“Fatal Crossing” – TV Series Review

If you’re in the mood for a dark, slow-moving Danish crime drama miniseries, “Fatal Crossing” (originally “Pigerne fra Englandsbåden”) might fill the bill. Nora (Marie Sando Jondal) is a Danish journalist working for a major London paper. The story opens with her being suspended for boinking the tycoon she was profiling, who wound up being arrested for fraud. Tail between her legs (figuratively, not literally) she shuffles back to her hometown in North Zealand and moves in with her dad to escape the flak in England. That attempted withdrawal is dinged when someone anonymously stuffs her mailbox with photos from the unsolved disappearance of two teen girls in 1984 from a ferry to England. It was a big deal at the time, and still casts a pall over the community. As she starts probing that case, another young girl goes missing. For eight hour-long episodes we follow her investigation as it takes many turns. Could there be a link between the old and the new? Have there been others in between perpetrated by the same undetected serial killer(s)?

Nora’s abilities are validated somewhat by her uncle, who owns the local paper that launched her award-winning career abroad. He gives her a desk and a short leash. She turns to an old friend, Andreas (Jesper Hagelskaer Paasch), who is now on the police force. She thinks there may have been a cover-up of the earlier events. Andreas is conflicted, because he sees some questionable aspects of that file, but his late, revered father was the lead cop on the case. Law enforcement vs. legacy?

I won’t elaborate on specific plot details. Nora’s efforts take her to England and back, unearth possible connections to a number of similar disappearances, and lead to multiple suspects. A couple of supporting characters chip in excellently creepy performances – notably Susan A. Olsen’s Jytte, Ian Burns’ Hix, and Karin Bang Heinemeier’s turn as the mother of the latest victim. The series is long on mood and dialog and short on action, as all sorts of psychological issues from previous traumas of multiple figures are hashed out. Dead, departed and distant parents seem unfortunately common for such a small town.

The slow emotional and investigative themes of the first six episodes pick up considerably in the last two, with more physical action and danger. Nora is not the most bond-able of protagonists. She makes some costly mistakes, and seems overly self-absorbed, with little regard for the effects of her moods and actions on those around her. And any mystery buff will second-guess about some questions she should have asked. Even so, Nora maintains enough appeal and reasons for the way she faces the world for us to hope she purges her devils and solves the crimes.

Side note: Kudos to the casting director who chose Bue Wandahl and Mogens Holm to play Nora’s father and uncle. Both handle their roles with suitable dignity and sensitivity, while bearing enough resemblance to actually look like brothers.

FATAL CROSSING, in Danish with English subtitles, debuts streaming on MHz Choice on Tuesday, June 10, 2025.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars