Common Sense Media Review
By Marty Brown
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Nordic crime series veers between intrigue and cliche.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Detective Hole
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Detective Hole is an Oslo-based police officers who struggles with his own demons after the loss of his partner five years ago, which he blames himself for. While investigating a criminal drug ring, Hole discovers corruption within the police department and a series of murders that point to a serial killer -- two things that may or may not be related.
Is It Any Good?
Jo Nesbø didn't invent Nordic noir, but he's one of its more popular practitioners. Maybe it's unsurprising, then, that Detective Hole, adapted from Nesbø's best-known series, is both innovative in some ways and riddled with cliches in others. It would be compelling enough to watch Hole face off against his police superior (Joel Kinnaman, playing the villain), but the series adds on a by-the-numbers serial killer plot as well. Even Hole's alcohol abuse is written as amateur pop psychology. There's plenty of fun stuff here for fans of Norwegian mystery series, but Nesbø needs to work a lot harder to stand out against the myriad other detective shows, most of which have the advantage of not sporting a deeply silly title.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the main mystery. What is Detective Hole investigating? How are the investigations tied up with his personal life? How do his personal feelings affect his policework?
How is Hole's alcohol abuse portrayed? How is the character different on and off alcohol? Do you think this is a compassionate portrayal?
How does the series portray Hole's mental health issues? How does Hole's personal life and psychology evolve throughout the series?
TV Details
- Premiere date : March 26, 2026
- Cast : Joel Kinnaman , Pia Tjelta , Tobias Santelmann
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Book Characters
- TV rating :
- Last updated : March 27, 2026
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