Fans of Nordic crime thrillers, rejoice. A critically acclaimed series that earned a perfect rating from viewers is returning to Netflix for a second season. While crime dramas can be intense for some, they remain among television's most popular genres. Yet with an overwhelming number to choose from, deciding what to watch next can be challenging.
The Chestnut Man Returns
To help, TikTok user Olivia Monroe shared her love of a lesser-known crime drama she discovered on Netflix and devoured in a single day. The programme has now been renewed for a second season.
"Have you ever finished a show, and you're just so upset that it's over because it was so good?" Olivia asked at the beginning of her clip. She revealed she had just completed The Chestnut Man on Netflix, expressing astonishment at never having heard about it before.
Adapted from novels by Søren Sveistrup, the Nordic crime series follows two detectives investigating the dismemberment and killings of multiple mothers across Copenhagen by a serial killer who leaves chestnut figurines at crime scenes. The programme opens with the discovery of an entire family murdered on a remote farm in 1987, then shifts to contemporary Copenhagen, where a young woman's body is found in a playground. At the scene is a chestnut figurine bearing the fingerprint of a missing girl—the daughter of a politician.
Critical Acclaim
The first series garnered acclaim from audiences, achieving a flawless 100 per cent rating on reviews website Rotten Tomatoes and an average rating of 7.6 out of 10 on IMDb, based on more than 63,000 reviews. "It's definitely worth a watch, I binged it in a day, it's got six episodes," Olivia revealed.
However, it has been five years since The Chestnut Man, and the lengthy wait for its second series, The Chestnut Man: Hide and Seek, is almost over. It launches on Netflix on May 7, with fans incredibly excited. The second series reportedly follows the same two detectives as they attempt to locate a perpetrator who appears to have been engaging in childhood games with victims before making them disappear.
Cast and Release
Mikkel Følsgaard reprises his role as Detective Mark Hess. The actor has featured in two other well-known Danish programmes, as Martin in The Rain and as Asger Holm Kirkegaard in the fourth series of Borgen. Actress Danica Curcic also returns as Naia Thulin. She was previously seen on Netflix in The Mist as Mia Lambert and in supernatural thriller Equinox. She has additionally appeared in the Swedish crime drama Wallander and the Danish programme Warrior.
It has been confirmed that the new series of The Chestnut Man will comprise six episodes, all of which will be made available on Netflix on May 7, 2026.
