A new crime thriller has been storming the Netflix charts – and viewers can't turn it off

A Nearly Normal Family
(Image credit: Nikolaj Thaning Rentzmann / Netflix)

An unexpected Swedish crime thriller is quickly climbing the Netflix rankings, and viewers are loving it. 

Directed by Per Hanefjord, A Nearly Normal Family is Netflix’s newest crime drama detailing the repercussions of sexual assault and the bottling of emotions, a gripping journey of twists and turns that audiences cannot get enough of. 

Based on the novel of the same name by M. T. Edvardsson, A Nearly Normal Family follows the Sandell family, made up of Adam, a priest, Ulrika, a lawyer, and their 19-year-old daughter Stella. They live a seemingly standard life in a quiet Swedish suburb until one day this perfect dynamic is shaken when Stella ends up in police custody for murder. 

The show already has an 86% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, with many viewers singing the show's praises. One watcher writes, "Gripping. I watched it all in one go because I couldn't wait to find out what happens next." Another echoes, "A well-crafted series which tells the story with a combination of flashbacks and real-time which weaves a compelling story."

Many Netflix users commend the show’s exploration of complex topics that really should be spoken about more often. "The film not only gives you the panorama of how threatened today's girls are, but also the problems that the justice system has everywhere in the world," said one audience member, later mentioning how they binge-watched the whole series in just one day. Another Rotten Tomatoes user reiterates this: "Do yourself a favor and binge-watch this one. You won't be disappointed."

A Nearly Normal Family is available to watch on Netflix right now. For more on what to stream, see our list of the best Netflix shows, or check out what’s new on Netflix this December.

Editorial Associate, GamesRadar+

I am an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for SFX and Total Film online. I have a Bachelors Degree in Media Production and Journalism and a Masters in Fashion Journalism from UAL. In the past I have written for local UK and US newspaper outlets such as the Portland Tribune and York Mix and worked in communications, before focusing on film and entertainment writing. I am a HUGE horror fan and in 2022 I created my very own single issue feminist horror magazine.