Occupied

Here’s the premise of this 10-part series set in the near future: In the wake of a devastating climate-change-caused hurricane, the Green Party has taken power in Norway, and its charismatic prime minister has shut down the country’s considerable oil and gas production in favor of alternatives. In response, the countries of the European Union have authorized Russia to initiate a velvet-glove takeover of Norway’s energy sector. This sets in motion a series of events—various political murders, the emergence of a resistance movement—that threaten all-out war. As tension mounts, we see its effects on a range of characters, each of them richly drawn, beginning with the prime minister, who believes armed resistance would be suicidal—and thus is dubbed a traitor. Conceived by best-selling crime novelist Jo Nesb&#;oslash;, Occupied is the most expensive television series in Norwegian history, and it shows. As international thrillers go, this is one of the best ever, not least because it is so relevant.