Regular readers have seen my frequent complaints about European crime series that stretched five or six episodes worth of material over 8 hourlong shows to fill out a season. So, here’s a tip of whatever sort of cap they most frequently wear in Iceland for the producers of”Reykjavik 112” for cramming eight hours worth of material into six briskly paced, fat-free episodes.
We open with a couple having a semi-anonymous one-night stand, from which the ungentlemanly gent bolts quickly the next morning. Both are surprised later that day to discover that the guy, Holdar (Kolbetnn Arnbjorns), is the new lead homicide detective in their city, and the woman, Freyja (Vivian Olafsdottir), is a shrink who is about to become central to solving the latest, and extraordinarily gruesome, murder. A woman was killed in her home and displayed in a most hideous manner while her 3-year-old daughter was hiding under the bed. Freyja’s job will be to coax the traumatized child out of her terrified silence to provide whatever information she can to identify the killer.
(For those curious about the title, 112 is the Icelandic equivalent of our 911. I’m sure you don’t need help with the Reykjavik part.)
Over the course of the season, a few more murders occur, making it clear that the perpetrator has a deranged agenda, and is meticulous, leaving no incriminating evidence at the scenes. We also rotate among a number of suspects – many of whom are eminently dislikable regardless of their guilt. Among those easy to detest is a struggling journalist, Rakel (Anna Gunndis Guo), whose methods of gaining information she shouldn’t have, and publishing some that imperil the process of ending the crime spree, include some truly slimy tactics.
Performances are solid all around. But the major credit goes to the four writers (including the author of the source novel, DNA – Yrsa Sigurdardottir) for squeezing so many intriguing character sidebars and suspects into such a tight package. None of the personae are one-dimensional. Like most European procedurals, there isn’t as much punching or shooting as we usually find in our own primetime series, but the proceedings roll along briskly among all the moving parts, eventually fitting them into a complete picture that is not only comprehensible, but will offer some surprises for most viewers.
If they can keep the surviving cast and writers together, I certainly hope this will run for several more seasons. A number of the relationships introduced here are interesting enough to explore further, along with whatever new crimes may challenge our police protagonists.
Icelandic crime drama REYKJAVIK 112 premieres October 6, 2026 in the U.S. and Canada on MHz Choice.
3 1/2 Out Of 4 Stars