Furia is no barrel of laughs in terms of highly topical themes and serious social issues. It ‘exploded’ on Viaplay in 2021 to huge critical acclaim, brilliant reception from reviewers and enthusiasm of the viewers. However, this political thriller created by the International Emmy-winner writer, director and producer Gjermund Stenberg Eriksen, is a pure TV masterpiece, a fantastic, relevant and exciting TV series, an incredible cinematic adventure with sharp plot, excellent acting, strong characters, tensions and many questions. Plus the most spectacular locations adding to the mood. Although a fictional story, this is a drama about the times we live in, and the reality of forces and threats that people are faced with in Norway and other European countries these days. They also apply to the future of Europe and democracy which is not a given, as we realise more and more.

The first season’s premise was linked to two terrorist attacks by a far-right extremist on 22^nd July 2011 in Norway, showing the forces driving / pushing radicalisation. Furia examines how terror as a means of action has become stronger after these events and its escalation including the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, the election of Trump in the US and the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Season 2 takes the narration, the plot and the main characters to Hungary and Poland, dealing with the increased hatred of the Pride movement; hatred which is used to polarise, radicalise and create fear.

As part of Skjebnetid for Europa / Destiny time for Europe events this spring at the University of Oslo, a second episode of the new season was shown to the audience on 9^th April which is a darkly significant date as eighty-four years earlier in 1940 Nazi Germany invaded Norway. The official release of Furia 2 will be on 19^th April on Amazon Prime. Ahead of this special evening last week the first episode was sent to those who would attend. This helped to put things in context and be pulled into dramatic story. A panel discussion ‘Can authoritarian forces take over Europe?’ followed the screening in a beautiful space of University’s Aula, famous for its murals by Edvard Munch, and cultural heritage: knowledge, truth and science. Here Louis Armstrong sang. Here also Martin Luther King received his Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. Here people speak freely and admire timeless art.

The discussion, led by the NRK journalist Hege Moe Eriksen , focussed on populism, right-wing extremism and authoritarian forces in today’s Europe: ‘How can we counteract the darkest forces at a time when there is a battle for truth, history and power? What could happen if authoritarian leaders take power in central European countries? Are Europe and democracy equipped to stand up to such threats?’ Apart from Gjermund Stenberg Eriksen whois also a creator of the podcast for NRK and who has been commenting on the US politics, three leading researchers took part in it: Jette Christensen, former member of the Norwegian parliament and political scientist, author and analyst in the Alting; John Erik Fossum, Professor at ARENA Centre for European Research at the University of Oslo, and Anders Ravik Jupskås, researcher on right-wing extremism, populism and political parties at Centre for Extremism Research (C-REX).

I am wondering if it is even possible to separate the current reality and political climate from the fiction in Furia. The boundaries seem more fragile and the ‘fear and familiarity’ narrative takes over rationality which then leads to another question how people perceive the world they live in. I cannot wait to watch the whole season, especially as much of the production took place in Poland and so many of Polish professionals have been involved in creating another thrilling journey for his political thriller. Bartosz Chajdecki’s music makes you feel drama and fury in your bones. I’m sure it will be another unforgettable experience. And I’m convinced the entire crew working on Furia had the most amazing time.

Furia 2 trailer – English It’s been two years since Ellen and Asgeir stopped the terror attack in Berlin. Ellen is back home caring for her elderly father, while Asgeir and his daughter live in Lofoten, in hiding from the relentless and lethal Ziminov. When a brutal murder leads Ellen and Asgeir to Hungary, they discover that this is part of something much bigger; a plot to tear down the European democracy. With the lives of their loved ones hanging in the balance, Ellen and her uncompromising partner Asgeir are forced into a race against time to foil a new terrorist plot that takes them from the Arctic to Budapest and into the heart of Warsaw. Created by Gjermund Stenberg Eriksen (Mammon); directed by Magnus Martens (Banshee) Gjermund Stenberg Eriksen and Michał Rogalski (Summer Solstice) with Pål Sverre Hagen (Kon-Tiki, Exit, In Order of Disappearance, War Sailor), Ine Marie Wilmann (Troll, Sonja: The White Swan), Borys Szyc (Oscar-nominated Cold War) leading the outstanding cast.