A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES
DECEMBER 12TH
- Here, come with me. - [Maria] So what happened?
[Johanne] He fell and hit his head
on his way from the tattoo parlor.
Uh, was Dad getting tatted?
- No, he was there for me. - You get another one?
- Yeah. This and my back. - Really?
Hey, you'll be there on Christmas Eve, right?
Can we just skip Christmas this year? Mom kinda torpedoed the Christmas spirit.
We're not skipping it.
You either celebrate Christmas or you don't.
But you can't just skip Christmas.
It wasn't like Jesus hung on the cross and went,
"Okay, never mind, folks, let's cancel the whole thing."
- [Maria] That's Easter. - [Johanne] What?
Easter's when he died.
- That's not the point. - [Maria] What do you say, Morten?
Can't we skip it, regroup and hope for better luck next year?
[Tor] Look at that.
- That's the Christmas spirit. - Hi.
Hi, Dad.
- How are you doing, old man? - [Maria] What happened?
Have you told, uh…
Uh, not every detail.
Just that you slipped and hit your head on the stairs
- outside the tattoo place. - You fell down?
- Mmm. - [Maria] I bought you crampons last year.
- Actually wear them. - [door opens]
- [Jorid] Tor? - Um, Mom?
- [door closes] - Mom, what are you doing here?
[Jorid] Hi, Tor.
- Are you all right? - Yeah. All things considered.
Severe concussion, though.
They're checking again to see if there's a brain hemorrhage.
- Your brain could be hemorrhaging? - [Johanne] We'll fix this.
We're keeping him under observation just in case.
- Hi. - Hi.
Hi, guys.
You okay?
Are you joking?
You just come stomping in here to Dad
after abandoning him for another guy, out of nowhere?
And you don't even notice us?
- What do you think you're doing? - Maria...
Don't you "Maria" me. Johanne, can you show her out?
It's not hospital policy to throw out relatives. I...
Fine. Then I'll go. Bye, Dad. [kisses]
Bye, sweetie.
I'll find my way out. Call you later.
[Johanne] Okay.
- [door opens] - [Tor] You left.
[door closes]
What?
You ran off.
[scoffs] But I can't… How can I possibly run from someone
- who doesn't even notice I'm there? - What?
- [Jorid] You don't see me. - [Tor] You're standing right there.
- She means figuratively. Come on. - [Tor] Yeah, I know what she means.
But I didn't feel seen, either, until I hit my head and got hospitalized.
And at least here, I get lemonade, crackers and some positive attention.
I can hardly believe my ears right now.
I mean, are you seriously comparing your wife to crackers and lemonade?
[door opens]
Oh, for heaven's sake. You know your dad needs rest, Johanne.
Yes, they're actually both on their way out.
Are you feeling a bit crowded in here, Tor?
Yes, Bente. It is feeling crowded.
You heard the man. Everyone out, please. Tor needs some quiet.
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
But he'll be discharged soon, won't he?
We'll see about that.
Can I get you anything, Tor? A St. Lucia bun, or...
No, hey, he's not having any of that.
His stomach gets really bloated when he eats wheat flour.
- One bun is okay. - Yeah. One St. Lucia bun.
And when I return, I want all of you gone. Do I make myself clear? Got it?
Okay, you heard her. Say goodbye to Dad, everyone.
- So… [clicks tongue] - [Morten] Bye, Dad.
- [Tor sighs] - [Morten] Yeah.
Tor, I hope you and I can have
a longer conversation about this at some point, okay?
Is that all right?
We'll see.
Could I talk to you for just a bit?
Since no one else will. Or at least it seems that way.
Okay. I get off in half an hour. Can we talk then?
I'll wait downstairs in reception.
Okay.
[sighs]
Here is your St. Lucia saffron bun and a glass of lemonade.
Are you doing St. Lucia?
Yes, sadly.
Management's informed us we have to sing that stupid song...
The Holy Lucia of Syracuse?
[Tor] Known as the most beautiful saint of them all?
♪ Black is the dawn of night ♪
♪ 'Round barn and dwelling ♪
♪ Outside there is no light Shadows are swelling ♪
I'll just put these in water for you.
And then I'm meeting up with Mom soon.
Is there anything you want me to tell her for you?
Not really.
♪ Deep in the dark of night ♪
♪ Adorned by her candlelight ♪
So what makes Bengt-Erik so much better than your actual husband?
He makes me horny.
- God, Mom. Ew. - [Jorid] Oh, wait…
Are we not allowed to say "horny"?
Sure, but, uh…
You know, Johanne, it's very normal.
A lot of women experience a renewed sex drive after menopause.
Okay. But you're my mom. It's kind of a different beast.
I was extremely lucky to meet your father…
who I loved like crazy, and who I, well… Who I love to this day.
If you still love him, why would you run off?
Why won't you stay with him, then?
Johanne, I fought so incredibly hard for us for a while now.
For how long?
A while.
You know…
Falling in love.
The happiness.
The first child.
The second child. The third child.
Watching them grow up.
The diapers to change.
The homework.
School. Driving around. The dinners to make.
All the worries. All the joy.
The first child leaves. Then the second.
Then the third.
And then…
[sighs deeply]
emptiness.
A vast, gigantic, silent emptiness inside me.
Deep inside me, something suddenly just…
Just died.
But I really can't stand the thought of it all being over.
I want to live, Johanne. I want to live, too.
Without your husband?
That's what I need to find out.
DECEMBER 13TH
Okay, everybody, are you ready?
- [woman 1] Not yet. - [woman 2] Okay.
- [Johanne] Put this on… - I'll walk in front.
- You? - [Bente] Yes, I'll walk in front.
New instructions came down that said
the department head must set a good example.
As head of the department and your boss, I'm afraid that means me. I'll take that.
You can have this here.
Really?
[Bente] Let's go.
- [woman 1] One verse? - Yes.
[all singing in Norwegian] ♪ Black is the dawn of night ♪
♪ 'Round barn and dwelling ♪
♪ Outside there is no light ♪
♪ Shadows are swelling ♪
♪ Deep in the dark of night ♪
♪ Adorned by her candlelight ♪
♪ Santa Lucia ♪
[all hesitating] ♪ Black is the dawn of night ♪
♪ 'Round barn and dwelling ♪
[singing continues indistinctly]
DECEMBER 14TH
[in English] Can I have this doohickey? You never use it.
Uh, okay.
But can we go through the kitchen stuff
when I'm done with Nick's whole speed dating thing?
Hmm. Okay.
- That's very generous of you, by the way. - What?
Your offer to be a speed dating chaperone.
You'll get major karma points. That's like next-level kindness.
[Johanne clears throat]
- Oh, hey. I forgot to tell you something. - Hmm?
You know the roses I got for Christmas last year?
- Yeah? Yeah. - That hang in the kitchen?
Yeah. Well, they're not from Henrik.
- Is that a joke? - I wish.
- Then who the heck are they from? - No idea.
[exclaims] It's a fairy tale!
It's just like Cinderella with the shoes and the prince and that stuff
and if you find who gave you the roses, you find the prince.
That's a spot-on analogue for ya.
An analogy?
But you need to find him.
Hey, thank you so much for tagging along.
[Johanne] No problem.
Hey, just remember it's not the World Cup finals, right?
Yeah, got it.
Yeah, and honestly, you've got a great advantage going for ya.
So, what do you mean?
You're normal.
Well, thank you. But I'm thinking maybe I might to be too normal?
No, no, that's a magical quality to have in this setting. Trust me.
But, um, 20 years without a date is a long time.
- Yeah. - [both chuckle]
Something must've happened during those 20 years.
Uh, yeah. Well, you know, one time I did have a glass of wine
with a colleague from work.
- We actually had a nice time. - Yeah?
And then, she started talking about her upcoming honeymoon
with her husband and stuff,
so it wasn't really a date, you know?
No.
[indistinct chatter]
[chuckles nervously]
I'm a fan of Christmas.
- Yeah. Me, too. - Great.
Such a great time of year.
- Yeah, great time of year. - [Nick] Yeah.
December in general.
Yeah, December. Yeah.
- Yeah. - [woman 1] I mean, it's…
Uh, it's…
right after November.
Yeah.
Do you know how much a polar bear weighs?
Like half a ton, maybe? [chuckles]
You're not supposed to answer.
When I ask you how much a polar bear weighs,
- you're supposed to say "no." - Yeah. Okay.
No one knows how much a polar bear weighs.
Well, that depends. I got a lot up here...
Okay, but if you don't say "no," it ruins it.
[Nick] So ask me again. One more time.
Know how much a polar bear weighs?
- No. - Enough to break the ice.
Oh, okay.
[chuckles]
[baby wails]
Yeah. Let's see. Hi. Hey.
He's hungry for lunch.
[baby wails]
- [Nick] So… - Come here.
[Nick] Oh, okay. Time for some…
[woman 2] Hey, sweetie.
I'm into co-sleeping, so he's still in my bed. Yes, you are.
- How often do you shower? - Three, four times a week, I guess.
- Do you have any allergies? - Not that I'm aware of.
- Do you like BDSM? - What's that?
I'll just put down "maybe."
[Knut] Uh, just a Christmas soda, please.
Something for you?
Yes, a refill on the coffee, thanks.
[bartender] Still black?
Yeah, nurse fuel. Thanks.
- [Knut] My mom's a nurse, too. - Mmm.
- My condolences. - [chuckles]
Okay, good one.
So do you always come here when you're out drinking Christmas soda?
Mostly when I don't want to be caught drinking one.
Mmm.
Are you part of all this?
No, I'm just here to support my neighbor. Or a friend, really.
[Knut] Ah.
- You an Aries? - I'm not.
- Libra? - No.
- I'm... - No. So you're a Leo, then.
Of course you are. Being stubborn is so typical of Leos.
I get the feeling you're the stubborn type, aren't you?
- [Nick] So, do you have any hobbies? - I go to women's sex parties.
All right.
And this Christmas, we're having a vulva gingerbread workshop.
[clears throat] A what?
We're making gingerbread in the shape of labias.
Oh, fun.
[chuckles] Nice name. Nick.
- [Nick] Yeah. - Rhymes with… [exclaims]
[woman 2] He's a heavy sleeper.
So if you're looking for a roll in the hay, I'm down.
Uh, yeah, um…
- How do you feel about anal? - [Nick laughs]
No. No, no. No, no.
No.
No? Um…
No.
[Johanne] How about you?
No, no. I'm…
Christmas soda's way better than love anyway.
Yeah, plus it's nice to have a break.
- Break from what? - The Christmas rush.
I like Christmas.
Yeah. I do too. But I tend to prefer the quiet, nice parts of it.
- Mmm. - Like Christmas soda and Christmas carols
- and Christmas trees and Christmas movies. - Love Actually?
Uh, maybe not that one.
No, do you feel like it's too British?
- Yeah, that's it. - Yeah.
[chuckles]
And Christmas concerts.
Those are nice. I haven't been to one in forever and a day.
Well, I know there's one tomorrow, if you wanna come along.
Wow. Just like that.
Yeah, I'll… I'll think about it.
- How tall are you? - 5'8".
[both laughing]
Yeah.
- That's like, really short. - Yeah.
I like guys as tall as beanstalks or basketball players.
Oh, then it won't be me and you, that's for sure.
[both laugh]
…whereas Aquarius and Pisces mean disaster.
I'm Pisces.
So, what's your job, what do you do?
- Well, I'm an engineer. - So, uh…
[smacks lips] How does that work?
Well, you know, I calculate dimensions and…
And then…
Like, we…
we're making project plans for biofuel in relation to…
uh…
[woman 3 chuckles]
And you…
Me?
- [Nick] Yeah. - I'm a bike messenger.
- Right. - But, like, I'm also in school.
Um, so I go to school part-time. So…
Yeah. But you have a bit of…
Oh! Sorry.
No, sorry, I tried to… I wasn't sure how to tell you but…
Yeah. I got it. Yeah, okay. Well, that…
- [Johanne] Are you all right? - [sighs]
- Did you see that? - Yeah.
They're kind of… Let's just say direct.
Mmm. Welcome to dating world, Nick. Time to pick up the phone.
But you didn't find any of them cute, at least?
Maybe one.
But blood came out of her nose.
- That's unfortunate. - Yeah.
This whole situation just seems so unnatural.
- You're right about that. - Yeah.
- Nick? - Hi!
- Hi. You forgot your coat. - Oh, yes. Thank you.
It was on your chair.
Yeah, right. That was nice of you. Thank you.
[Johanne] Hey, she was pretty cute.
She said she'd only go out with tall men.
Oh.
- It was nice to meet you. - Yeah, you, too. [chuckles]
Hey, that concert tomorrow that you were talking about,
- uh, where is it? - Uh, in Bekken Church.
- [Nick] The Christmas concert? - Yeah.
But… that's our choir singing.
- Is it? - [Nick] Yeah.
Wow. [chuckles]
- Cool. - My offer still stands.
- Yeah, okay. - [Knut] Okay?
- Okay. - Yeah.
Meet you there at quarter to seven, then.
Make it 6:30.
You'll be able to guarantee a seat that way.
The place is always packed.
- Okay. 6:30, then. - Okay. Lovely.
- Bye. See you then! - See you there.
- Bye. - [Knut] Bye-bye.
[Nick] Old buddy of yours?
No, I just met him here.
Oh.
Well, he seemed like a nice guy.
- Hi. - [Knut] Hi.
DECEMBER 15TH
[Johanne] Yes…
- Well, here we are. - [Knut] Yes.
Yeah, nothing weird. Just two strangers going to a Christmas concert together.
[Knut] Yeah, apparently that's how it works.
You think you're having a quiet Christmas soda, and all of a sudden
- you're out for a night on the town. - [chuckles]
[indistinct chatter]
Merry Christmas.
You, too.
[classical Christmas music playing]
[both whispering indistinctly]
[choir singing "Silent Night" in Norwegian]
[all clapping]
[in English] It's Christmas now.
Yeah, it is.
We've arrived at our final song.
And just like last year, our closing number will be "O Holy Night."
Our thoughts go out to former soloist, Ingunn,
who, um, fell victim to a kick-sled accident,
which I'm sure you probably read about on the Internet.
Ingunn is, um…
- is not dead, no. - [audience laughs]
She just severely pulled her back muscles and suffered a femoral fracture.
Um, but we do have a wonderful choir standing here,
and there is some…
talent here. [chuckles]
And Nick has a voice that, uh, some might call
a diamond in the rough.
- "Some." - [audience clapping]
- [woman] Nick? - Whoo!
[Nick clears throat]
[Christmas piano music playing]
[in Norwegian] ♪ O holy night! ♪
♪ The stars are brightly shining ♪
♪ It is the night Of our dear Savior's birth ♪
♪ Long lay the world ♪
♪ In sin and error pining ♪
♪ Till He appears And the soul felt its worth ♪
♪ A thrill of hope ♪
♪ The weary world rejoices ♪
♪ For yonder breaks ♪
♪ A new and glorious morn ♪
♪ Fall on your knees! ♪
♪ O hear the angel voices! ♪
[off-key] ♪ O night divine ♪
[man coughs]
♪ O night when Christ was born ♪
[continues singing off-key] ♪ O night, O holy night ♪
♪ O night divine! ♪
♪ O night ♪
- [in English] I thought I was gonna die. - [Knut] Yeah. Me, too.
- My heart bleeds for poor Nick. - [laughing]
- I feel like giving him a big ol' hug. - Yeah, we need to thank him.
Is he not the bravest man you've ever seen?
I think so, yeah. I mean, I almost fell in love.
[chuckles] Back off, he's mine.
- [laughs] - [waitress] Did you enjoy the food?
- It was great. - [Johanne] Really nice.
Thank you.
I'll take that.
- Hey, I can pay for it, too. - Absolutely not.
- Then maybe we could, uh, split it? - No.
No? So you're just gonna carry on the old gender stereotype?
- Yeah, that was my plan. - Oh, yeah? Well, I refuse.
Okay, then I guess that means I'll have to kill you.
- Okay. Great, then kill me. - [both chuckling]
Johanne?
- Hey. - Hi.
Hey.
- Lovely to see you. - Nice to see you. Yeah.
It's been a long time.
- I've been thinking about you a lot. - That's sweet. And Bali was nice?
- It was awesome. I got back this summer. - Hmm.
This summer.
Right, well, this is Knut. Knut, Jonas.
- Jonas, Knut. Yeah. - [Knut] Pleasure.
[Knut] Hey.
Yeah, so are you here with your friends?
No, I'm here with my uncle and his family, pretty much.
Okay.
But I'll get out of your hair. Have a great evening.
- You look fantastic, as always. - You, too.
I mean, yeah, have a nice evening.
- Thanks. - Nice to meet you.
- You, too. Bye-bye. - Bye.
- [waitress] Here you go. - I add a tip here?
- [waitress] Sure, if you'd like to. - [machine beeps]
[waitress] Thanks, that was generous of you.
Enjoy the rest of your evening.
[Knut] Thank you. Everything was delicious.
- [exhales] - [chuckles]
[Knut] Such a nice night.
Could you excuse me for a moment? I gotta go to the…
See you by the coat room.
Yeah, okay. See you there.
["Somebody" by Dagny playing]
[sniffs, sighs]
♪ When you called up my phone I was all alone ♪
♪ Voice close to my ear ♪
♪ Like the sound of a song ♪
♪ You said let's take a ride ♪
♪ This was late July ♪
♪ We got lost in the night ♪
♪ So we drove around town In your beat-up car ♪
♪ Soft sounds of your breath And the sound of my heart ♪
♪ Don’t remember the words I know how I felt ♪
♪ Is this trouble again? ♪
♪ I never felt like this with somebody ♪
♪ I never thought I'd feel like I do ♪
♪ I never felt this close with somebody ♪
♪ Somebody, somebody but you ♪
♪ Something ’bout you and the way we fit ♪
♪ Like the stars in the night Heat of you on my skin ♪
♪ Hadn't known you for long But it felt like years ♪
♪ From the second we met I knew things would change ♪
♪ Everything would change ♪
♪ Don't remember the words I know how I felt ♪
♪ Is this trouble again? ♪
♪ I never felt like this with somebody ♪
♪ I never thought I'd feel like I do… ♪