Television Review | The Helsinki syndrome shows what can happen when trust in society is shaken – Peter Franzén stars in a rant in which those in power are blamed

“The 1990s the mistakes of the recession should not be repeated.” This statement has been repeated before. It is also referred to in a recent TV series Helsinki syndrome.

The statement is quite appropriate at this point. At the heart of the suspenseful series are the economic crisis, which was one of the worst in Finland, the mistakes made during it and also the repetition of the same mistakes. In the background of the events is the corona crisis, another kind of blow to the economy of individuals and the state.

Big ones social themes are personified by electrician-entrepreneur Elias Karo (by Peter Franzé). This is encountered for the first time in the editorial office of Helsingin Sanomat. Dressed in overalls, Karo installs something on the delivery doors, while at the same time the newspaper’s employees open cardboard boxes containing food and papers.

The meaning of noodle bags and bank receipts will soon become clear. Karo has installed bombs on the doors and demands that the journalists do a story about the injustice his family experienced, which goes back to the depression. Before that, no one can get in or out.

Oona Airola plays a journalist who gets kidnapped.

The political editorial manager who remains kidnapped (Laura Malmivaara), intern (Tuulia Eloranta) and a couple of editors (Eero Saarinen and I am Airola).

Major part of the eight-part series takes place in Sanomatalo in the center of Helsinki, where, among other things, the editorial office of Helsingin Sanomat is located. Sanomatalo, on the other hand, is located a stone’s throw away from the House of Parliament. The area between them is named Kansalaistor.

These three places are allowed to represent a series of social scales that extend from decision-makers to the press and citizens. Helsinki syndrome in addition to the hostage drama, the banks, the judiciary, the civil service and the government are tied up. Those who are accused are those who usually look for the guilty.

There is a tug-of-war about Karo’s own degree of guilt. The events are tied to the man’s history, which is told back to back from 1991. 18-year-old Karo is a guarantor in his father’s loan application. The family asks for two million marks, but the bank refuses four. It won’t be long before the family home is put up for forced auction.

The series jumps in time quite carelessly. In the early episodes, the flashbacks build Karo’s character and open up the main character’s personality, but towards the end, the jumping around seems to be mostly about pacing the narrative.

Newspaper house a group of policemen is setting up a kidnapping at the foothills. The field director under pressure from the Ministry of the Interior (Turkka Mastomäki) would like action and quick solutions, while the negotiator (Taneli Mäkelä) wants to understand Karo’s motives and reach a peaceful solution. The latter receives background support from a criminal investigator (Antti Luusuaniemi), which delves into Karo’s recent past.

Journalist Hanna Raivio (Airola) also ends up in Penkoma when forced to leave. Doing what Karo demands, he follows the story to the court papers and looks for a clue as to whether the bank gave the loan recklessly – or even criminally. And how high up did the order that led to the destruction of the family really come?

The main plot and the motives of the characters leave questions. Why would the death of a journalist’s spouse make him particularly unyielding? How do the negotiator’s daughter’s problems relate to the whole?

In the series let’s repeat the numbers of unemployment, bankruptcy and suicide cases caused by the recession of the 90s. Sometimes recounting the crisis is fastidious and rambling, such as the explanation of the devaluation of the marka. A very natural dialogue about social reflection does not arise.

However, sometimes dwelling on the past crisis takes its toll. Koivisto the conclave and the secret discussions of the inner circle about handling legal disputes between banks and debtors would turn into a drama series alone.

By far the most interesting thing about domestic serial news is its social framework. Helsinki syndrome build a situation and a world where trust in institutions and shared truth is shaken.

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According to research, Finland is a country of high trust, but reports measuring societal trust often mention that low-income respondents have lower trust. Helsinki syndrome aims at this gap, as well as the more general discussion of the post-truth era, conspiracy theories and the abuse of power.

Hijacker Karo makes a video of his situation that goes viral, which gets people to the barricades. The series slyly borrows both the truck imagery of Convoy demonstrations and the shouting of demonstrations. However, it is not about any romantic revolution story – some of the participants are just captivated by the atmosphere, five of the message.

Tuulia Eloranta plays an intern who is also held hostage in the delivery.

Helsinki syndrome is a crime series Sorjonen known as the creator Miikko Oikkonen handwriting. The German-French Arte, known as a cultural channel, and the German broadcasting company NDR have been involved in the cooperation.

Local color and history certainly won’t hinder international distribution, just as they didn’t make what ended up on Netflix Sorjosen too under. The social crisis nowadays offers a sticking point for anyone, anywhere.

Helsinki syndrome, Yle Areena. The series starts on TV1 on Sunday at 21:05. (K12)

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