“Like no other crime drama”: Freezing Embrace is the “angst-filled” Nordic thriller where everyone’s a suspect

If the idea of a Nordic crime thriller fills you with excitement, you may already have heard about Freezing Embrace, the angst-filled series set in the small Finnish town of Porvoo where criminal inspector Antti Hautalehto is tasked with solving complicated cases - and where everyone's a suspect. It's an attention-grabbing series that's unlike any other crime drama and now, Channel 4’s Walter Presents has snapped up a gripping second instalment.

Like the first, the second series follows Hautalehto who finds himself with even creepier cases on his hands. While in series 1, a spate of young men's bodies were found drowned in the river, this time around, the deaths are ritualistic. As you can probably imagine, the striking Finnish town is the perfect setting for the Nordic noir, providing the ideal backdrop for a twisty series filled with haunting crimes.

While we wait for Freezing Embrace series 2 to arrive on our screens, here’s everything you need to know about the series, including the plot, cast and release date.

What is Freezing Embrace about?

Based on Christian Rönnbacka’s detective novels, the Finnish series follows quick-witted criminal inspector Antti Hautalehto, who works to solve crimes in the city of Porvoo. In series 1, which first aired in 2021, Hautalehto’s detective skills are called upon when a young man vanishes after a Christmas party.

Not long after, more young men are discovered drowned in a river. To make matters more complicated for our detective, a witness goes on the run and it seems everyone's a suspect as the police are thought to be protecting one of their own colleagues. The question is, could someone in the police force really be involved? And is it all an elaborate cover up?

What will happen in Freezing Embrace series 2?

The second six-part series sees the return of chief inspector Antti Hautalehto as he faces another chilling wave of deaths in Porvoo. This time, the murders are ritualistic and even more unsettling. In a bid to crack the case, Hautalehto teams up with a former art forger who has just been released from prison and is quickly drawn into the heart of the eerie goings-on. The investigation leads the detective to a charismatic artist known as ‘the Master’, as things take an even stranger turn - mysterious indeed!

Who’s in the cast of Freezing Embrace series 2?

The cast of Freezing Embrace series 2 includes:

• Mikko Leppilampi as Antti Hautalehto
• Jemina Sillanpää as Suvi Vettenranta
• Onni Parviainen as Tero Lindfors
• Antti Reini as Tarmo Lindfors
• Oona Airola as Jonna Holm
• Iikka Forss as Simon Kangas
• Teijo Eloranta as Karl Berglund
• Marja Salo as Leena Karhimo

Is there a trailer for Freezing Embrace series 2?

Yes, you can watch the trailer for Freezing Embrace series 2 below:

View full post on YouTube

Is Freezing Embrace any good?

Yes - it’s a gripping watch packed with twists and turns and some beautiful Nordic scenery. When it premiered in Finland in 2021, audiences loved it - and the second series broke viewership records, becoming MTV’s most-watched original series in the country. Channel 4’s Walter Presents is the go-to for incredible international dramas with bite - they’re hand-selected by film expert and producer Walter Iuzzolino, who knows what he’s talking about when it comes to engrossing shows.

How can I watch Freezing Embrace series 2?

Luckily, there’s not long to wait until you can get stuck in! The second instalment of Freezing Embrace will be available to watch on Channel 4 streaming on Friday 22nd August. All 8 episodes will be available to watch here. In the meantime, you can catch up on all of series 1 here.

What other Walter Presents dramas can I watch now?

If you’re keen to explore some other gold-standard international dramas (don’t worry, they have subtitles!) we’d recommend Hellground, a sinister German crime drama that follows a charming village doctor arriving in a town, just as a series of murders coincides with his arrival. You can watch all eight parts on Channel 4 now. Alternatively, try Canadian spy thriller Classified, which looks at hinges a pair of married intelligence agents whose quiet life is disrupted after a shooting takes place near the American embassy - that’s also streaming now on Channel 4.