Arctic Circle (TV series)

Finnish-German crime drama television series (2018-2023)

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Arctic Circle

Ivalo
Genre|

* Crime drama
* Nordic noir

Created by|

* Olli Haikka
* Petja Peltomaa
* Joona Tena
* Jón Atli Jónasson

Directed by| Hannu Salonen
Starring|

* Iina Kuustonen
* Maximilian Brückner
* Pihla Viitala
* Clemens Schick
* Joi Johannsson
* Susanna Haavisto
* Venla Ronkainen

Composer| Vladislav Delay
Country of origin|

* Finland
* Germany

Original languages|

* Finnish
* English
* Russian

No. of seasons| 4
No. of episodes| 27
Production
Production locations|

* Ivalo, Finland
* Helsinki, Finland
* Murmansk, Russia

Running time| 50 minutes
Production companies|

* Yellow Film & TV
* Bavaria Film

Original release
Network|

* Elisa Viihde
* Yle

Release| 2018 (2018) –
January 1, 2025 (2025-01-01)

Arctic Circle (Finnish: Ivalo) is a Finnish-German crime drama television series that premiered on Finnish streaming service Elisa Viihde at Christmas 2018 and later on Yle.[1] The series stars Iina Kuustonen, Maximilian Brückner, Pihla Viitala, Clemens Schick[2] and Susanna Haavisto.

Arctic Circle is the first co-production between Finland's Yellow Film & TV and Germany's Bavaria Film, picked up for world distribution by Paris-based Lagardère Studios. The series was created by Yellow Film & TV CEO Olli Haikka and Head of Drama Petja Peltomaa with Joona Tena who shares the writing credit with Iceland's experienced Jón Atli Jónasson.[3] Arctic Circle is directed by Finnish-born, Germany-based Hannu Salonen, Juha Lankinen and Jussi Hiltunen.

## Plot

[edit]

Set in an icy Finnish Lapland, in series 1, Finnish police officer Nina Kautsalo (Iina Kuustonen) finds a nearly dead prostitute in a cabin in the wilderness. The case takes a surprising turn when a deadly virus is found in the prostitute's body. Nina and German virologist Thomas Lorenz (Maximilian Brückner) start investigating the case.

## Cast and characters

[edit]

* Iina Kuustonen as Nina Kautsalo
* Pihla Viitala as Marita Kautsalo
* Venla Ronkainen [fi] as Venla Kautsalo
* Susanna Haavisto as Elina Kautsalo
* Inka Kallén [fi] as Sari Nikander (S1 — S2)
* Kari Ketonen as Jaakko Stenius
* Mikko Leppilampi as Esko Kangasniemi
* Taneli Mäkelä as Reino Ylikorpi

### Season 1

[edit]

* Maximilian Brückner as Thomas Lorenz
* Jari Virman as Raunola
* Clemens Schick as Marcus Eiben
* Joi Johansson as Jens Mathiesen
* Janne Kataja as Niilo Aikio
* Maria Ylipää as Gunilla Lorenz
* Kari Hietalahti as Hamari
* Kristo Salminen as Reidar Hamari
* Alina Tomnikov as Lana

### Season 2

[edit]

* Maxim Busel as Victor Zujev
* Mikko Nousiainen as Toni Kajanne
* Wenla Reimaluoto [fi] as Aava Lahti
* Walt Klink [nl] as Justin Merriman
* John Finn as Gordon Merriman
* Andrius Paulavicius as Nikolai Kurakin

### Season 4 (unique)

[edit]

* Ilkka Villi as Jarmo
* Roosa Söderholm as Stina Nurmi
* Arttu Kapulainen as Tuomas Hovatta
* Matti Onnismaa as Ossi Kangasniemi

* Sinikka Mokkila as Aila Männistö
* Lily Jääsvuo as Santeri Kautsalo
* Sofia Jääsvuo as Santeri Kautsalo
* Jarkko Pajunen as Toikka
* Kreeta Salminen as Helena Kirkinen
* Jakob Öhrman as Stepan Nitko
* Kreeta Salminen as Helena Kirkinen
* Lena Meriläinen as Dr. Satu Kela
* Elena Spirina as Polina Rotkova
* Kati Outinen as Raakel Hovatta
* Alexandra Asherie as Lotte Venter
* Veikka Puumalainen as Timo
* Charlotte Bradley as Ella Bolmaro
* Artur Kukov as Sasha Ragulin

## Episodes

[edit]

Series| Episodes| Originally released

|
|

First released| Last released
1| 10| 21 December 2018 (2018-12-21)| 4 January 2019 (2019-01-04)
2| 6| 19 December 2021 (2021-12-19)| 2 January 2022 (2022-01-02)
3| 6| 4 October 2023 (2023-10-04)| 8 November 2023 (2023-11-08)
4| 5| 1 January 2025 (2025-01-01)| 1 January 2025 (2025-01-01)

### Season 1 (2018-19)

[edit]

No.
overall| No. in
season| Title| Directed by| Written by| Original release date

|
|
|
|
|

1| 1| "Cellar" (Kellari)| Hannu Salonen| Unknown| 21 December 2018 (2018-12-21)
2| 2| "Traces in the Snow" (Jäljet lumessa)| Hannu Salonen| Unknown| 21 December 2018 (2018-12-21)
3| 3| "The Storm Rises" (Myrsky nousee)| Hannu Salonen| Unknown| 21 December 2018 (2018-12-21)
4| 4| "Eye for an Eye" (Silmä silmästä)| Hannu Salonen| Unknown| 29 December 2018 (2018-12-29)
5| 5| "God Is Good" (Jumalan terve)| Hannu Salonen| Unknown| 29 December 2018 (2018-12-29)
6| 6| "The First Victim" (Ensimmäinen uhri)| Hannu Salonen| Unknown| 29 December 2018 (2018-12-29)
7| 7| "Predator" (Saalistaja)| Hannu Salonen| Unknown| 29 December 2018 (2018-12-29)
8| 8| "Carrier" (Taudinkantajat)| Hannu Salonen| Unknown| 4 January 2019 (2019-01-04)
9| 9| "Murmansk" (Murmansk)| Hannu Salonen| Unknown| 4 January 2019 (2019-01-04)
10| 10| "Venla" (Venla)| Hannu Salonen| Unknown| 4 January 2019 (2019-01-04)

### Season 2 (2021-22)

[edit]

No.
overall| No. in
season| Title| Directed by| Written by| Original release date

|
|
|
|
|

11| 1| "The Latest Police" (Uusin poliisi)| Jussi Hiltunen| Iiro Küttner| 19 December 2021 (2021-12-19)
12| 2| "In the Middle of Nowhere" (Keskellä ei mitään)| Jussi Hiltunen| Iiro Küttner| 19 December 2021 (2021-12-19)
13| 3| "Catch" (Saalis)| Jussi Hiltunen| Reeta Ruotsalainen| 26 December 2021 (2021-12-26)
14| 4| "Justice" (Oikeus ja kohtuus)| Jussi Hiltunen| Reeta Ruotsalainen| 2 January 2022 (2022-01-02)
15| 5| "Guilty" (Syyllinen)| Jussi Hiltunen| Aleksi Delikouras| 9 January 2022 (2022-01-09)
16| 6| "Parents" (Vanhemmat)| Jussi Hiltunen| Aleksi Delikouras| 16 January 2022 (2022-01-16)

### Season 3 (2023)

[edit]

No.
overall| No. in
season| Title| Directed by| Written by| Original release date

|
|
|
|
|

17| 1| "Return" (Paluu)| Juha Lankinen| Iiro Küttner| 4 October 2023 (2023-10-04)
18| 2| "Lost and Found" (Löytötavara)| Juha Lankinen| Iiro Küttner| 11 October 2023 (2023-10-11)
19| 3| "Hide and Seek" (Piilossa)| Juha Lankinen| Iiro Küttner| 18 October 2023 (2023-10-18)
20| 4| "Mess" (Sotku)| Juha Lankinen| Iiro Küttner| 25 October 2023 (2023-10-25)
21| 5| "Breaking and Entering" (Murto ja varkaus)| Juha Lankinen| Iiro Küttner| 1 November 2023 (2023-11-01)
22| 6| "Event" (Julkistus)| Juha Lankinen| Iiro Küttner| 8 November 2023 (2023-11-08)

### Season 4 (2025)

[edit]

No.
overall| No. in
season| Title| Directed by| Written by| Original release date

|
|
|
|
|

23| 1| "Faraway Stranger" (Kaukainen vieras)| Juha Lankinen| Iiro Küttner, Ollie Haikka, Petja Peltoma| 1 January 2025 (2025-01-01)

Nina continues as Ivalo's police chief. NBI agent Stenius is in Ivalo to ensure the security of an international space conference. A major accident at a senior home turns out to be mass murder..

24| 2| "Divine Sign" (Valittujen merkki)| Juha Lankinen| Iiro Küttner, Ollie Haikka, Petja Peltoma| 1 January 2025 (2025-01-01)

The investigation into the mass murder is kept secret but Aikio smells a rat. A suspected terrorist arrives in Ivalo. It seems the threat of terrorism, the mass murder and the approaching comet are all connected.

25| 3| "Burden of the Past" (Menneisyyden arvet)| Juha Lankinen| Iiro Küttner, Ollie Haikka, Petja Peltoma| 1 January 2025 (2025-01-01)

Old events related to a religious sect are unraveling. Nina tries to interrogate Esko's father Ossi about the past. Police officer Aikio is shot. The police find out who is behind the mass murder.

26| 4| "The Last of His Family" (Sukunsa viimeinen)| Juha Lankinen| Iiro Küttner, Ollie Haikka, Petja Peltoma| 1 January 2025 (2025-01-01)

Nina recognizes the terrorist FBI is looking for. The motive of the mass murder is confirmed. The life of Jonathan Sprout, an astrophysicist visiting Ivalo, is in danger.

27| 5| "Divine Guidance" (Johdatus)| Juha Lankinen| Iiro Küttner, Ollie Haikka, Petja Peltoma| 1 January 2025 (2025-01-01)

The 40-year-old events and who is the last member of the Taimen family unravels to Nina. Nina's son Santeri is kidnapped. Desperate Nina decides to trust the divine guidance.

## Production

[edit]

In November 2017, it was announced that the main cast would consist of Iina Kuustonen, Maximilian Brückner, Clemens Schick and Pihla Viitala.[4] It was also announced that filming of season one would begin in Finland later that month, on the 27th of November 2017.[5] Filming of season 2 took place in Finnish Lapland during the autumn of 2020 and later winter/early spring of 2021.[6]

## Release

[edit]

The series aired on ZDF in Germany in 2020.[7] In North America the rights to the series were acquired by Topic. As part of its ongoing distribution deal Lagardère Studios Distribution also sold the rights to Polar+ (France), RTS (Switzerland), BeTV (Belgium), Videotron (Canada), NPO (The Netherlands), IVI (Russia), Canal Plus (Poland), RTP (Portugal), Cosmopolitan TV (Spain), Elisa (China) and FTV Outre-mer 1e (France overseas).[8]

## See also

[edit]

* Bordertown
* Deadwind

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Pham, Annika (3 April 2017). "Yellow Film & TV and Bavaria prepare for Arctic Circle". Nordisk Film & TV Fond.
2. ^ White, Peter (7 November 2017). "'War Horse' Star Maximilian Brückner & 'Casino Royale's Clemens Schick To Front Euro Drama Series". Deadline. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
3. ^ Economou, Vassilis (1 March 2018). "TV series Arctic Circle goes beyond polar landscapes". Cineuropa. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
4. ^ Clarke, Stewart (7 November 2017). "Cast Assembled for Nordic Noir 'Arctic Circle'". Variety. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
5. ^ LS Distribution (7 November 2017). "Pan-European coproduction Arctic Circle to commence filming". LS Distribution. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
6. ^ Lapland Film (31 May 2021). "Arctic Circle, Season 2 – Pandemic Prophecy: Filming During a Virus Outbreak". Lapland Film. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
7. ^ Kaminska, Karolina (10 July 2019). "ZDF explores Arctic Circle". C21 Media. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
8. ^ Keslassy, Elsa (20 November 2020). "Topic Acquires North American Rights to Season 2 of Nordic Thriller 'Arctic Circle' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 4 January 2022.

## External links

[edit]

* Arctic Circle at IMDb
* About Arctic Circle on fanpage gesucht wird: Maximilian Brückner

*[No.]: Number