Mammon (which is biblical for material wealth or money) is advanced mix of crime, corruption, religion, rituals, media criticism and bad childhoods. Sounds as a lot? Well it is, and this series is a deep woven mystery, which is almost impossible to read before you the last episode.
That is of course positive in a world of a TV-series and films which are all too like. This differs from most, due to it being a mystery involving media, politicians and old school time secret networks.
We follow a newspaper journalist, Peter Verås, which is reporting on a case which entangles him way more than is good for the job, the paper, his family and friends. And he can't grasp what it is about, but it goes right down the core of his own family.
Some will love this due to it's complexity, others will have a hard struggle with understanding the complicated plot. This series has been a great success even before the first episode was screened, and sold to the folds of countries eager to get more of Nordic noir. Therefore the plans for a second season is already on the way, which once more will follow the journalist, I guess. This series goes right into that category, though it's more a mystery than a crime story.
The series was immensely popular when it was aired, having a 40 percent of the total marked when being aired, but was criticized for having advanced surround sound, making it difficult to grasp all being said on a small TV-set, but great on a surround system. As dubbed, or with subtitles, this will not be a problem outside Norway. From the third episode they decided to subtitle the series even on Norwegian TV.
It was also criticized for being unrealistic due to how a Norwegian independent newspaper would react to be scrutinized by the investigative police, but this came more out of pride of journalistic integrity than reality. I'm afraid the integrity isn't that strong, even in an otherwise low corruption nation as Norway.
I both liked it, and didn't, but I just had to watch the series through, and didn't have a clue who was responsible.
Exciting, yes, but easy to understand, no! Interesting due to the ethic dilemmas, yes, but easy to make a second season, no!
