Timo Harjunpää (Olli Rahkonen) is a rarity amongst policemen in drama. He’s a contented copper. No broken marriages, no secret drug issues, no in-fighting with his colleagues. He’s a genuine, family man – wife and two kids – who is good at his job and is liked and appreciated by his workmaktes. And that’s what makes this an enjoyable watch. Pretty much from the start, you realise that Timo’s a good guy and you’re rooting for him.
If you want to avoid all spoilers, stop reading this article now.
But he is overworked. The Finnish capital is being plagued by a serial rapist, and the police are struggling to catch up with him. He’s struck a few times already, and when some people disturb him midway through another attack in a park, Timo and his team are there in a flash to investigate the crime scene. The perpetrator has already escaped on foot, but he leaves his victim in a coma. The following day, under pressure to get results, Timo’s boss partners him with Onerva Nykanen (Olga Temonen) from the Sex Crimes unit, to boost resources.
The decide to lay a trap for the rapist by having Onerva dress in provocative clothing and walk through the same park where the previous attack took place. But, this is a crime drama after all, and such predictable attempts to foil the would-be criminal fall flat when the local bobbies mistake Timo for the perp and he makes his escape once more. Seriously – drama cops are totally incompetent most of the time.
Elsewhere, we meet the ambulance driver, Jarkko Kaupinoja, who attended the scene and cared for the victim. Despite his humanitarian profession, his personal life is very different. By day he’s nursing people back to health; but by night, he’s a misogynistic gamer – creating simulations that involve the raping and killing of women. This seems a contradiction too far, if I’m honest. And his conversation with a female neighbour – to whom he admits having never been with a woman, and then proceeds to offer her money to sleep with him – is disturbing and hard to believe.
Produced by ITV Studios Finland, this is an eight-part series, with each story told over two episodes. It doesn’t offer anything new or revolutionary in the police procedural marketplace, but it’s well-scripted, the storylines are enjoyable and Helsinki – one of my favourite cities anyway – looks great. But the main reasons to watch are for the characters of Timo, Onerva and the assembled cast. Because it’s genuinely refreshing to have a team of cops all of whom are just nice, normal people you’d be happy to go and have a beer with. And, to be fair, most Finns are like that anyway.
If you enjoy straight-forward, diva-free crime drama, this is worth a look. Read our interviews with Ollie Rahkonen and Olga Temonen to find out more about the show.
Walter Presents: ‘Helsinki Crimes’ is available as a full boxset on All 4 now.
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