'Addictive' crime drama with 3 seasons is your next detective binge
The Finnish crime drama, Bordertown, which follows a talented detective as he takes on a string of disturbing murder cases, is available to stream on Channel 4 now
Calling all detective drama fans! The Finnish crime series, Bordertown, is currently available to stream on Channel 4 – and it could just be your next TV binge. The crime drama, starring Finnish actor Ville Virtanen, follows a gifted detective whose hopes of a quiet life in a new town are thwarted when he gets drawn into a string of murder cases. The series, which comes to Channel 4 via its off-shoot streaming service, Walter Presents, was created by Miikko Oikkonen, who is known for writing Finnish drama shows including Estonia and Nymphs. It first aired in Finland in 2016, with all three seasons now available to stream on Channel 4.
Channel 4 has a fantastic list of gripping foreign dramas on offer thanks to its offshoot streaming service, Walter Presents, which highlights high-rated, award-winning foreign-language dramas hand-picked by Italian TV producer, Walter Iuzzolino, has executive producer credits on hit shows such as Professor T, Bookish and The Couple Next Door. Bordertown sounds like another riveting addition to the ever-increasing slate, and promises plenty of intrigue, dark murder cases and a quirky yet talented police detective who viewers will instantly root for. Keep reading to find out more.
The series follows talented police detective, Kari Sorjonen,
What is Bordertown about?
The series follows a talented police detective, Kari Sorjonen, who takes a job in a small town in the hopes of a quiet life with his wife, who is recovering from cancer, and his teenage daughter. But he's soon drawn into a web of harrowing murder cases.
The synopsis reads: "A quirky Finnish police detective delves into his ‘memory palace’ to solve despicable crimes all the while trying to keep his family together. If Sherlock was based in Finland this would be it. A gifted detective Kari Sorjonen, takes a job in a small town so he can spend more time with family - his recovering wife and teenage daughter and enjoy a more peaceful life. But it seems that the idyllic life they he had hoped for is far from the reality of this bordertown between Finland and Russia."
It continues: "As the new police chief, Sorjonen must use his brilliant mind and exceptional deductive skills to investigate several murder cases along with a serial killer who is tormenting the community. But he will soon discover that these successive crimes are connected not only to each other, but also to his family."
WATCH: Love shows about talented detectives? Check out Ridley on ITV
The series boasts an 87 per cent Rotten Tomatoes score,
What have viewers said about the show?
The series, which boasts an impressive 87 per cent Rotten Tomatoes score, has been praised by viewers online, with one person writing: "This show looks and sounds amazing, great music as well! The characters are great and the acting is on point," while another added: "It's a compelling crime drama that I found quickly addictive. The character development is well done, and there's a nice mix of suspense and twists."
Meanwhile, others drew comparisons between all three seasons, with many praising the first series as the best of the three. One person wrote: "Loved the first season, interesting main character and the murder cases/investigations were clever. However, the second and third season lost the plot and spent too much time on weird subplots and an overrated villain."
Ville Virtanen leads the cast as Detective Inspector Kari Sorjonen
Who stars in Bordertown?
The cast is made up of Finnish stars, including Ville Virtanen, who leads the cast as Detective Inspector Kari Sorjonen. He's joined by Matleena Kuusniemi as Pauliina Sorjonen, Anu Sinisalo as Detective Constable Lena Jaakkola, Kristiina Halttu as Detective Superintendent Taina Perttula and Ilkka Villi as Detective Constable Niko Uusitalo.
The series won three Golden Venla Awards, Finland's prestigious television awards, in 2017 including Best Drama Series, Best Actor, which went to Ville Virtanen, and Best Actress, which was picked up by Anu Sinisalo.
The drama also has some famous fans, including actress Gwyneth Paltrow, who said she was "obsessed" with the series in a post on her Instagram Stories in 2022, while Monty Python star, Eric Idle, raved about the show on X in 2022: "I'm completely addicted to Bordertown on Netflix. This thriller from Finland is brilliantly written, acted, directed and shot. I think it's magnificent."
All three seasons of Bordertown are available to stream on Channel 4 now.
Sign up to HELLO TV & Film for the week's top talking points and the lowdown on the latest releases
By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User Data Protection Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information, please click here.
Jessica Hynes has joined the cast of Patience, a York-set detective drama which stars Ella Maisy Purvis as an autistic archivist who starts working for the police
The Spanish series, Marbella, is set in the Spanish coastal town's shadowy criminal underworld and follows a morally loose lawyer working with criminal gangs
BAFTA winner Samantha Morton plays French monarch Catherine de Medici in The Serpent Queen, which first aired in 2022 and is now available on Channel 4
