This was filmed during what looked to be an absolutely marvellous summer in Helsinki. Unfortunately this and the bright photography and cinematography couldn't overcome a weak plot and terrible sets.
Everyone had the same couple of rooms! It was so obvious that guests were ushered to a room on a set that had simply had the number changed on the door from that of the clients of the previous episode.
And then those plots. Grafted onto the main theme of the murder of the previous hotel manager they were unconvincing in the extreme. For several of them, the adverse publicity would have sunk any new hotel. Some of these twists and turns involve members of sfaff but are not followed up such as the gambling addiction of a staff member.
I knew by episode three who the killer was. It was as plain as a pikestaff. Incredibly annoyingly, we find out who it is at the end of episode eight but they are not caught. This means that instead of fresh storylines for Season Two, we are going to have to plough through more of the same until they are somehow exposed.
I have the second season already but will be in no hurry to watch it. I hope that it is, at least, set in winter so that it's a bit different from the first.
EDIT: I have just watched Season Two and it's better than the first. Less concentration on side and background stories and more focus on who did the murder. However, it's still pretty ridiculous as a set of plots with people doing stupid things and several impossibilities and non-believable coincidences.
There will be a Season Three after the closing scene of the final episode of the second. I'm more prone to watch it than I was after Season One. And at least what I just watched was set in winter! So I got my wish.
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