Created by Rojda Sekersöz and Julia Lindström, Netflix’s new Swedish show The New Force (Skiftet) takes a close look at the lives of Sweden’s first female police officers. In 1958, the Klara District Chief, Gunnar Svard, decided to conduct an experiment by introducing female cops. The low-paying job failed to attract men, so they turned to the untapped labor force, leading to the birth of the experiment. For the first time, trained female police officers were seen walking side-by-side with their male colleagues in uniforms and patrolling the streets of Stockholm. It was a historic moment, but most people at the time undermined the female officers, and the show focuses on the everyday struggles of these young officers who were desperately trying to create a space for themselves.
The New Force is a fictionalized drama centered around an important chapter in history. The series chooses not to take a biographical route, and focuses on the struggles that the female officers had faced at the time, which continue to be relevant even today. Instead of one monumental moment, the show takes into account the little things that had a drastic impact on the lives of these working women. The New Force highlights not only how the women were viewed in the workplace, but also how their decision to join the police force was received by their friends, families, and those around them. While the initiative/experiment was a welcome change, that alone wasn’t enough to guarantee a significant shift in the lives of women in general.
The series is centered around three female officers—Carin, Siv, and Ingrid. They had varied temperaments and approaches to dealing with trouble, but they shared a sense of camaraderie because they knew how challenging it was to navigate an extremely gendered workplace. From random strangers walking up to them to ask if they were ‘real police officers’ to the snide remarks passed by their colleagues, the girls had to deal with it all, on top of having to perform their jobs to perfection. Carin was engrossed in finding the truth behind the mysterious death of a sex worker. Although she was strictly asked to stick to her patrolling duties, she couldn’t help but investigate the case. Meanwhile, Siv was furious when she discovered that she’d been dubbed ‘Miss Sweden’ by her colleagues. She was afraid that she would not be taken seriously because of her blonde hair and her attractive appearance. She repeatedly tried to establish that she aimed to become a detective, and she befriended Detective Oscar Thornberg in the hopes of learning more about the job. Ingrid felt like a fish out of water during her initial days at the police station. Her patrol partner, Wallin, refused to speak with her. She sensed that he considered her beneath him, so he preferred not to engage with her. But things soon changed for Ingrid after she demonstrated courage during a police raid. Wallin became somewhat of a mentor figure to her, but soon she realized that the man was nothing but a monster.
In the six episodes, the overarching mystery that Carin attempts to solve takes precedence. The way the story unfolded was interesting at first, but the coincidences made it a little difficult to make the case believable. From the way Carin managed to enter the brothel to the clues that she easily collected, it felt rather too simple. Although the mystery becomes the focus of the series, it wasn’t thoroughly convincing. Even the final revelation wasn’t shocking enough to make it worth the wait. Perhaps if every episode revolved around one case, the show wouldn’t have lost its momentum. And if the idea was to center the main plot around one case, then it had to be way more compelling.
Although the main plot wasn’t memorable, what really works for the show are the little details. From the discomfort of patrolling in skirts that resulted in chafed thighs to the high heels that the officers were expected to wear while chasing criminals on the streets, all of it highlighted the gender expectation embedded in the uniforms. Despite it all, the female officers tried their best to be on par with their male colleagues. From not allowing them to sit at the same table at a bar to putting blame on them, the male officers at the station made sure that they felt unwelcome at their workplace. The series also addresses crucial issues that impacted the lives of women living in Sweden in the 50s, such as abortion in a society where the procedure wasn’t legalized, along with the dilemma of working women who more often than not were expected to choose between their career and family. While the mystery behind the death of the sex worker wasn’t engrossing, the idea that the show arrives at the end makes it worth a watch. The show establishes that for the female officers, their job didn’t just entail catching the perpetrators; they were dealing with a system that was inherently patriarchal, and every change they attempted to make always came at a steep price.
Visually, The New Force demonstrates an experimental streak. The brief segments of vintage footage add an interesting texture; the juxtaposition of contemporary music with fast-paced edits is also a fun, quirky way to transition from one scene to another. The overall performance of the cast is impressive. Josefin Asplund, as the blue-eyed brunette police officer Carin Eriksson, brings a certain depth to the character. She aptly portrays Carin’s impulsiveness, her big emotions, and her passion for her job. Siv Morell is a complex character, and Agnes Rase convincingly plays her part. There are times when one would want to root for Siv and relate to her urgency to prove to her parents and her extended family that she was doing well in life, but then her jealous side makes one question how far she was willing to go to make it to the top. Malin Persson, as the level-headed, calculative Ingrid Gustafsson, delivers a compelling performance. She was caught between wanting to do the right thing and being too afraid to voice her opinion. It was comforting to watch Ingrid overcome her fear and deal with the situation she was in tactfully.
The New Force leaves enough room for an upcoming season, and it’s likely going to be even better than the first installment. The six episodes can be considered a decent introduction to the world of Carin, Siv, and Ingrid, but the show needs to find a better case to keep the interest going. Or if the idea is to solely focus on the drama, then it should be impactful enough to keep the audience engrossed instead of using a case to build intrigue. The characters are colorful enough to keep the audience hooked and solely focusing on their lives and choices can keep the interest going.
