Viaplay March 2026

Paradis City

The Stroke

Double Stakes

Heroes

SPOTLIGHT: DARK COMEDY SERIES

The Stroke - Daring Dark Comedy

Exclusive U.S. Premiere

Thursday, March 12 (Episodes 1-4, March 19 Episodes 5-8)

"Excellent, original, devastatingly sad, and ... incredibly cheerful" - Newsweek PL

"Exceptionally well-written... top-notch ensemble" - Filmweb

"Funny, with thick black humor, and phenomenally acted" - Serialowa

Coming off rave reviews in its Polish release, The Stroke is a daring Polish prestige drama about a powerful cultural figure whose stroke dismantles his body, status, and emotional armor. Centered on an openly gay, middle-aged man in a country where homosexuality is legal yet politically and socially contested, its matter-of-fact portrayal is quietly radical.

In a tour-de-force, transformative performance Jacek Poniedziałek portrays Jacek a celebrated culinary critic and creator of popular TV food shows - a fixture of Warsaw restaurants, late night bars, and artistic circles. Brilliant, caustic, and self-destructive, he takes pleasure in skewering the bourgeois tastes of the very audience that idolizes him.

After suffering a stroke, Jacek returns to work forced to confront uncomfortable questions: how do you pursue new desires after your dreams have already come true? And after a life-altering crisis, are we destined to go return to who we were - or become someone entirely new?

Unlike anything else on Polish television, The Stroke is the brainchild of acclaimed playwright and screenwriter Paweł Demirski, who set out to create a character that defies the modern burnout culture - a wildly passionate person who, even in collapse, insists that the best is yet to come.

(8 episodes x 35 minutes, Polish with English subtitles)

SPOTLIGHT: GLOBAL CRIME DRAMA

Double Stakes - Intense Ukrainian Crime Drama

Exclusive U.S. Premiere

Thursdays, March 19

*A bold new entry in the global crime drama landscape out of the Ukraine

Picked up by Netflix Ukraine after its successful broadcast run, this intense crime drama blends the moody atmospherics of Nordic Noir with the gritty realism of a modern Ukraine. The eight-part action thriller follows a soldier (Vlad Nikitiuk) who after being discharged from the front, challenges the circles of crime and corrupt officials in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv.

On the very first day of his return from the front, Igor Shvedov sees his older brother, the only person dear to him, killed before his eyes. Unexpectedly, he learns that his brother was an influential criminal mastermind and starts suspecting that the people in his circle are not at all who they pretend to be. To find his brother's killer, he joins the police and begins his war against organized crime and bent cops.

(8 x 50 min episodes, Ukrainian with English subtitles)

SPOTLIGHT: INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

Heroes - Ukrainian Dramedy Feature Film

Exclusive U.S. Premiere

Thursday, March 26

Based on the French play by Gerald Sibleiras "Le Vent Des Peupliers", which acclaimed British playwright Tom Stoppard adapted for the UK stage, Heroes is a Ukrainian feature film about three elderly war veterans living in a retirement home. As they navigate friendship, memory, and the weight of past choices, they joke, play pranks, and ultimately decide to escape.

With raucous humor and bittersweet repartee, Heroes transforms the stage play's delicate exploration of life, aging, and human connection into a cinematic experience that resonates universally.

(Feature Film, Ukrainian with English subtitles, 90 minutes)

NEW TO VIAPLAY

Paradis City - Swedish action thriller

Saturday, March 7 (all episodes)

"Brutal Swedish action of international class... intense chases and crashes... does not skimp on quality" -MovieZine

With pulse-pounding action, deep political intrigue, and a powerhouse cast, Paradis City is a high-stakes rescue mission that blends gripping drama with cinematic intensity.

In a near-future Sweden, the country's most volatile districts have been sealed off, governed by their own laws. When the Minister of the Interior is kidnapped in the largest area, Paradis City, SÄPO agent Fredrika (Julia Ragnarsson, Midsommar, Blinded, End of Summer, The Bridge) makes a deal with former MMA fighter Emir (Alexander Abdallah, Thunder in My Heart, Snabba Cash, Love Me), who faces life in prison. He must infiltrate Paradis City and find the Minister of the Interior or lose the chance to see his daughter again.

But as Emir and Fredrika navigate a treacherous underworld of warring factions, corrupt politicians, and deep conspiracies, their rescue mission turns into a desperate fight for survival. With time running out and powerful forces closing in, they uncover a truth that threatens not just their own lives - but the future of the entire country.

Adapted from Jens Lapidus' bestselling novel Paradis City, the series is helmed by acclaimed directors Alain Darborg (The Åre Murders) and Fenar Ahmad (Darkland) and co-stars Louise Peterhoff (Limbo, Midsommar), and Sverrir Gudnason (Borg vs McEnroe, The Girl in the Spider's Web).

(6 x 42 mins episodes, Swedish with English subtitles)

RECENT ACCLAIMED PREMIERES / HIDDEN GEMS

· Seasons (Feature Film, U.S. Premiere) - "Very funny-lovely" (The Wall Street Journal) and "One of the most engaging and intelligent Polish films in years" (Polish media) | Audience Award festival winner | Three Plays, One Marriage. A wry, theatrical character study of a self-absorbed stage actor whose emotional blind spots and marital neglect unfold across three productions - Peter Pan, A Doll's House and A Midsummer Night's Dream - where the real drama lives behind the curtain. (Trailer)

· Scenes After a Marriage - "Lands with dramatic thunder and lightning... sharply-tuned performances" (ScreenAnarchy) | A strikingly intimate Swedish short-form drama series capturing the heartbreak, humor, and unpredictability of relationships, in the vein of the Emmy-winning State of the Union. Told across eight tightly constructed 18-minute episodes, the series strips relationships down to their core, creating an emotionally charged, modern chamber play. From an acclaimed screenwriter of The Bridge and Top Dog and featuring a stellar cast led by Ardalan Esmaili (Lockerbie with Colin Firth) and Eva Röse (Maria Wern, Honour). (Clip)

· Stayer, Season 1 - 'Best New Shows of January' Selection... "Outstanding Cast" (Time Magazine) and "Beautiful, deep, intense, and fabulous hour drama" (ABC22) | Led by Norwegian superstar Aksel Hennie (The Martian, Sisu, Headhunters) - who also directs - this high-end drama follows an aging rock musician forced to confront his greatest test when the mother of his child dies tragically. He must navigate his way back to life, finding new meaning in music and fatherhood. (6x33') (Trailer)

· Vanguard (English and Swedish) - "Succession meets The Wolf of Wall Street" (TV Guide) | This gripping, award-winning five-part drama series explores fierce family rivalries, high-stakes deals, and groundbreaking innovation that shaped a media empire. With a fast-paced, cinematic approach, this riveting series captures not just the rise of a visionary but also the personal sacrifices behind power. Nominated for 'Best Drama' and winning 'Best Actor' (Jakob Oftebro) at the 2025 Swedish Emmys (Kristallen Awards). (Trailer)

· A Life's Worth - #1 'Best Nordic Shows of 2025' (Nordic Watchlist) | Sweden's most ambitious war series to date. This riveting, landmark drama series follows young soldiers thrown into Bosnia's brutal conflict in 1993. Visually striking and emotionally charged, A Life's Worth is not just a war drama - it's a gripping exploration of duty, humanity, and the cost of peacekeeping in one of Europe's most devastating modern conflicts. Co-starring Edvin Ryding (Young Royals, 28 Years Later) (Trailer)

· Mafia - 'Best International Shows' of 2025 'Top 10' Selection in The New York Times | This bold crime series follows the violent rise of a notorious gangster (Peshang Rad, Bäckström) and the lone cop (Katia Winter, The Boys, Dexter) pursuing him. (Trailer)

About Viaplay:

The Viaplay streaming service features thousands of hours of premium Nordic and European series and films from Scandinavia's largest and most recognized television/streaming platform. Viaplay's US content offering focuses on the Nordic region's high-quality and psychologically penetrating titles: from atmospheric and suspenseful crime dramas and provocative and stylish young adult series to award-winning dramas and riveting documentaries. On par with the best on television, Viaplay series feature first-rate production values, incredible scenery, award-worthy acting, and edge-of-your-seat storylines. Viaplay is available as an add-on subscription on Prime Video Channels, The Roku Channel, Comcast Xfinity, and more for only $5.99 a month. All titles are available in their original language with English subtitles. Link: http://amazon.com/video/viaplayus