Jo Nesbø's Detective Hole
Genre
  • Mystery
  • Crime drama
  • Nordic Noir
Based on The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbø
Written by Jo Nesbø
Directed by
  • Øystein Karlsen
  • Anna Zackrisson
Starring
  • Tobias Santelmann
  • Joel Kinnaman
Composers
  • Nick Cave
  • Warren Ellis
Countries of origin
  • Norway
  • United Kingdom
Original languages
  • Norwegian
  • Swedish
  • Danish
  • English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 9
Production
Executive producers
  • Tim Bevan
  • Eric Fellner
  • Amelia Granger
  • Katy Rozelle
  • Jo Nesbø
  • Niclas Salomonsson
  • René Ezra
  • Martin Solibakke
  • Øystein Karlsen
Producer Per Henry Borch
Running time 43–62 minutes
Production companies
  • Working Title Television
  • Living Daylights Productions
  • Redpoint Productions
  • Universal International Studios
  • Green Producers Club
Original release
Network Netflix
Release 26 March 2026 (2026-03-26)

Jo Nesbø's Detective Hole (titled Jo Nesbø's Harry Hole in Scandinavia) is a Norwegian crime drama television series, an adaptation of Jo Nesbø's Harry Hole novels, specifically the fifth instalment The Devil's Star.

Premise

Harry Hole, a troubled Oslo police detective, must contend with both a horrific serial killer and his corrupt colleague Tom Waaler.

Cast

  • Tobias Santelmann as Harry Hole
  • Joel Kinnaman as Tom Waaler
  • Pia Tjelta as Rakel Fauke
  • Peter Stormare as Odin
  • Anders Baasmo Christiansen as Bjarne Møller
  • Ellen Helinder as Beate Lønn
  • Simon J. Berger as Martin Aminov
  • Ingrid Bolsø Berdal as Ellen Gjelten
  • Cato Skimten Storengen as Bjørn Holm
  • Maxime Baune Bochud as Oleg Fauke
  • Anders Danielsen Lie as Anders Knutsen
  • Ane Dahl Torp as Vibeke Knutsen
  • Kelly Gale as Maya Ek
  • Kåre Conradi as André Claussen
  • Frank Kjosås as Willy Barli
  • Fridtjov Såheim as Raymond
  • Eili Harboe as Attila
  • Atle Antonsen as Karl
  • Manish Sharma as Eddy Hansson
  • Henriette Steenstrup as Ruth Nilsen
  • Jesper Christensen as Ståle Aune
  • Kristoffer Joner as Øystein Eikeland
  • Dagny Norvoll Sandvik as Lisbeth Barli/Toya Harang
  • Linn Skåber as Frank Fosse
  • Jonas Strand Gravli as Magnus Skarre
  • Nader Khademi as Amar Wulf
  • Sonny Lindberg as Bobby
  • Agnes Kittelsen as Chief Superintendent Agnes Sjølid
  • Henrik Mestad as Chief of Police Ivar Andersen
  • Sondre Larsen as Loke

Episodes

No. Title Directed by Written by Original release date
1 "36 Seconds" Øystein Karlsen Jo Nesbø 26 March 2026 (2026-03-26)
In Oslo, a young woman and her associates working in a bank are taunted with an impossible challenge of opening a bank vault within 30 seconds, as means of mental torment by a masked bank robber. When this fails, the masked man whispers in her ear a sentence which causes her to panic, before shooting her with a double-barreled shotgun. Detective Harry Hole is intrigued by the case, but his inability to solve it drives him to alcoholism, eventually killing his partner in a drunk driving accident during a car chase.
2 "Ghosts" Øystein Karlsen Jo Nesbø 26 March 2026 (2026-03-26)
3 "To Silence the Voices" Anna Zackrisson Jo Nesbø 26 March 2026 (2026-03-26)
4 "After They Are Dead, Before They Are Cold" Anna Zackrisson Jo Nesbø 26 March 2026 (2026-03-26)
5 "The Devil's Star" Øystein Karlsen Jo Nesbø 26 March 2026 (2026-03-26)
6 "Five" Anna Zackrisson Jo Nesbø 26 March 2026 (2026-03-26)
7 "Joseph's Blessing" Øystein Karlsen Jo Nesbø 26 March 2026 (2026-03-26)
8 "The Woman in the Water" Øystein Karlsen Jo Nesbø 26 March 2026 (2026-03-26)
9 "Duke Ellington's Piano" Øystein Karlsen Jo Nesbø 26 March 2026 (2026-03-26)

Hole infilrates Barli's apartment after discovering that the latter is The Courier. Barli explains how he murdered his wife in order to enact revenge for her infidelity, then killed several more people whilst leaving satanic imagery to cause police to believe a psychopathic satanist cult was the killer(s), whilst Barli's red herring allowed him to live in comfort.

Barli reveals he has kept his wife's body in a waterbed as a form of control, and that he intends to enact his own "happy ending", whilst holding Hole at gunpoint. Hole closes his eyes and expects to be shot, but Barli retreats to the balcony and commits suicide by jumping, impaling himself on a metal washing line pole, mirroring the death of Nero.

With The Courier dead, Hole tracks down Waaler to rescue Rakel's son and Aminov. Waaler states how he intends to kill them and cover it up as Hole being the guilty party, but Hole, Aminov and Oleg flee into an elevator. Waaler reaches into the moving elevator, but Hole grabs his arm and pulls him into the space between the platform, cutting off his arm. Waaler attempts to follow them, but bleeds to death.

With the case closed, Hole returns Oleg to Rakel, before declaring that they are not safe due to his line of work. He drives away, intending on destroying the black market Waaler was a pawn in and solves the masked bank robber murder from episode 1.

Production

The series was revealed by Netflix as part of their "Next on Nordic presentation" at Stockholm in March 2024, to spotlight the company's forthcoming Scandinavian productions. It was announced that Nesbø would be adapting his own novel, reuniting with So Long, Marianne collaborator Øystein Karlsen, who signed on as director and executive producer.[1] In August, Anna Zackrisson joined the directing team.[2]

Working Title is producing the series for Netflix, with Øystein Karlsen and Anna Zackrisson as directors. Tor Arne Øvrebø is producing while executive producers are Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Katy Rozelle, Rene Ezra, Øystein Karlsen, Jo Nesbø and Niclas Salomonsson.[3][4]

Principal photography began on May 23 in Oslo.[5] Nesbø is showrunner on the series.[6] Filming began in May, and concluded in December.[7][8]

Australian musicians Nick Cave and Warren Ellis composed the series' score.[9]

Casting

In May 2024, the lead actors were revealed to be Tobias Santelmann as the titular Harry Hole, Joel Kinnaman as dirty cop Tom Waaler and Pia Tjelta as Rakel Fauke, Harry's partner.[10][11] The three stars were unveiled at a press event at Oslo's Restaurant Schrøder, a prominent location in the Harry Hole novels.[12] In August 2024, Peter Stormare, Anders Baasmo Christiansen, Ellen Helinder, Simon J. Berger, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal and Kelly Gale were amongst a number of casting additions which also included Kåre Conradi, Fridtjov Såheim and Eili Harboe.[4][13]

Release

The series was released on Netflix on 26 March 2026.[14]

Reception

Metacritic review
breakdown (unweighted)

Positive
5 (50%)
Mixed
5 (50%)
Negative
0 (0%)

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds a 91% approval rating based on 22 critic reviews. The website's critical consensus states, "Twisty, stylish, and at times gloriously grim, Jo Nesbø's Detective Hole packs enough thrills and unexpected twists to keep you hooked."[15] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 67 out of 100 based on 10 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[16]

References

  1. ^ Roxborough, Scott (18 March 2024). "Netflix Teams With Nordic Crime Author Jo Nesbo for 'Harry Hole' Series". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  2. ^ Grobar, Matt (18 August 2024). "Peter Stormare, Kelly Gale & 26 Others Join Netflix's Serial Killer Mystery 'Jo Nesbo's Detective Hole'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  3. ^ Yossman, K.J. (21 May 2024). "Netflix's Jo Nesbo Detective Adaptation Finds Its Harry Hole in 'The Last Kingdom' Star Tobias Santelmann". Variety. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  4. ^ a b Grobar, Matt (18 August 2024). "Peter Stormare, Kelly Gale & 26 Others Join Netflix's Serial Killer Mystery 'Jo Nesbø's Detective Hole'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  5. ^ Rosborough, Scott (20 May 2024). "Tobias Santelmann, Joel Kinnaman to Star in Netflix's Harry Hole Nordic Noir Series". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  6. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (19 September 2024). "Jo Nesbø, 'Snabba Cash' Director & 'A Man Called Otto' Producer Team For U.S.-Set Horror Movie 'The Night House'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  7. ^ "Working Title gets to work on Jo Nesbø's Nordic crime series Harry Hole for Netflix". C21Media. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  8. ^ Ntim, Zac (6 December 2024). "Netflix & Working Title Television Wrap On Jo Nesbø 'Harry Hole' TV Adaptation, Anders Danielsen Lie & Pop-Singer Dagny Among Names Added To Cast — First Look Clip". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 10 December 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  9. ^ Whittock, Jesse (14 January 2026). "Nick Cave & Warren Ellis To Compose Score For Netflix Series 'Jo Nesbø's Detective Hole'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 14 January 2026. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  10. ^ Roxborough, Scott (20 May 2024). "Tobias Santelmann, Joel Kinnaman to Star in Netflix's Harry Hole Nordic Noir Series". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  11. ^ Goldbart, Max (21 May 2024). "Netflix & Working Title Find Their Harry Hole For Upcoming Jo Nesbø TV Adaptation". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  12. ^ "This Spring's Biggest Crime Mystery is Solved — Netflix Unveils Who Will Take on the Role of Jo Nesbø's Harry Hole". About Netflix. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  13. ^ Lewis, George (19 August 2024). "Netflix's new serial killer mystery announces huge cast list". Digital Spy. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  14. ^ Bull, Megan (17 December 2025). "First look! Netflix serial killer whodunnit from "one of the greatest storytellers in crime fiction"". Digital Spy. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  15. ^ "Jo Nesbo's Detective Hole: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  16. ^ "Jo Nesbo's Detective Hole: Season 1". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 30 March 2026.