10 Best Nordic Noir TV Series To Stream On Netflix

Copenhagen Cowboy (2022)

Nicolas Winding Refn’s Copenhagen Cowboy feels less like a traditional crime series and more like a hypnotic fever dream. The Danish miniseries follows Miu, a mysterious young woman with supernatural abilities who drifts through Copenhagen’s criminal underworld seeking revenge against those who exploited her. While it still carries the darkness and brutality associated with Nordic noir, the show leans heavily into surrealism, neon-soaked visuals, and eerie silence.

Deadwind (2018–2021)

If you enjoy slow-burning mysteries soaked in grief and emotional tension, Deadwind deserves a spot on your watchlist. The Finnish series centers on Sofia Karppi, a detective still reeling from the loss of her husband when she returns to work in Helsinki’s homicide division. Alongside her inexperienced new partner, Sakari Nurmi, she investigates the murder of a young woman tied to corruption and powerful business interests.

Equinox (2020)

Part mystery thriller, part folk-horror nightmare, Equinox takes Nordic noir in a much stranger direction than most Scandinavian crime dramas. The story follows Astrid, a radio host tormented for years by the unexplained disappearance of her sister and an entire graduating class. When one of the survivors suddenly contacts her decades later, buried secrets begin clawing their way back to the surface.

The Chestnut Man (2021)

Murder mysteries rarely feel as unsettling and cinematic as The Chestnut Man. Set during a gloomy Copenhagen autumn, the Danish thriller opens with a horrifying crime scene marked by tiny chestnut figurines left behind by the killer. Detectives Naia Thulin and Mark Hess quickly discover the case may connect to the presumed-dead daughter of a powerful politician.

Bordertown (2016)

For viewers who prefer detective-driven mysteries, Bordertown delivers one of the genre’s most compelling investigators. The Finnish crime drama centers on Kari Sorjonen, a brilliant but socially awkward detective who relocates his family to a quieter town near the Russian border, hoping for a more peaceful life. Instead, he becomes tangled in increasingly disturbing murder cases tied to the region’s criminal underbelly.

Secrets We Keep (2025)

Beneath the polished image of wealthy Copenhagen suburbia lies something far darker in Secrets We Keep. The series begins with the disappearance of a Filipino au pair, prompting Cecile to investigate after the young woman previously hinted she was in danger. What starts as a missing-person case slowly exposes buried secrets involving privilege, exploitation, and abuse within the seemingly perfect community.

The Breakthrough (2025)

Unlike many Nordic noir series built around fictional killers, The Breakthrough draws power from the fact that its story actually happened. Based on Sweden’s second-largest criminal investigation, the four-episode drama chronicles how modern forensic genealogy finally solved a double murder that remained cold for years. The show avoids sensationalism and instead focuses on the emotional impact left behind by unresolved violence.

A Nearly Normal Family (2023)

Initially, the Sandell family appears completely ordinary, but A Nearly Normal Family quickly dismantles that illusion. The Swedish thriller begins after teenage daughter Stella is accused of murdering an older man, forcing her parents into impossible moral territory. As the story unfolds from multiple perspectives, the series constantly shifts viewers’ loyalties and assumptions.

The Glass Dome (2025)

Trauma hangs over every scene in The Glass Dome, a bleak Swedish thriller created by bestselling crime author Camilla Läckberg. The story follows criminologist Lejla Ness, who returns to her hometown years after surviving a horrifying childhood abduction. When another young girl disappears under eerily similar circumstances, Lejla becomes consumed by the possibility that the crimes are connected.

Entrapped (2021)

Icelandic crime dramas rarely disappoint, and Entrapped proves exactly why the country dominates the Nordic noir genre. Functioning as a standalone continuation of Trapped, the series throws viewers into a bitter land dispute involving a biker gang, a mysterious neopagan cult, and a murder hidden beneath years of secrets. Detectives Andri and Hinrika navigate the chaos while trying to uncover the truth behind a missing woman connected to the conflict.