Nordic Noir and Beyond Trivia Quiz

Answer: Trapped

The television series "Trapped" was based at a remote Icelandic fishing town and started with the death of a teenager in a warehouse fire. Seven years later, a mutilated torso was recovered in a fishing net. The local policing team, led by chief of police Andri Olafsson (Olafur Darri Olafsson) knew there was a murderer on the loose but his team were hampered by an incoming weather storm as it cut off the town with no way in or out.

Answer: The Bridge

This amazing television series featured Sofia Helin in the lead role as Saga Noren, a Swedish police detective with a form of Asperger's syndrome. Her plain talking, and sometimes comedic reactions, broke up the seriousness of the gritty crime drama series. Known as "Bron" or "Broen" in Scandinavia, it featured a haunting soundtrack "Hollow Talk" by the Choir of Young Believers.

Answer: Wallander

"Wallander" was a Swedish television series starring Krister Henriksson in the lead role. It was adapted from works written by Henning Mankell, and told of a detective based out of Ystad, a small town on the Baltic coast. As the series progressed and we got to know the detective better, we all rooted for him solving his latest crime even when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

A British version of the same television series earned Kenneth Branagh the best actor award at the 2009 BAFTA's.

Answer: The Killing

"The Killing" was one of the first Scandi/Nordic dramas which started a cult following throughout the rest of Europe. This was closely followed by the political series "Borgen" which also achieved worldwide acclaim. Aired between 2007 to 2012, "The Killing", or "Forbrydelsen", was set in Copenhagen and starred Sofie Grabol as Detective Inspector Sarah Lund. With a huge body count and excellent acting throughout, the series also saw an increase in the sales of Faroese jumpers as worn by the lead actress.

Answer: Crimes of Passion

Three recurring characters featured in the 2013 Swedish crime drama series, "Crimes of Passion". Puck Ekstedt (Tuva Novotny) and her husband Einar Bure (Linus Wahlgren) assisted their friend, police superintendent Christer Wijk (Ola Rapace) in solving crimes set in the beautiful Bergslagen region of Sweden.

Although not as fast-paced as other Scandinavian dramas, it filled a hole in Saturday night viewing and was likened to "Jane Marple meeting Mad Men".

Answer: Fortitude

"Fortitude" featured a host of famous stars including Stanley Tucci, Christopher Eccleston, Sofie Grabol, Richard Dormer and Michael Gambon. This was an English speaking television series based in a fictional Norwegian town just inside the Arctic Circle. Police officers (Tucci and Dormer) had a murder to solve at the same time as a local government research facility was involved in an unseen force which was killing people in the ice cold township of Fortitude.

Answer: Follow the Money

Alexander "Sander" Sodergren, played by Nikolaj Lie Kaas, was the squeaky clean CEO of a green energy company called Energen. His company was promoting a multi-million pound offshore wind farm until dead bodies started piling up and his dodgy dealings attracted the fraud squad and local police detective (Thomas Bo Larsen). Plenty of twists and turns in the story line took us to an explosive ending, and the satisfied feeling that the baddies had got their comeuppance!

Answer: Inspector Montalbano

The gentle police drama "Inspector Montalbano" featured Italian actor Luca Zingaretti as the Commissario responsible for keeping the local mafia in check. The lovable police officer had a penchant for women and fine Sicilian dining, but his honesty and integrity (and bullheadedness) led him to solving many murders. Special mention should be given to the amusing supporting cast, namely the amorous Deputy "Mimi" Augello, and the bumbling police officer Catarella.

They lifted the television series to new heights.

Answer: Spiral

"Spiral" was set in Paris and featured Caroline Proust as no-nonsense police captain, Laure Berthaud. This gutsy crime drama saw her detective lover killed in a bombing attack. The series was called "Engrenages" in France which translated into English means "gears", suggesting that the police and criminal lawyers meshed together to solve crimes and put people behind bars.

Answer: Hinterland

"Hinterland" (Y Gwyll) was a bilingual crime series, mainly spoken in English language but also transgressing into Welsh dialog with subtitles. Richard Harrington starred as DCI Tom Mathias, a troubled Welsh detective who solved crimes around the bleak rural backdrop of nearby Aberystwyth, all the while battling personal demons from when his own child drowned ten years previously.