Latest news with #HenrietteSteenstrup
Express Tribune
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
The Nordic realism of Pernille
Nordic thrillers are always my cup of tea — a new one on the streamer, and I'm instantly pulled in. This is probably because of the dark-ish stories, intense characters and flawless performances. The Nordic approach is to usually portray characters with depth, allowing older actors to be their age, while still enjoying life and romance. Since for us, there is no celebrity hype around any of the actors because we are not familiar with their stars or their showbiz and entertainment world, it leaves us to absorb their acting neat, making indelible impressions on our minds of the realistic characters they play. Pernille, what an odd name! Apparently, it is a relatively common Nordic name, particularly in Denmark and Norway, and it means rock or stone. The Netflix series Pernille, that has received four awards and nine nominations portrays a working mother, struggling with parenthood, grief, career, and dating. With the lead character Pernille, an mind-bogglingly ordinary woman with looks neither invite attention nor resist it, played warmly and engagingly by Henriette Steenstrup, the series equally explores how an average woman living in Oslo tackles life as a daughter herself, a mother to two daughters, a child welfare worker, and someone with a rocky, often vacant love life. Along with this is heartfelt drama, everyday life, and funny moments that are few and far as in real life, and not added as per a prescribed formula to meet the needs of a TV show. The series has been lauded for its strong performances and poignant screenplay. You can easily recognise Pernille's character and connect to it. Like this, there are many of us out there trying to put together jagged pieces of life in terms of challenges to do with our parents, our kids, our jobs, our love interests/spouses, our inner fears, weaknesses, struggles and secrets. Yet, the show was criticised for too much negativity in Pernille's life, but then this woman in her forties is shown to be resilient and courageous, and she is someone who hardly ever gives up being positive about life and its relentless demands. Dealing with the damage discreetly, she just carries on regardless, treating every day as a new day, and being there for everyone and everything around her with polite tolerance. Steenstrup does this with a tad confused, but reassuring, earnest and sincere smile. Apart from the culture of respecting, accepting and owning the individuals' space, their gender identity and the inherent right to move on and embrace life, instead of sticking to social norms and dogma, and consequently being miserable or bitter about the circumstances, for viewers from our part of the world, some aspects of the show are eye-openers. The aspect that impressed me most was the nuanced portrayal of Norway's child welfare system known as "Barnevernet." The Barnevernet is a huge network of services and authorities designed to protect and support children and families, with the goal to ensure that children's basic needs are met and that they have the opportunity to grow up in safe and secure environments. Within the legal framework, the system is based on the Child Welfare Act of 1992, the Norwegian Constitution, and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The laws emphasise the importance of a child's upbringing within their biological family, making the threshold for removing a child from home high, and the threshold for helping them low. The Child Welfare Tribunal, an administrative body decides on care orders and other coercive measures. While parents are primarily responsible for providing care and protection for their children, the municipalities provide help and support to children, adolescents, and parents facing challenges. They may also get involved if a child needs help for other reasons, such as behavioral issues related to drugs or alcohol. The most common type of assistance is to provide support to families within their homes to improve living conditions for children. Other measures may include counselling, therapy, parenting support, and, in more serious cases, temporary placements in foster care or institutions. Children have the right to express their views in matters affecting them, particularly when they are seven years old or older or according to their maturity. The system acknowledges the importance of parents' rights to family life, but the focus remains on protecting children's best interests. The system's authority to remove children from home, even without parental consent, has faced criticism. Some advocacy groups argue that Barnevernet has too much power and that it sometimes uses its power inappropriately. There are many arresting scenes of the day to day routine of people working in this system in their offices, their fieldwork, their challenges, the emotional effects it has on them and how seriously they take their tasks and assignments. Pernille is in and out of various astounding child rescue and welfare situations throughout the series, and ofcourse being a sensitive person, the situations that she encounters on a daily basis impact her emotionally. As depicted in the show, if there is a situation or and irregularity reported to the police and a child is involved, the police immediately notify child welfare and they reach the trouble site for emergency rescue, following it up until the situation has been sorted out. Comedy is not the hallmark of Scandinavian shows, but Pernille has just the right blend of humour. The award-winning series is also much loved in its home country of Norway and rightly so. It is commendable how the production team makes mundane, everyday life warm, witty, insightful and entertaining. Once you start watching, as in all addictive serials, the characters grow on you in an effortless exercise, be it Pernille's outspoken daughters Sigrid (Ebba Jacobsen Oberg) and Hanna (Vivild Falk Berg), her father Ole Ohan (Nils Ole Oftebro) who has come out late in life, her stable and sincere boss Yngvar (Oystein Roger), her besties or her boyfriend Bjornar (Gunnar Eiriksson) who waxes and wanes regularly. The five seasons that may seem a lot at first just whiz by. Through the five seasons, you follow Pernille's journey with her family. Her relationship with her daughters, as they grow up, is central to this. Pernille remains attentive, loving and caring to everyone around her, which includes traumas, tantrums and drama to do with her daughters, how she mostly seems to excel at matured tolerance and sometimes looks as peeved or perplexed as a parent from any part of the world. To us, Pernille's daughters seem a little disrespectful but perhaps European norms are different, and difficult for us to relate to. Her relationship with her gay father is well done and credible. She supports him in every sphere of his life, and in an endearing moment even describes their relationship to be like one with the closest girlfriend. Pernille's divorced husband Finn is perhaps the most irritating character and the couple's interaction is subtle, yet powerful and integral to the story. Is Pernille unlucky in love, or does she make a mess of her personal life because that is an area she pays the least attention to, is for the viewers to decide. Quirky characters interwoven with storylines of hardship, loss and tragedy resonate quite deeply. Apart from subtle nudges by her girlfriends to find someone for herself, there is no societal or family pressure on Pernille to remarry after her divorce, as it would be in our culture and society. No one stigmatises her for her choices in life. I also couldn't stop thinking how badly our country needs child welfare initiatives, policies and plans. Not just those, they need to be materialised as soon as possible. But rescuing them from traumatising situations can only come after education is made mandatory in our country. And that is a pandora's box that contains issues such as children out of school in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, schools, colleges, teachers, their salaries, ghost schools and twisted narratives about education of the girl child in non-urban areas in all provinces of the country. Pernille is more than just a Nordic drama with layered characters and thoughtful storytelling — it's a quiet, deeply resonant exploration of what it means to live, love, and persist in the face of life's everyday messiness. The show doesn't offer grand resolutions or sweeping statements. Instead, it celebrates the strength in ordinariness, the beauty in emotional honesty, and the quiet courage it takes to show up each day — as a parent, a worker, a daughter, a friend, or simply, a flawed but determined human being. For those of us watching from afar, Pernille also opens a window into a society that treats its people, particularly its children, with a seriousness and care that feels both admirable and painfully out of reach. It subtly urges us to question our own systems — or lack thereof — and reminds us that behind every policy or welfare law lies a beating heart, a child's future, and an adult who may just need one more chance. As viewers, we walk away not just entertained, but moved — carrying with us the quiet imprint of Pernille's smile, her resilience, and the thought that maybe, just maybe, we could be a little more patient with ourselves and each other.
West Australian
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Screen Queen TV Reviews: Pernille, Stranded On Honeymoon Island, The Bear, Squid Game S3 & The Gilded Age
Has it ever been harder to be a middle-aged woman? Seriously — it's tough out there. We've got young children to raise, and elderly parents to care for. Add in a bit of perimenopausal rage and honestly — it's a s..t show. And I get it — had I been born a couple of hundred years earlier, there'd be every chance I'd not have made it this far. And had I survived to the ripe old age of 47, I'd be considered positively ancient, hurtling towards the grave. Or being dunked in a village pond, or burned at the stake — or all of the above. So yeah, I guess in relative terms, it's not so bad. But it certainly feels like hard graft as I navigate life in The Sandwich Generation; that group of us born in the mid-to-late 70s and early 80s, stuck raising kids and caring for ageing boomer parents. Maybe that's why I identified so much with this great under-the-radar series. Pernille, or Pørni, as it's known in its country of origin, is a Norwegian comedy/drama all about a woman my age going through it. It originally aired on SBS, but Netflix picked it up and commissioned two more series, and honestly, it's one of the best things I've seen this year. Actor turned writer/director Henriette Steenstrup stars as the eponymous Pørni (pronounced Pernille), a recently divorced social worker raising two teenage girls. She's dealing with the grief of her recently deceased sister while also caring for her sister's son and elderly father, who recently came out as gay. To say her life is a hot mess would be an understatement. And yet, she approaches it all with so much positivity and relatability and grace, that it's literally impossible not to fall in love with this superb series. While you can watch it dubbed in English, I urge you to check out the original-language version — there's something lovely about listening to the lilting Norwegian, a language I mostly associated with grizzly Scandi Noir dramas. This is beautiful, heartwarming television that shot right to my heart. Women of a certain age: you'll feel SEEN. I don't get why so many people had such beef with season three of The Bear. Sure, it didn't have the urgency of those brilliant first two seasons, but in my mind, it was an essential building block for a story reaching crescendo with season four. The clock is ticking — literally in the trailer, which shows a clock counting down the money the team has left before Uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt) shuts their doors for good — and it's make or break for Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) and his crew. Seasons three and four were shot back-to-back, and this picks up immediately where we left things, with that review, and Sydney's (Ayo Edebiri) possible departure hanging over their heads. Can't wait to see where it takes us. Your next favourite guilty pleasure is here! This 'MAFS-meets-Survivor' dating series sees newlywed strangers dumped on a deserted island in nothing but their wedding attire — what a concept. This crackers show will have you hooked. Before she was having existential crises over pina coladas at The White Lotus, Carrie Coon was trussed up in a bodice and bustle in this historical series from Downton Abbey creator, Julian Fellowes. It returns this week for its anticipated third season. Consistently enjoyable. It's one of the biggest shows in the world, with an audience in the hundreds of millions. So get ready for literally everyone you know to be talking about the third series of this Korean classic, which wraps up for good. Get ready for one heck of a showdown between Gi-hun (Player 456, played by Lee Jung-jae) and Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) — can't wait.
Perth Now
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Under-the-radar Netflix show ‘one of the best of the year'
Has it ever been harder to be a middle-aged woman? Seriously — it's tough out there. We've got young children to raise, and elderly parents to care for. Add in a bit of perimenopausal rage and honestly — it's a s..t show. And I get it — had I been born a couple of hundred years earlier, there'd be every chance I'd not have made it this far. And had I survived to the ripe old age of 47, I'd be considered positively ancient, hurtling towards the grave. Or being dunked in a village pond, or burned at the stake — or all of the above. So yeah, I guess in relative terms, it's not so bad. But it certainly feels like hard graft as I navigate life in The Sandwich Generation; that group of us born in the mid-to-late 70s and early 80s, stuck raising kids and caring for ageing boomer parents. Maybe that's why I identified so much with this great under-the-radar series. Pernille, or Pørni, as it's known in its country of origin, is a Norwegian comedy/drama all about a woman my age going through it. It originally aired on SBS, but Netflix picked it up and commissioned two more series, and honestly, it's one of the best things I've seen this year. Actor turned writer/director Henriette Steenstrup stars as the eponymous Pørni (pronounced Pernille), a recently divorced social worker raising two teenage girls. She's dealing with the grief of her recently deceased sister while also caring for her sister's son and elderly father, who recently came out as gay. To say her life is a hot mess would be an understatement. And yet, she approaches it all with so much positivity and relatability and grace, that it's literally impossible not to fall in love with this superb series. While you can watch it dubbed in English, I urge you to check out the original-language version — there's something lovely about listening to the lilting Norwegian, a language I mostly associated with grizzly Scandi Noir dramas. This is beautiful, heartwarming television that shot right to my heart. Women of a certain age: you'll feel SEEN. The Bear Season four is coming to Disney Plus. Credit: Supplied I don't get why so many people had such beef with season three of The Bear. Sure, it didn't have the urgency of those brilliant first two seasons, but in my mind, it was an essential building block for a story reaching crescendo with season four. The clock is ticking — literally in the trailer, which shows a clock counting down the money the team has left before Uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt) shuts their doors for good — and it's make or break for Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) and his crew. Seasons three and four were shot back-to-back, and this picks up immediately where we left things, with that review, and Sydney's (Ayo Edebiri) possible departure hanging over their heads. Can't wait to see where it takes us. Stranded on Honeymoon Island starts this Monday on Seven Credit: Supplied. Your next favourite guilty pleasure is here! This 'MAFS-meets-Survivor' dating series sees newlywed strangers dumped on a deserted island in nothing but their wedding attire — what a concept. This crackers show will have you hooked. Carrie, that you? The Gilded Age returns to Paramount Plus. Credit: Supplied Before she was having existential crises over pina coladas at The White Lotus, Carrie Coon was trussed up in a bodice and bustle in this historical series from Downton Abbey creator, Julian Fellowes. It returns this week for its anticipated third season. Consistently enjoyable. The third and final season of Squid Game is headed to Netflix. And you KNOW it's not going to be smooth sailing for Player 456. Credit: No Ju-han/Netflix It's one of the biggest shows in the world, with an audience in the hundreds of millions. So get ready for literally everyone you know to be talking about the third series of this Korean classic, which wraps up for good. Get ready for one heck of a showdown between Gi-hun (Player 456, played by Lee Jung-jae) and Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) — can't wait.
New York Times
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
‘Pernille' Is a Brilliant Norwegian Dramedy
The Norwegian dramedy 'Pernille' (in Norwegian, with subtitles, or dubbed), on Netflix, is about as lovely as shows get, endearing but mercifully resistant to treacle. Henriette Steenstrup created and stars in the show as Pernille, a single mom to two of the most ungrateful — realistic — teens on TV. She is reeling from her sister's death six months earlier, and she still leaves her sister voice mails, sometimes chatty and sometimes wrenching. Pernille's older daughter, Hanna (Vivild Falk Berg), is histrionic and capricious and suddenly dragging her feet about a long-planned gap year in Argentina. The younger, Sigrid (Ebba Jacobsen Oberg), is a ball of rage, surly beyond measure but still young enough to be read to at night and get tucked in sometimes. Pernille's nephew, Leo (Jon Ranes), is also living with them while his father recovers from the accident that killed his mother. The show kicks off with Pernille's widower dad (Nils Ole Oftebro) announcing that he is gay and ready to live his truth. The show is, in all the good ways, a lot like Pamela Adlon's FX dramedy 'Better Things,' which was also about a single mom, her aging parent and her indulged, difficult daughters. The heroines share a life-animating sense of duty, as well as a prickly, spirited humor and brilliance. They both have drip exes whose intermittent fathering is a grave disappointment, and they both have robust social support and sexually encouraging friends. The biggest difference between the shows is that Adlon's character, Sam, is situated as uniquely, dazzlingly bohemian, a fount of outsider art, sumptuous recipes, dark eyeliner and arty pals. Pernille is more squarely ordinary. She sings in a community choir and spends a lot of time texting, and she gets star-struck just meeting a guy who works on Nick Cave's tour. This isn't to say Pernille isn't special. She is, of course, once you know her, which is exactly what the show accomplishes. We learn a lot about Pernille, her gentle romances and gutting conflict with her ex-husband, whose self-aggrandizing memoir is called 'Father Fell.' Pernille enjoys being in control, so much so that her happy place is the driver's seat in her car. She slinks off to the garage to sit there, and it's where she hangs out with friends, has late-night chats with her dad and hosts the occasional suitor. Pernille works in child welfare, and some of the show's most affecting scenes are with her young clients, victims of abuse and neglect. One child's extended family denies that there could be abuse because of how well-behaved the little girl is. No, says Pernille. 'Well-adjusted children are angry, disgusting, gross and don't do what they are told.' She's grateful her children are 'disgusting,' she jokes to a colleague later. The show has five six-episode seasons, with Seasons 1-3 covering only a few months and Seasons 4 and 5 picking up two years later. It stays consistent the whole way through, steadfastly messy and openhearted, aware of the many ways love and pain coexist.
