Obscure Swedish thriller storms into Netflix TV Top 10

Stella, Ulrika and Adam at a restaurant in A Nearly Normal Family
(Image credit: Nikolaj Thaning Rentzmann/Netflix)

A Nearly Normal Family, a Swedish thriller that arrived with no hype, has quietly climbed right up to near the top of the Netflix charts in both the US and the UK since its debut.

The family drama is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by M. T. Edvardsson, and asks one question above all else: how far would you go to protect your loved ones? 

Like the book, A Nearly Normal Family introduces us to the Sandell family: Ulrika, an accomplished criminal defense lawyer, Adam, a pastor and doting father, and their 19-year-old daughter, Stella. 

On the surface, it looks like they lead a picture-perfect life... but their world is soon turned upside down the moment Stella finds herself accused of murdering her 32-year-old lover, Christoffer Olsen. Soon, Stella's parents are left questioning how well they actually knew their daughter and how they can help, all while trying to uncover what actually happened. 

The six-part limited series adaptation of Edvardsson's story arrived on Netflix on Friday, November 24, but has found plenty of fans in just a few days! On both US and UK Netflix, the series has managed to claim the #2 spot among the streamer's most-watched TV shows.  

That's almost certainly due to the twists and turns that the story takes: A Nearly Normal Family episode 1 is primarily concerned with establishing the series' characters (and their secrets!) and culminates with Stella's arrest. It's in A Nearly Normal Family episode 2 where the series really kicks off: here, both of Stella's parents are brought in for questioning, and we start to see how they're both willing to bend the rules to protect their daughter as they fight to defend her.  

If you're not one of the viewers who has binged A Nearly Normal Family already, you might be wondering whether the series is worth your time. A quick glance at social media will show you that viewers who have already tuned in are full of praise! 

A Nearly Normal Family is available to stream exclusively on Netflix right now. Already streamed it? Check out What To Watch's picks of the best Netflix shows we think you should be watching right now. 

Martin Shore
Staff Writer at WhatToWatch.com

Martin was a Staff Writer with WhatToWatch.com, where he produced a variety of articles focused on the latest and greatest films and TV shows. Now he works for our sister site Tom's Guide in the same role.

Some of his favorite shows are What We Do In The Shadows, Bridgerton, Gangs of London, The Witcher, Doctor Who, and Ghosts. When he’s not watching TV or at the movies, Martin’s probably still in front of a screen playing the latest video games, reading, or watching the NFL.