The success of Nordic crime shows might just continue with a new Swedish show, inspired by Breaking Bad

Record ID: 123566

  • Title: The success of Nordic crime shows might just continue with a new Swedish show, inspired by Breaking Bad
  • Date: 7th December 2015
  • Summary: STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN (DECEMBER 4, 2015) (REUTERS) (SOUNBITE) (English) ACTRESS AND CO-PRODUCER OF GASMAMMAN, ALEXANDRA RAPAPORT, SAYING: "Gasmamman as is it pronounced in Sweden is about a mother Sonja and her family. They live a quite normal life outside Stockholm and they have this family marina. But Sonja turns a blind eye to her husband's legal affair, he's growing marijuana. One day there is a deal that goes terribly wrong and Sonja is forced into the world of crime to protect her family."
  • Embargoed: 22nd December 2015 15:09
  • Keywords: Gasamman Sweden TV Swedish TV Breaking Bad The Bridge Killing Alexandra Rapaport
  • Location: STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN/ UKNOWN FILMING LOCATIONS
  • City: STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN/ UKNOWN FILMING LOCATIONS
  • Country: Sweden
  • Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Television
  • Reuters ID: LVA0023CUUTSD
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS PROFANE LANGUAGE IN GASMAMMAN CLIP 3
    A new Swedish crime series, subbed a Scandinavian version of "Breaking Bad", is hoping to emulate the success of other Nordic TV exports such as "The Bridge" and the "Killing" with a dark tale of narcotics in Stockholm's suburbia.
    "Gasmamman", or "Mother Goose" stars Alexandra Rapaport as a mother of three and accountant at a boat marina who takes over the family's illegal marijuana business after her husband is shot in a drug deal gone wrong.
    The producers of Gasmamman hope the series will receive the kind of reception won by "The Bridge" and "The Killing" with millions of people around the world becoming fans of what is known as Nordic Noir detective and crime stories.
    Rapaport, who starred in the Oscar-nominated Danish film "The Hunt" and was in other crime series like The Bridge, is also coproducer. Like many Scandinavian series, it has a strong female lead reflecting a Nordic emphasis on gender equality.
    Rapaport says they pitched the story as a kind of Erin Brockovich meets Breaking Bad.
    Gasmamman mixes some light-heartedness - including some hippy-like gardeners who guard the hidden marijuana plantation - with scenes of water boarding in a kitchen sink and the daily drudge of a mother dealing with children's school, and drug, issues.
    "Mother Goose" refers both to the geese farm used to hide the marijuana plantation and a sense of a protective mother and her children.
    "Gasmamman that means mother goose. It's a really corny name and I was actually shouting when I heard it. I was like panicking," Rapaport told Reuters in an interview.
    "It sounds like the title of a children's programme or something. But it is really good and I like the contrast to what it contends you know. Goose farm is a cover for growing marijuana. And then in Sweden we have this royka en gas (smoke a goose) it's actually…" Rapaport gestured taking a drag.
    "The Bridge and The Killing and all those series they are a big inspiration for us," she said.
    "But I think we add some humour to it sometimes, and that's why we compare it to Breaking Bad. The family and the weird situations that actually makes you laugh even though it is really horrible," Rapaport added.
    Despite its reputation for social tolerance, drugs is still a taboo for Sweden - marijuana is illegal. Rapaport's character Sonia is uncomfortable with drugs, not least when her son in the series gets in trouble for taking ecstasy.
    "It is about how Swedes, their relationship toward drugs. It's really, because she has this double standard, this hypocrisy Sonja, that I love," Rapaport said.
    "Husband is growing marijuana and she is really against drugs. She thinks it is horrible and marijuana is illegal in Sweden," she added.
    Gasmamman has large footsteps to fill.
    One of the best known Nordic successes was Stieg Larsson's Millennium series of novels, starting with 2005's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". They have sold more than 60 million copies and been made into Swedish and U.S. films.
    But for Nordic TV drama, it perhaps began with "The Killing" first produced by Danish public broadcaster DR in 2007 and starring Sofie Grabol as Detective Inspector Sarah Lund.
    The producers plan for Gasmamman, which has received positive reviews in the Swedish press, to continue for four seasons.
    Rapaport says their plan is to reach out everywhere.
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