Wisting

Production

The first series of ten episodes is based on two novels by Jørn Lier Horst, The Caveman (2013) and The Hunting Dogs (2012). Horst is a best-selling author in Norway, and his books have been translated into more than thirty languages. Filming started in January 2018 on a 150-day schedule. The adaptations were written by Trygve Allister Diesen and Kathrine Valen Zeiner. Diesen also directed episodes along with Katarina Launing. The show's first series had a budget of NOK 110 million (€11.4 million). This sum incorporated a €1 million grant from Creative Europe as well as a grant of NOK 26.05 million (€2.7 million) from the Norwegian Film Institute. This makes the show the most expensive drama ever produced in Norway.

The Scandinavian broadcast of the first series commenced in April 2019. In the US, the series was launched on December 18, 2019 via the Sundance Now streaming service. In the United Kingdom the series was acquired by BBC Four from Banijay Rights and commenced broadcasting on December 28, 2019, with two episodes being shown back-to-back each week for five weeks. The first series was issued on DVD and Blu-ray on April 27, 2021.

In late 2020 Wisting was renewed for a second series of eight episodes. For transmission, these were split into two four episode runs, sometimes referred to as Seasons 2 and 3. However some international broadcasters list both as Season 2. This series is based upon the novels The Inner Darkness (2019) and The Night Man (2009), broadcast in Scandinavia from December 26, 2021 and April 2022 respectively. Nordin, Ouadal, Berge and Lundberg reprise their roles across all eight episodes, with Moss providing off-screen voice in the first four episodes and returning in full for the second four. The series was broadcast on BBC4 in the UK from October 15, 2022 and Australia via SBS on Demand from February 24 and June 23, 2022 respectively.

Two further series were confirmed in 2023, with the third production/fourth broadcast series being an original story inspired by Horst's characters, and the fourth production/fifth broadcast to be based on Horst's novel Sak 1569 (A Question of Guilt). The fourth series started broadcasting in Norway on March 24, 2024 and in the UK on April 13, 2024. Season 5 followed on September 24 of that year.

Reception

The Nordic press viewed the series favourably. Stavanger Aftenblad commented that it was "intricate and riveting", Jyllands-Posten called it "a sure winner" and Aftenposten praised its "nonstop momentum".

Writing in The Wall Street Journal, Dorothy Rabinowitz found the series "seamlessly woven" and "superbly layered".

Writing in The Guardian, Euan Ferguson described the series as "... the best Nord-noir ever. Since the last one. What did Scandinavian film-makers think they were ever doing, 80 years of existential angst and Death playing nihilist chess, before remembering: we have crime. Coal. Snow. Blood. Fire. Cheekbones. Let’s do that."

Cast

Credits:

Sven Nordin as William Wisting; Larvik police lead investigator

Carrie-Anne Moss as Maggie Griffin; FBI Special Agent, seconded to William's team (Seasons 1—3)

Thea Green Lundberg as Line Wisting: William's daughter, Verdens Gang journalist

Jonas Strand Gravli/Fredrik Stenberg Ditlev-Simonsen as Thomas Wisting; William's son and Line's twin brother

Mads Ousdal as Nils Hammer; police senior detective

Lars Berge as Benjamin Fjeld; police detective

Irina Eidsvold Tøien as Andrea Vetti; police chief (Season 1)

Maria Bock as Agnes Kiil; police chief (Season 2—present)

Evelyn Rasmussen Osazuwa as Veronica Rambøl; Agnes's assistant, who joins William's team (Season 2―present)

Kjersti Sandal as Torunn Borg; William's deputy and temporary lead investigator (Seasons 1—2)

Mads Sjøgård Pettersen as Tommy Kvanter; Line's ex-boyfriend

Mariann Hole as Sissel; Nils's wife, a former drug addict

Cato Skimten Storengen as Ruben Borg; Torunn's husband, Atle's father (Seasons 1—3)

Heidi Goldmann as Bjørg Karin; policewoman (Seasons 1—3)

Season 1

Richie Campbell as John Bantham: FBI Special Agent, seconded to William's team, has one-night stand with Line

Ulrikke Hansen Døvigen as Christine Thiis: police prosecutor

Gard B. Eidsvold as Frank Robekk: retired police detective, Ellen's uncle

Fridtjov Såheim as Philip Henden: lawyer; represents Vidar and, later, William

Christoffer Staib as Vidar Haglund: convicted murderer, released after serving sentence

Daniel Frikstad as Joachim Andresen: Dagbladet news reporter

Ellen Dorrit Petersen as Hanne Kaupang: Linnea's over-protective mother

Thea Sofie Loch Næss as Linnea Kaupang: wannabe model, Internet blogger

Lasse Vermeli as Erik: VG photographer

Jon Øigarden as Terje Nordbo: Chief Inspector, Independent Office for Police Conduct; investigates police role in Cecilia's case

Amy Black Ndiaye as Maren: police detective

Henrik Plau as Fredrik: Line's associate at VG

Lars Bonnevie Hjort as Morten By: VG senior investigative journalist

Lars Sørbø as Knut Frost: VG editor, Line's boss

Sarah Francesca Brænne as Synnøve Brunvall: Line's school friend

Season 2 (2A) / 3 (2B)

Kyrre Hellum as Adrian Stiller: National Criminal Investigation Service (Kripos) agent; hunts Tom

Hallvard Holmen as Idar Semmelmann: Oslo Vice squad, leads search for "The Other"

Odin Waage as Tom Kerr: convicted killer, assisted by an accomplice ("The Other")

Eindride Eidsvold as Claes Thancke ("The Other", Theo Dermann): Tom's lawyer, serial killer

Rudy Claes as Nina Gullow: television producer, Line's new boss

Ingeborg Raustøl as Suzanne Bjerke: asylum centre co-ordinator, Jens' ex-wife, Ingrid's best friend

Sagal Saleh as Hanan: asylum centre resident, Layla's friend

Adam Mamadou Bizokunda as Sammy Kibo: asylum centre resident, ex-child soldier

Kjærsti Odden Skjeldal as Mona Mellberg: Tom's girlfriend, claims he's innocent

Edvald Bang-Johansen as Atle Borg: Torunn's son

Hedda Styrmoe Silberg as Jeanette: Mona's daughter

Anderz Eide as Fredrik Molander: prison guard, Tom's liaison officer

Gaute Boris Skjegstad as Floyd Thue: Red Cross worker, visited Tom in prison

Stig Henrik Hoff as Johannes Norum: father of Tarjei (Tom's victim), welder

Season 4 (3A) / 5 (3B)

Rupert Evans as Andrew Greenwood, Clifford's father

Andrea Bræin Hovig as Mai Greenwood, Clifford's mother

Svein Sturla Hungnes as Olav Engdahl

Smylie Bradwell as Clifford Greenwood

Teddie Allen as Charlotte Greenwood

Ellen Bendu as Rebekka Skjevik

Emil Johnsen Vavik as Lukas

Harald Ottesen Nødtvedt as Joakim Backer

Shana Mathai as Rosa Garcia Backer

Morten Svartveit as Stein Kvammen

Shelley Conn as Harriet Dunn

Ingjerd Egeberg as Kate Ulstrup

Kristian Repshus as Daniel Momrak

Ada Aure Albæk as Tone Vaterland

Kristian Repshus as Daniel Momrak

Lea Meyer as Agnete Kronborg

William Gundersen as Peder Kronborg

Øyvind Brandtzæg as Terje Kronorg

Kikki Stormo as Mona Kronborg

Jan Sælid as Bjørn Momrak

Arthur Berning as Sivert

Arnt Egil Andreassen as Christian Bohrmann

Episodes

Season 4/3A (2024)

In some international broadcasts, season 4 was screened as season 3, and seasons 2-3 were shown together as season 2.

Season 5/3B (2024)

Season 5 of four episodes was screened in some markets as the last four episodes of Season 3.