– By Mark Glass –
We now return to Finland for the 5th season of Finnish TV’s “Arctic Circle,”with a season-long crime scenario challenging chief Nina (Iina Kuustoen) and her small Ivalo police force. They also handle their business in six efficient episodes, unlike the overlong first season’s ten. Well done, writers and producers!
For newcomers, Nina has worked her way up the ranks to chief in the first four seasons, while raising Venla (Venla Ronkainen) and, as of last year, her new infant, as a single mother. In many of these crime series, children of the protagonists tend to be a distraction or annoyance. But Venla, who has Downs Syndrome, has been a major asset in terms of both plot advancement and the series’ emotional depth. That continues to be the case in this year’s production.
For returning fans, the season offers a significant change of tone from last year’s creepy set of crimes. That one revolved around an approaching comet that a sect of religious fanatics believed to be the catalyst for the return of Jesus, compelling them to do a bunch of horrible things to make sure it happens. This time around, the focus is on technology and terrorism, which feeds into a significant real-life concern.
A group of hackers plants ransomware in the system of a conglomerate that controls Finland’s electrical grid. They are mostly Russians, some of whom are motivated by a huge payday; others by creating an opportunity for their homeland to make a move on Finland during a nationwide shutdown. The non-Russian among them, Vaga (Betadi Mandunga), has been foiled repeatedly by an anonymous super-hacker known as D-Time, who has protected many other companies and countries against such cyber-attacks. D-time is believed to Live in Finland which is why Vaga teamed up with the others to attack this target, hoping to force his nemesis into the open so he can kill the bastard (Vaga’s opinion, not mine).
The season’s events are triggered by a murder in Ivalo, putting the case on Nina’s desk. She’s also greeted with the unpleasant surprise of her baby daddy, Toni (Mikko Nousiainen), suddenly changing careers and joining her force as a trainee. Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing, as far as she’s concerned. When the cyber-attack occurs, that brings in another set of cops who specialize in those crimes. It also puts Nina at odds with them, since their missions overlap, but differ, and in some ways, pull in opposite directions.
The season is replete with conflicts and secrecy, creating high levels of dramatic tension and suspense that keep building to a thrilling conclusion in Episode 6. This might be my favorite season of the quintet. Although the cases are closed, they end with a significant open question about the future that calls for a sixth season to follow. Don’t let us down, Finland!
“Arctic Circle” Season 5, mostly in Finnish with English subtitles, debuts streaming on MHz Choice on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026.
RATING: 3 out of 4 stars
