan. Seems all fine and dandy, right?
Well, yes — until you realize that he’s a drug trafficker. Needless to say, this leads to a slippery slope.
Leya, who is a single mother during the series, finds herself in the criminal underworld. Over the series, she encounters various challenges — along with dealing with a challenging relationship. At the time of writing, there is one season on Netflix — but another is in the pipeline.
The Rain
You might be surprised to see the Rain appear in our list of the best Swedish TV shows on Netflix. But believe it or not, Alba August — who plays Simone Andersen in the series — is half-Swedish. On top of that, you also see a selection of scenes in the Rain that take place in Swedish.
The series is one of the most popular Scandinavian TV series to make it on Netflix, and it aired from 2018 to 2020.
The Rain follows a group of survivors from a bizarre form of precipitation, which contains a deadly virus. Much of Scandinavia’s population is obliterated as a result, and it quickly becomes a case of survival of the fittest.
Sofie and Rasmus’ father leaves the pair of them in a bunker before disappearing; once the two leave their shelter, they go on a search for him.
Over the course of the series, Sofie and Rasmus are joined by a group of other individuals. The following episodes follow the challenges they face along the way, with various tales of death and defiance. The Rain runs for three series, and the majority of it is in Danish.
Lilla Spöket Laban
So far, we’ve only really covered the best Swedish TV shows on Netflix for adults. However, you will also find a selection of children’s TV programs; if you’re trying to learn Swedish but haven’t yet reached a high level, you might find these particularly useful.
Lilla Spöket Laban, which translates to “Little Ghost Laban”, is one that you might want to watch.
Laban is the main character in the series, and the show might remind you of something similar to Casper the Friendly Ghost or Moomins. The series is also a children’s book, which you can find online.
Lilla Spöket Laban has four seasons on Netflix, with 24 episodes altogether. The show is available on Netflix Sweden, as well as in Denmark, Finland, and Norway — so you’ll need to use a VPN to watch it if you’re outside of those countries.
The Unlikely Murderer
Moving back into the Nordic Noir genre, we’ve got The Unlikely Murderer — known in Swedish as “Den Osannolika Mördaren”. The series surrounds the 1986 murder of the country’s former prime minister Olof Palme, who was shot dead on Sveavägen in Stockholm.
However, it’s more of a dramatization of the events that occurred.
The Unlikely Murderer was filmed based on a book written in 2018, and the writer of it — Thomas Pettersson — collaborated when putting together the Netflix series. The show features several famous Swedish actors, including Eva Melander and Robert Gustafsson.
The Unlikely Murderer was released in 2021, and the series covers one season. The series follows the aftermath of the assassination, which remains one of Sweden’s most shocking murders to this day.
Caliphate
Another Swedish TV show on Netflix in the drama category is Caliphate. The story follows an ISIS bride who has joined her husband in Syria, and it’s based on a story of three women in the UK.
Those women were known as the Bethnal Green trio, and the case of Shamima Begum was a huge story in British media at the time.
In the Caliphate series on Netflix, news breaks of an impending ISIS attack on Sweden. It becomes a race against time to foil that from happening. Over time, several issues pop up — and everything comes down to a gripping climax.
Caliphate is filmed between Stockholm and Jordan, and the series lasts for one season. You can watch eight episodes in total, and the series is available in multiple countries outside of Scandinavia as well as domestically.
Alfie Atkins
Another Swedish children’s series to make our list is Alfie Atkins, which follows a fictional namesake character. Lasting for one season, the show first went live in 2013. Atkins is six years old in the series and encounters various adventures daily throughout each episode.
Like Lilla Spöket Laban, Alfie Atkins is a good show to watch if you’re looking to grasp the Swedish language — but you’re still in your early stages. You can also watch it with English subtitles, allowing you to translate the words better as and when they pop up.
During the series, Alfie Atkins has an imaginary friend — and you also get to see his family. The series is available in various Scandinavian countries; if you don’t have access to these, you can always use a VPN.
Bamse
Bamse is a relatively old Swedish children’s TV series, having originally aired in 1972. And now, you also have the opportunity to check it out on Netflix. It’s not too different from Winnie the Pooh, though Bamse — which is Swedish for teddy bear — is much smaller.
On his daily quests, Bamse solves all kinds of problems. These include protecting his honey, finding out where a volcanic eruption occurred, and much more.
You will find one season of Bamse on Netflix. Again, it’s primarily available in the Nordic countries — so you’ll need to use a VPN service if you’re based outside of these countries to watch it.
Young Royals
Finishing off our list of Swedish TV shows on Netflix is Young Royals. The series follows a group of teenagers at a boarding school, and it might give you Gossip Girl vibes if you’ve already seen that particular show.
Young Royals features several prominent Swedish actors, including Edvin Rydning and Omar Rudberg. The series is set at Hillerska, which is a fictional school.
Young Royals has one season on Netflix, which has six episodes.
You will find plenty of Swedish TV shows on Netflix
So, that’s our list of top Swedish TV shows on Netflix all wrapped up. If you’ve read this far, you should have more than enough to keep you entertained for at least a couple of days.
You will find programs in all kinds of categories, with several Nordic Noir titles alongside dramas and comedies. You can also find shows on Amazon Prime and other streaming services.
Swedish Netflix shows are often only available in the Nordics, but you will find plenty of others that can be watched outside of this particular region. And if you want to watch one which isn’t available, you can always use a VPN provider to connect to a server in Sweden.
Once you’ve watched the Swedish television shows on our list, you might want to learn a little more about the Swedes. Perhaps you’ve even made your own stereotypes up about them, too.
If you’re curious to learn more about the people that live in this corner of Europe, why not check out our article about Swedish stereotypes?
Scandification: Discovering Scandinavia.