A new Swedish crime thriller, Paradis City, has launched globally on Prime Video. The series, based on Jens Lapidus’ novel, presents a near-future Sweden where society is divided by state-sponsored segregation. The first three episodes are now available.
Here’s the Lowdown: Paradis City is set in a near-future Sweden where walls separate privileged areas from “no-go zones” governed by special laws. The largest of these zones is Järva, also known as Paradis City, in Stockholm. When the Minister of the Interior, Eva Basarto Henriksson (Louise Peterhoff), is kidnapped during a rally in Järva, a SÄPO agent, Fredrika (Julia Ragnarsson), makes a deal with a former MMA fighter and criminal, Emir (Alexander Abdallah), to rescue her.
What This Means Now: The show offers a dark, near-future vision of social division, and provides another example of the Scandi Noir, or Nordic Noir, crime thrillers. Starring Julia Ragnarsson (Spring Tide, Blinded) and Alexander Abdallah (Snabba Cash, Thunder in My Heart), the series taps into the popularity of both its stars, and its source material, the series comes from the pen of the author of Snabba Cash and Top Dog.
The Bigger Picture: Paradis City explores themes of social inequality and political manipulation in a dystopian setting. Emir’s mission to rescue the Minister is complicated by his own past and the threat of losing contact with his daughter. It presents a stark vision of a divided society, raising questions about security, freedom, and the lengths people will go to for their families. The series also co-stars Felice Jankell, Lancelot Ncube, Sverrir Gudnason, and others. The first three episodes are streaming now, exclusively on Prime Video.
