When one thinks of Finland in the 1950s, one might mostly picture a sleepy, peaceful country that only made headlines when they hosted the Olympics and groomed the Miss World. However, this series is ripping this image apart and reveals the country that took some beating in the WW II and finished on the wrong side, as a hotbed of espionage, a melting pot of ideologies, as inflammable as the Bay of Pigs was to be some years later. Often over the top, this series gleefully revels in it's own artificiality and bridges the gaping plot holes with stellar acting, solid direction and beautiful visuals. Some googling would enhance the viewing experience, but even without any previous knowledge about the politics of the era, the well drawn characters and the incredible plot twists make the narrative click.
