C More Renews Helsinki Crimes

C More has commissioned a second six-episode season of the detective drama Helsinki Crimes (Harjunpää).

The first season of Helsinki Crimes became one of C More’s most-watched crime series to date. Shooting of the second season is now underway and will see Chief Constable Timo Harjunpää and his murder team investigating bloody clashes between street gangs, love scams and a wave of burglaries plaguing the city, among others.

Olli Rahkonen stars as detective Tomi Harjunpää, Olga Temonen plays his partner Onerva Nykänen and Alma Pöysti as Hietanen. Also returning to the series are Sanna Saarijärvi, Robin Svartström, Emilia Neuvonen and Jutta Järvinen.

Helsinki Crimes, based on Matti Yrjänä Joensuu’s series of novels, is produced by ITV Studios Finland, co-produced and distributed by French production and distribution outfit Oble.

The first season sold to Australia’s SBS On Demand, AMC Networks International’s SundanceTV in Spain and Walter Presents in the U.K. and Ireland.

“Our partnership with C More and Netflix has been a major factor in the success of the incredible series. We have received a fantastic reception from viewers and critics,” said Pete Paavolainen, CEO of ITV Studios Finland.

“Following the exceptional success of the first season, we have been focusing even more on the production value for the second season of Helsinki Crimes. So viewers can expect even higher production value, expert storytelling and edge-of-seat drama that it has become famous for,” said Jani Hartikainen, head of drama and development at C More and MTV.

“Helsinki Crimes is not your traditional police procedural. Harri Virtanen’s interpretation of Joensuu’s novels have delivered an original, fresh detective series, both in terms of characters and setting. We’re so excited to go into the second season where viewers will be taken on another gripping journey,” said Maria Kangas, head of scripted at ITV Studios Finland.

Katia Sol, co-founder of Oble, said: “Helsinki Crimes is that rare gem of a first series—a contemporary detective series set in the vibrant seaside Finnish capital with an original take on the well-trodden path of the crime genre. The never-ending days of the Scandinavian summer give this stylish, high-caliber series an atmospheric brightness enhanced by glossy characters and polished performances. We’re delighted to have generated such international interest in the show since its debut in the U.K., Ireland, Australia and Spain, and more to be announced soon. And we were particularly thrilled to see northern Europe’s audiences’ confirmed interest in our beloved detective’s investigations when the show reached Netflix’s TOP 10 in several territories!”