Quicksand (TV series)

{{Short description|Swedish psychology-crime drama television series}}

{{Infobox television

| image = Quicksand (TV series) intertitle.png

| caption =

| native_name = {{Infobox name module|sv|Störst av allt}}

| genre = {{Plainlist|

}}

| creator = {{Plainlist|

Pontus Edgren
Martina Håkansson

}}

| based_on = {{based on|Quicksand
(Störst av allt)|Malin Persson Giolito}}

| developer =

| writer = Camilla Ahlgren

| screenplay =

| story =

| director = {{Plainlist|Per-Olav Sørensen

Lisa Farzaneh

}}

| creative_director =

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| theme_music_composer =

| opentheme =

| endtheme =

| composer = Kristian Eidnes Andersen

| country = Sweden

| language = Swedish

| num_seasons = 1

| num_episodes = 6

| executive_producer = {{Plainlist|Pontus Edgren

Martina Håkansson
Joshua Mehr
Malin Persson Giolito
Tesha Crawford
Erik Barmack
Jennifer D. Breslow
Astri von Arbin Ahlander

}}

| producer = {{Plainlist|Fatima Varhos

Frida Asp

}}

| location = {{Plainlist|

}}

| cinematography = Ulf Brantås

| camera = Single-camera

| runtime = 41–49 minutes

| company = FLX

| network = Netflix

| released = {{Start date|2019|04|05|df=y}}

}}

Quicksand ({{langx|sv|Störst av allt|4=Greatest of all|italic=yes}}) is a Swedish psychology-crime drama television series, based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Malin Persson Giolito.{{cite web|title=FROM HEAD WRITER OF THE BRIDGE COMES THE FIRST SWEDISH ORIGINAL SERIES FOR NETFLIX, STÖRST AV ALLT (QUICKSAND)|url=https://media.netflix.com/en/press-releases/from-head-writer-of-the-bridge-comes-the-first-swedish-original-series-for-netflix-st%C3%B6rst-av-allt-quicksand|website=Netflix Media Center|access-date=5 April 2018|language=en}}{{cite web|last1=Petski|first1=Denise|title=Netflix Orders Swedish Thriller Series 'Quicksand'|url=https://deadline.com/2017/09/netflix-orders-swedish-thriller-series-quicksand-1202163939/|website=Deadline|access-date=5 April 2018|date=7 September 2017}} The first season, consisting of six episodes, was released on 5 April 2019 on Netflix and is its first Swedish-language series.{{cite web |title=STÖRST AV ALLT (QUICKSAND) |url=https://media.netflix.com/en/press-releases/st%C3%B6rst-av-allt-quicksand |website=Netflix Media Center |access-date=29 September 2018 |language=en}}{{cite news |url=https://www.expressen.se/noje/blogg/tvbloggen/2019/01/31/premiardatum-och-teaser-for-storst-av-allt-netflix-forsta-svenska-originalserie/ |title=Premiärdatum och teaser för "Störst av allt" – Netflix första svenska originalserie |language=sv |date=31 January 2019 |newspaper=Expressen |first=Mattias |last=Bergqvist}} The series stars Hanna Ardéhn, Felix Sandman, William Spetz, Ella Rappich, David Dencik, Reuben Sallmander, Maria Sundbom, Rebecka Hemse, Arvid Sand, Helena af Sandeberg and Anna Björk.

The series was commissioned in 2017 following the immense popularity of Giolito's novel.

Synopsis

A school shooting takes place at Djursholm senior high school. At the age of 18, Maja Norberg is arrested and suspected of murder, while her ex-boyfriend, Sebastian "Sibbe" Fagerman, is dead at the scene. Maja admits the murder at an early stage but denies the crime{{snd}}the trial is rather about why the murder was committed than whether it was committed.{{cite magazine |url=https://variety.com/2017/digital/news/netflix-partners-with-the-bridge-writer-on-first-swedish-original-series-quicksand-1202551464/ |title=Netflix Partners With 'The Bridge' Writer on First Swedish Original Series 'Quicksand' |last=Keslassy |first=Elsa |magazine=Variety |date=8 September 2017 |access-date=6 April 2019}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.bustle.com/p/is-quicksand-based-on-a-true-story-school-shootings-are-essentially-unheard-of-in-sweden-17007791 |title=Is 'Quicksand' Based On A True Story? School Shootings Are Essentially Unheard Of In Sweden |last=Maple |first=Taylor |magazine=Bustle |date=5 April 2019 |access-date=6 April 2019}}

Like in the novel, the story is told from Maja's perspective, with events flashing back and forth between the present day and her memories of events that led up to the shooting.{{Cite web |url=https://www.thisisinsider.com/what-is-quicksand-netflix-show-2019-4 |title=Netflix's new thriller 'Quicksand' already has the internet talking — here's what you need to know before you watch |last=Jitchotvisut |first=Janaki |website=Business Insider |access-date=2019-04-17}} The six-episode series answers the main question concerning the extent of her complicity: As the only student left alive after the shooting, did she conspire with her boyfriend who planned the attack or is she an innocent bystander?{{Cite web |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/04/229318/is-maja-quicksand-real-person-netflix |title=Is Maja Of "Quicksand" Based On A Real Person? |last=Nicolaou |first=Elena |website=Refinery29 |language=en |access-date=2019-04-17}} Fagerman dying leaves Maja as the sole focus of international media attention.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/23/books/review/quicksand-malin-persson-giolito.html |title=A Thriller Tracks the Aftermath of a Swedish School Shooting |last=Haas |first=Lidija |date=2017-03-23 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=2019-04-17 |url-access=subscription |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

Quicksand is not based on a real-life event but the story was written to reflect real-life class inequalities that its creators saw in Sweden.{{Cite news |url=https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1113381/Quicksand-netflix-is-quicksand-based-on-true-story-real-life-school-shooting |title=Quicksand on Netflix: Is Quicksand based on a true story? |last=Spencer |first=Samuel |date=2019-04-12 |newspaper=Daily Express |language=en |access-date=2019-04-17}}

Cast

=Main=

Hanna Ardéhn as Maja Norberg
Felix Sandman as Sebastian "Sibbe" Fagerman
William Spetz as Samir Said
Ella Rappich as Amanda Steen
David Dencik as Peder Sander
Reuben Sallmander as Claes Fagerman
Maria Sundbom as Lena Pärsson
Rebecka Hemse as Jeanette Nilsson
Arvid Sand as Lars-Gabriel "Labbe" Sager-Crona
Helena af Sandeberg as Mimmi Steen
Anna Björk as Camilla Norberg

=Recurring=

Iris Herngren as Lina Norberg
Kalled Mustonen as Kalle
Marall Nasiri as Susse Zanjani
Christopher Wollter as Erik Norberg
Jeanette Holmgren as Mags
Evin Ahmad as Evin Orak
Alva Bratt as Mela
Louise Edlind as Majlis
Astrid Plynning as Sofie
Vehid Abdullahi
Suheib Saleh as Dennis
Sebastian Sporsén as Per Jonsson
Shanti Roney as Christer
Moa Lindström as classmate, funeral visitor and club visitor.
Tom Boustedt as classmate
Savannah Hanneryd as club visitor
Ray Nordin as club visitor

Episodes

{{Episode table |total_width=90 |background= #4EA2A6 |overall= |title= |director= |writer= |airdate= |airdateR={{cite web |title=Quicksand – Listings |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch/quicksand/listings/|website=The Futon Critic |access-date=5 April 2019}} |episodes =

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 1

| Title = Maja

| DirectedBy = Per-Olav Sørensen

| WrittenBy = Camilla Ahlgren

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2019|04|05|df=yes}}

| ShortSummary = After a school shooting, Maja Norberg, 18, is arrested by the authorities as a prime suspect and accomplice of a crime (murder, attempted murder, and murder accomplice) committed in a classroom. She meets her lawyer Peder Sander and recounts the story of the events that led to the school shooting, starting from the very beginning when she first encountered her ex-boyfriend, Sebastian Fagerman. In a flashback, scenes depict Maja and Sebastian spending the previous summer together on a luxurious ship in France, owned by Sebastian's father, Claes Fagerman. Sebastian talks to Maja about the background of his family. In the present, Maja conducts her first interrogation in the district court, where she explains her recollection of the school shooting. A detention hearing is held in which Maja is declared arrested with full restrictions.

| LineColor = #4EA2A6

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 2

| Title = Custody

| DirectedBy = Per-Olav Sørensen

| WrittenBy = Camilla Ahlgren and Veronica Zacco

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2019|04|05|df=yes}}

| ShortSummary = Jeanette Nilsson, the criminal inspector, continues to interrogate Maja about her former relationship with Sebastian. Maja recalls past events, starting from the beginning, where her relationship with the deceased culprit was burgeoning. She mentions a wild party that Sebastian organized at the beginning of the school year. Amanda gets together with Labbe in a flashback scene, and Sebastian introduces Maja to his rich friends and drug dealer. After some heavy drinking, Samir ends up arguing with Maja and storms off from the party. Maja and Sebastian later leave the party. Sebastian lets her drive his father's luxury car, which she ends up crashing. This leads Claes, Sebastian's father, who thinks Sebastian was driving the car at the time of the incident, to abuse Sebastian as punishment physically. Sometime later, Maja and Sebastian go hunting with Maja's grandfather. In the present, a hearing is conducted the following day, where the prosecutor participates.

| LineColor = #4EA2A6

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 3

| Title = The Funeral

| DirectedBy = Per-Olav Sørensen

| WrittenBy = Camilla Ahlgren and Alex Haridi

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2019|04|05|df=yes}}

| ShortSummary = On the day of Amanda's funeral, Maja requests to leave her cell for a temporary period. In addition, she asks her lawyer, Peder Sander, to bring in a portable media player with music on it to listen to it while the funeral is being held. Maja, Sebastian, and Samir are invited to Labbe's farm in a flashback scene. Later, Sebastian and Samir end up in a dispute over Samir's parents' occupations. Maja gets closer to Samir as Sebastian becomes more dismissive and arrogant. The following night, Maja and Sebastian end up at a club, where she later confronts Dennis and chastises him for continuing to supply drugs to Sebastian even though he can't handle them.

| LineColor = #4EA2A6

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 4

| Title = The Reconstruction

| DirectedBy = Lisa Farzaneh

| WrittenBy = Camilla Ahlgren and Alex Haridi

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2019|04|05|df=yes}}

| ShortSummary = Maja starts to strengthen her friendship with Samir, causing issues in her relationship with Sebastian. In the present, a reconstruction of the shooting is conducted. As Maja attempts to remember what really happened, she later fails to explain what she truly remembers from the school shooting. The preliminary investigation is completed, and the process enters the next phase. In a flashback scene, Maja hears news about Sebastian overdosing on drugs and makes her way to the hospital.

| LineColor = #4EA2A6

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 5

| Title = The Trial

| DirectedBy = Per-Olav Sørensen

| WrittenBy = Camilla Ahlgren and Veronica Zacco

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2019|04|05|df=yes}}

| ShortSummary = In a flashback scene, Sebastian is seen at the emergency room with Maja consoling him. When the trial begins, Maja - who faces fourteen years in prison - testifies how Claes behaved towards Sebastian and how her 18th birthday suddenly took a dark turn after Sebastian took a little too much drugs. In a flashback scene, Maja starts falling behind in her schoolwork to help Sebastian. Later, Maja and Sebastian are called into a meeting at the school. In the present, she testifies how Sebastian violently raped her, which the prosecutor doubts as she has never previously mentioned this.

| LineColor = #4EA2A6

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 6

| Title = The Witnesses

| DirectedBy = Per-Olav Sørensen

| WrittenBy = Camilla Ahlgren

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2019|04|05|df=yes}}

| ShortSummary = Sebastian's friend Labbe testifies to how Maja and Sebastian changed after their relationship began. Samir, an eyewitness to the incident, testifies that Sebastian arranged a party the night before the shooting. Sebastian's father arrived and physically assaulted his son. Maja texts Sebastian, stating that Claes should die. Sebastian kills his father the next morning but does not tell Maja. They head to the school meeting, where Sebastian brings out a rifle, kills Dennis and Christer and shoots Samir, who plays dead. Maja's lawyer proves that Samir could not have witnessed anything after that point, belying his remaining testimony about the final moments. Flashback confirms that: Sebastian then aimed at Maja; she grabbed a second gun Sebastian had brought; she fired at him but narrowly missed and (unaware) killed Amanda; then fired again, killing the threatening Sebastian. The District Court finds that Maja accidentally shot Amanda and killed Sebastian in self-defense, and she is acquitted.

| LineColor = #4EA2A6

}}

Production

=Development=

On 7 September 2017, it was announced that Netflix had given the production a series order for a first season.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2017/09/netflix-orders-swedish-thriller-series-quicksand-1202163939/|title=Netflix Orders Swedish Thriller Series 'Quicksand'|first=Nancy|last=Tartaglione|date=7 September 2017|publisher=Deadline|access-date=5 April 2019}} The series is created by Pontus Edgren and Martina Håkansson who are both credited as executive producers.{{cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Netflix-Original-Series-QUICKSAND-Confirms-Casting-20180702|title=Netflix Original Series QUICKSAND Confirms Casting|work=Broadway World|date=2 July 2018|access-date=5 April 2019}} In March 2019, it was confirmed that the series would premiere on 5 April 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/uk/tv/quicksand/64298/quicksand-netflix-series-trailer-release-date|title=Quicksand: first trailer for Netflix's new Scandi-noir show|website=Den of Geek|date=27 March 2019|access-date=5 April 2019|archive-date=16 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416090838/https://www.denofgeek.com/uk/tv/quicksand/64298/quicksand-netflix-series-trailer-release-date|url-status=dead}}

=Casting=

In July 2018, it was announced that Hanna Ardéhn, William Spetz, Felix Sandman, David Dencik, Reuben Sallmander, Anna Björk, Christopher Wollter, Evin Ahmad, Maria Sundbom, Rebecka Hemse, Helena af Sandeberg, Shanti Roney and Ella Rappich had been cast in the series.

=Premiere=

In February 2019, the series held its official premiere with the screening of the first two episodes at the Berlin International Film Festival in Berlin, Germany.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/berlin-2019-drama-series-lineup-includes-amazon-netflix-shows-1176771|title=Berlin Drama Series Lineup Includes Amazon's 'Hanna,' Netflix Swedish Drama 'Quicksand'|last=Roxborough|first=Scott|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=17 January 2019|access-date=5 April 2019}}

Release

On 27 March 2019, the official trailer for the series was released.{{cite web|title=Quicksand Trailer Previews the Swedish Netflix Series|url=https://www.vitalthrills.com/2019/03/27/quicksand-trailer-swedish-netflix-series/|last=Parlevliet|first=Mirko|website=Vital Thrills|access-date=5 April 2019|date=27 March 2019}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} On 5 April 2019, the series had its release on Netflix.

Reception

In a review of the premiere episode, Joel Keller from Decider described the film as a "pretty standard crime drama, albeit one that's pretty well-written."{{cite web|url=https://decider.com/2019/04/05/quicksand-on-netflix-stream-it-or-skip-it/|title=Stream It Or Skip It: 'Quicksand' On Netflix, About How A Normal Teenage Girl Gets Involved In A School Shooting|last=Keller|first=Joel|work= Decider |date=5 April 2019|access-date=6 April 2019}}

= Awards and nominations =

Ardéhn won Best Actress at Kristallen 2019 for her performance as Maja.{{Cite news |last=Walukiewicz |first=Erika |date=2022-07-26 |title=”Störst av allt”-stjärnan rakade av sig håret |trans-title=”Greatest of all”-star shaves her head |url=https://pressreader.com/article/282179359786823 |access-date=2025-06-15 |work=Göteborgs-Posten |language=sv |via=PressReader}}