This Finnish thriller (Musta Valo in its original language) has the potential to be a bit of a gem. Based on a novel “The Dark Light” (which is what Musta Velo means) by Petri Karra, this is a six-episode series from 2022 starring Maria Sid as Anna Valli, a police detective, and her crime-novelist turned professor husband, Henrik (Samuli Edelmann).
If you want to avoid all spoilers, stop reading this article now.
Anna is brought in to investigate a drive-by shooting on a quiet residential street. The victim is a seemingly normal family man with no connection to the criminal fraternity. The getaway car is a black BMW that the police find burned out nearby.
Investigations into the vehicle lead Anna and her partner to the son of a convicted criminal, Jape Halme. Anna helped convict his father, Lefa. Further investigations lead them to a disused warehouse where they discover a stash of illegal drugs. They hear a noise from another room and disturb two occupants. They both get away, but not before Anna recognises one of them – her son, Nico.
Nico goes on the run and reaches out to his father Henrik for help to flee the country. Being a crime writer, Henrik knows a trick of two about evading the law, even if the law in this case is his wife and Nico’s mother.
Meanwhile Anna is summoned to the jail cell of Lefa, who demands to know where his son is. Jape has gone missing, and no-one knows where he’s hiding – including Anna.
There’s a lot of secrecy in this show – Anna hiding the fact that she knows her son was involved in the shooting; Henrik not telling her that he’s helping their son evade capture. If there’s a lesson to be learned, it’s that you really ought to tell your spouse if you suspect your son is a criminal!
The acting is top notch. Maria Sid has been in a number of shows such as All The Sins and Before We Die. Samul Edelmann was in the intriguing Reindeer Mafia from a few years ago. And the writing – perhaps because it’s based on a novel – is also excellent.
You do have to wonder about some of the aspects of the plot, to be honest. For example, would a police detective come running in the middle of the night because a convicted criminal calls her up? And the fact that neither Anna nor Henrik have confided in each other is a giant leap of faith. Would that actually happen in real life? I have my doubts.
But, despite those reservations, this is a really interesting and engaging series. Nordic Noir as its best. Definitely one to watch.
Walter Presents: ‘A Good Family' is available to watch on C4 Streaming now.
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