Netflix's Detective Hole Is the Global Phenomenon Everyone's Bingeing

Netflix keeps cranking out crime thrillers that are actually good—not always a given in this era of endless content, let’s be honest. Their latest entry, Detective Hole, hits a sweet spot for fans of icy Scandi noir, and judging by how quickly it’s climbing the Netflix charts, I’m not alone in thinking it’s worth the hype.

Another Day, Another Troubled Detective (But This One Works)

So, here’s the pitch: you’ve got a weathered Oslo detective battling his own demons (textbook, but it works), a nasty serial killer on the loose, and a fellow cop whose ethics are... well, let’s just say if he was my colleague, I’d be calling in sick a lot. The show is based on the Harry Hole novels by Norwegian crime superstar Jo Nesbø, who’s built a small empire out of making you worry the protagonist isn’t going to make it out alive.

Tobias Santelmann stars as the lead detective, with Joel Kinnaman (yep, The Killing guy) playing the corrupt cop, Tom Waaler. Basically, it’s brooding Scandi crime in overdrive.

Streaming Stats: From Oslo to Everywhere

Detective Hole premiered on Netflix March 26th, and almost immediately started camping out in the platform’s Top 10. Currently it’s landing at #9 in the US, according to Flix Patrol. Even more impressive, this thing is dominating internationally—it’s hit the #1 spot in over ten countries. So yeah, it’s not just your True Crime-obsessed aunt who’s into it.

Not Harry Hole's First (Disastrous) Rodeo

Here’s where it gets a little meta. Detective Hole isn’t the first adaptation from Nesbø’s series. You might remember (painfully) the 2017 movie version of The Snowman starring Michael Fassbender. That film did the rare trick of having a stacked cast—Rebecca Ferguson, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Val Kilmer, J.K. Simmons—and still bombing with a 7% Rotten Tomatoes score. Even Fassbender probably wants to forget it happened.

Fast forward to now: Netflix picked the fifth book in the series, The Devil's Star, as the foundation for their version. What’s different? For one, Nesbø himself actually wrote all nine episodes this time. When the person whose brain invented Harry Hole is the one adapting him, things tend to turn out better.

If you need some numbers to back up the hype, Detective Hole currently holds a rock-solid 93% on Rotten Tomatoes—compare that to the cinematic trainwreck of 2017 and it’s not even a contest.

'The results have been spectacular, to say the least, as Detective Hole has a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is obviously head and shoulders above the 2017 film adaptation.'

Will Netflix Make More?

If you’re already hooked and burning through episodes, you’ll want to know: Are we getting a Season 2? Well, Netflix hasn’t confirmed a renewal just yet. But considering there are 13 novels in the series—meaning at least a dozen more Norwegian disasters for Harry to stumble into—they’ve got plenty of material. And with this level of international buzz, I’d say the odds are pretty decent we’ll see another round, maybe as soon as 2027 or 2028.

• Series: Detective Hole
• Book Basis: The Devil’s Star, Jo Nesbø (book 5 of 13)
• Creator: Jo Nesbø (also wrote all episodes)
• Starring: Tobias Santelmann (Harry Hole), Joel Kinnaman (Tom Waaler)
• Original Movie Adaptation: The Snowman (2017, Michael Fassbender)
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93% (Netflix), 7% (2017 film)
• Status: Season 1 (9 episodes), renewal TBA

Bottom line: If you love crime series with actual grit, sharp writing, and Scandinavian winter misery, Detective Hole is pretty much your next binge. The potential for many, many more seasons? Stay tuned.