The Fourth Man

The year is 1975, and the West German embassy in Stockholm is occupied by German terrorists. It's an attack not only on the embassy, but on Sweden's long-standing pride as a peaceful nation. In the aftermath of the violent occupation, the Swedish Security Police suspects the six terrorists had help from the outside, possibly from a group of Swedish sympathizers. But no leads can be found until fourteen years later.

The Fourth Man (2014-2015) is a Swedish national television crime drama miniseries created by Kristian Petri for SVT1. Set in 1975 Stockholm, it opens with German terrorists occupying the West German embassy, an attack that strikes at Sweden's long cherished image as a peaceful nation. Veteran investigator Lars Martin Johansson, played by Rolf Lassgård, leads the Swedish Security Police, who suspect the six attackers received help from Swedish sympathizers. With few leads, the case stalls for years, and the engine of the story is the slow, methodical pursuit of a hidden network across a decade and a half. Helena af Sandeberg plays Jeanette Eriksson, and Per Svensson, Henrik Norlén and Claes Malmberg join the principal cast. Across three episodes, the series builds through interviews, surveillance and archival dead ends, rendering a cool, austere atmosphere of cold war Europe. Its tone is sober and tense, with a reflective concern for national guilt and the paranoia of a state that suspects its own citizens. Fans of The Killing, Bodyguard and The Americans will find resonance in its restrained procedural rhythm and historical unease. The result is a compact, adult-oriented political thriller that treats a national trauma with patience and seriousness.

• Bodyguardshared political thriller tension, state security investigation, historical terrorism backdrop
• The Killingshared nordic procedural investigation of a national trauma, slow cold case unraveling
• The Americansshared cold war era intelligence intrigue and paranoia about hidden collaborators

Created by

Kristian Petri

Release Date

2014-12-30

Episode runtime

58 min

Rating

6.7 / 10 (13)

What is The Fourth Man about?

A Swedish security police investigation pursues hidden sympathizers behind a 1975 terrorist embassy occupation, fourteen years after the attack.

What is The Fourth Man like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Fourth Man as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.

Is The Fourth Man violent?

Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Fourth Man as moderate.

Which shows are like The Fourth Man?

Shows with a similar feel include Bodyguard, The Killing, and The Americans.

How long is The Fourth Man?

The Fourth Man: 1 season, 3 episodes.

Is The Fourth Man still running?

No, The Fourth Man has ended.