MovieChat Forums > Case (2015) Discussion > Are Icelanders happy with this series?

Are Icelanders happy with this series?

posted 8 years ago by jimparrett
11 replies | jump to latest

While this is an otherwise decently-made series, esp. the acting of the main cop character, by the final episode of season one all sense of belief has been shattered. Almost every character acts stupidly, against logic resulting in almost laughable moments that are truly cringe-worthy. Yes, humans act irrationally but these characters act in such a manner that you can only conclude the writers and producers of "Case" were sweating bullets to make all nine episodes stretch out as much as possible and give the viewers 'surprises.' The series almost looks as if it is intent on making Icelanders appear to be clueless, inept, morally bent and just plain dumb. Anyone who has been to Iceland or knows citizens of that country understands the opposite to be true. Too bad because it is a pretty good series. I just hope if the show continues that the makers give Icelanders more credit. Not to mention the viewer.

[–] cmcurrie2 8 years ago

I came here to see if anyone else was as bothered as I am about the portrayals of almost all of the characters as missing basic sense and self-respect. So far, only Gabriella is seems to have some sense of herself and higher values.

[–] 8 years ago

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[–] cmcurrie2 8 years ago

You believed I was making a comment about nudity?! I clearly commented on the characterizations. I am a social scientist. The characters are extreme for Iceland, which has the lowest crime rate in the world.

[–] 8 years ago

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[–] cmcurrie2 8 years ago

I've only seen the first couple of episodes. I am continuing with the series, and I do have hope that the writers had positive objectives.

I agree that television could be a powerful vehicle to forewarn people/populations of how these types of problems insidiously filter into social mores . . . if they provide viable solutions. e.g. ways to resist the destructive influences.

My interest is that I'm developing a project with problem change as the objective, so I'm watching the series for good/bad lessons. Typical of US priorities, I doubt my funders or audience would tolerate a dire buildup that only eventually has a positive change. I need to give some early 'something' to not unsettle people.

One thing we do know is that script writers love to show suicides, but psychology/iatry has clear evidence that scripting suicide induces audience suicides, and I haven't yet found anything that suggest suicidal audience members will wait to see if a constructive resolution is written in later. One of Goethe's books produced suicide clusters after publication, even though he clearly was not 'romancing' suicide. Writers have responsibilities for audience responses, though most do not accept their culpability. in fact, many rail at the suggestion.

[–] 8 years ago

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[–] cmcurrie2 8 years ago

YOU are back to on nudity. I have not once mentioned nudity except to say I wasn't referring to nudity. The phrase you quoted from my comment clearly referred to suicide clusters.

You seem to be having some obsession or comprehension issues. G'day.

[–] 8 years ago

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[–] cmcurrie2 8 years ago

You "took this to mean the nudity" because nudity is YOUR issue. In your previous comment you acknowledged that I was not referring to nudity.

"Like I said, you're jumping to conclusions forecasting your cluster theory." You don't comprehend that I am referring to epidemiologic evidence. You might need to look up Duning-Kruger effect.

I will not read anything else you write because you seem to just be injecting isolated spews to fit your fancy.

[–] socrates17 8 years ago

The implication of the question (and all of the replies to date) seem to suggest that the series was not made by Icelanders. This is a natural assumption to make since we all watched it on Netflix, which presents it as a "Netflix Original". This does not mean, however, that Netflix filmed it, or even produced it. If you look at the credits, it was 100% the work of an Icelandic film company. Netflix isn't even listed as being involved in the financing. They sometimes tout something as a "Netflix Original" only because they have the sole rights to show it in the US.
With the caveat that I've never visited Iceland and don't know it the way I know Denmark (where I lived for a year) or Sweden or Australia (where I've spent months of time) or China (well over a year), I can't think that there is any society that has no crime. Of course, it's exaggerated for dramatic purposes. On the DVD extras for the BBC Wallander (the weakest of the 3 adaptations, IMHO), the mayor of Ystad points out that there is more crime even in the original novels in Ystad than occurs in all of Sweden over the same period of time. If you're writing crime novels (or series), it goes with the territory to exaggerate it.
I can't say that I agree with characters behaving in really dumb behavior, either, and that is a real sore point with me normally. I had to stop watching The Strain because the characters behaved in ways that a small shrub wouldn't be dumb enough to do. The characters in Case merely seem obsessed. And obsessed people often don't act in logical ways.

[–] Mossymiss 8 years ago

I want to know if they don't wash their hair in real life or just on this show. Everyone seems like they cou,d use a good washing.