Annika (2021 TV series)

Lore & Background

The character and concept originated as a BBC Radio 4 series, Annika Strandhed, with the same writer and lead. The radio version was set in Oslo, where Strandhed worked in the Oslo Police homicide unit. The television series relocated the action to Glasgow while retaining Norwegian themes. Six radio series were broadcast, totaling 32 episodes.

In the TV series, Annika Strandhed is the Detective Inspector heading the newly-formed Marine Homicide Unit (MHU) in Glasgow. She regularly breaks the fourth wall to communicate directly with the audience about cases and personal reflections. The relationship between Annika and her teenage daughter Morgan forms a sub-plot across all episodes. Annika is of Norwegian ancestry and often refers to Norwegian culture and folklore.

Principal photography for the first series began on 14 December 2020 and ended on 2 April 2021, filming primarily in Glasgow, on the River Clyde, and in towns in Argyll. The Beacon Arts Centre in Greenock served as the homicide unit's base, and Strandhed's home was on the banks of Loch Lomond. A second series was commissioned in August 2022, but in August 2025 it was reported that there were no current plans for a third series at UKTV.

Reader's Guide

Annika stands out in the crime drama landscape for its blend of black comedy and a protagonist who directly addresses the audience. The series broke records to become Alibi's most-watched drama in at least seven years, with the first episode attracting 410,000 viewers (2.5% audience share), the highest-rated programme since BARB started recording figures in January 2014. Critical reception was mixed: The Guardian gave the opening episode a 4-star review, praising Nicola Walker's performance, while The Daily Telegraph described the series as 'disappointingly pedestrian.' The Radio Times and The Killing Times each rated the first episode 3 stars. The show's cancellation in August 2025 ended its run after two series, leaving its legacy as a distinctive, audience-engaging crime drama with a Norwegian-Scottish cultural fusion.

Did You Know?

• The television series is based on a BBC Radio 4 drama titled Annika Strandhed, which ran for six series totaling 32 episodes.
• The show's theme music, 'Bringing Murder to the Land,' was written by Anton Newcombe and Dot Allison.
• In the last episode of Series 1, Annika reveals to the audience that Michael McAndrews is Morgan's biological father.
• The series was cancelled in August 2025, with UKTV reporting 'no current plans for a third series.'