# Swedish Dicks
**Swedish Dicks** is a Swedish-American comedy-drama television series about two Swedes trying to make a living as unlicensed private investigators in Los Angeles. It stars [Peter Stormare](https://www.edgepedia.org/peter-stormare) as the former stuntman Ingmar and the Swedish stand-up comedian Johan Glans as the DJ Axel, with [Keanu Reeves](https://www.edgepedia.org/keanu-reeves) as a special guest star in a number of episodes. The series was the first original production of the Nordic streaming service Viaplay and premiered there on 2 September 2016.[1](https://www.mtg.com/sv/press-releases/mtg-och-lionsgate-i-globalt-distributionsavtal-om-originalserie/) • [2](https://www.mynewsdesk.com/dk/viaplay-denmark/pressreleases/viaplay-faar-sin-foerste-nye-originale-serie-swedish-dicks-1254878)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Premise | Two unlicensed Swedish private investigators try to make a living in Los Angeles.[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5324116/) |
| Stars | Peter Stormare as Ingmar, Johan Glans as Axel; Keanu Reeves as Tex, a stuntman from Ingmar's past.[1](https://www.mtg.com/sv/press-releases/mtg-och-lionsgate-i-globalt-distributionsavtal-om-originalserie/) • [4](https://commercial.viaplaygroup.com/viaplay-originals/swedish-dicks) |
| Seasons | Two seasons of 10 episodes each; season 1 premiered 2 September 2016, season 2 on 25 December 2017.[4](https://commercial.viaplaygroup.com/viaplay-originals/swedish-dicks) |
| Production | Brain Academy (part of Viaplay Studios) with LA-based Viking Brothers Entertainment; showrunner Peter Settman.[4](https://commercial.viaplaygroup.com/viaplay-originals/swedish-dicks) • [5](https://www.mynewsdesk.com/no/viaplay-norge/pressreleases/peter-stormare-spiller-i-viaplays-foerste-originale-serie-swedish-dicks-1254812) |
| Distribution | Global distribution deal with Lionsgate (September 2016); season 1 bought by the US network Pop TV.[1](https://www.mtg.com/sv/press-releases/mtg-och-lionsgate-i-globalt-distributionsavtal-om-originalserie/) • [4](https://commercial.viaplaygroup.com/viaplay-originals/swedish-dicks) |
| Recognition | Kristallen 2017 nomination for Humour Program of the Year; IMDb rating 6.8/10 from about 4,000 users.[4](https://commercial.viaplaygroup.com/viaplay-originals/swedish-dicks) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5324116/) |
## Premise and characters
Ingmar Andersson, played by Peter Stormare, is a washed-up former stuntman who turns to private investigation after his stunt career ends in tragedy. A case brings him into contact with Axel Kruse, played by Johan Glans, an overly optimistic DJ who has stopped booking arena shows and wants to retrain as a detective; Axel joins Ingmar's one-man firm, Swedish Dick, which becomes Swedish Dicks.[6](https://tvkoll.aftonbladet.se/2016/09/premiar-i-dag-for-swedish-dicks-som-ar-battre-an-du-kanske-tror/) • [7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/swedish_dicks/s01) Stormare described the pairing as "a bit like Helan and Halvan", the classic Scandinavian comedy duo [Laurel and Hardy](https://www.edgepedia.org/laurel-and-hardy)'s Swedish name, with two characters who are often enemies.[8](https://www.sverigesradio.se/artikel/6441016)
The supporting cast includes Vivian Bang as Sun, the detectives' Korean secretary who grows into the driving force of the business, and Felisha Cooper as Sarah, Ingmar's lawyer daughter.[6](https://tvkoll.aftonbladet.se/2016/09/premiar-i-dag-for-swedish-dicks-som-ar-battre-an-du-kanske-tror/) • [7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/swedish_dicks/s01) [Traci Lords](https://www.edgepedia.org/traci-lords) plays Jane McKinney, a rival private investigator who runs what the show calls the number one investigative firm in Los Angeles.[9](https://www.tvinsider.com/314771/swedish-dicks-pop-peter-stormare-keanu-reeves/) • [10](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-et-st-swedish-dicks-review-20170808-story.html) Keanu Reeves, Stormare's co-star in *John Wick: Chapter Two*, appears in a recurring role as Tex, a charismatic stuntman and antagonist from Ingmar's past.[4](https://commercial.viaplaygroup.com/viaplay-originals/swedish-dicks) • [9](https://www.tvinsider.com/314771/swedish-dicks-pop-peter-stormare-keanu-reeves/)
Season-one cases include the theft of secret data from an advertising agency, a cult infiltration, a porn actress who hires the firm to find her stalker, and a pet cemetery accused of burning dead animals.[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/swedish_dicks/s01) • [11](https://tubitv.com/series/300009218/swedish-dicks)
## Production
Viaplay announced the series on 17 November 2015 as its first original production, an international co-production between the production company Brain Academy, founded by Peter Settman, and the Los Angeles company Viking Brothers Entertainment, run by Peter Stormare, Glenn Lund, and Nina Lund.[2](https://www.mynewsdesk.com/dk/viaplay-denmark/pressreleases/viaplay-faar-sin-foerste-nye-originale-serie-swedish-dicks-1254878) Settman served as showrunner and director, and the credited creators are Andrew Lowery, Glenn Lund, Peter Settman, and, according to the credits listing, Peter Stormare.[5](https://www.mynewsdesk.com/no/viaplay-norge/pressreleases/peter-stormare-spiller-i-viaplays-foerste-originale-serie-swedish-dicks-1254812) • [12](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/swedish-dicks/credits/)
Stormare originally conceived the show as an hour-long drama with comedic elements; Settman convinced him to move to a tighter half-hour format.[9](https://www.tvinsider.com/314771/swedish-dicks-pop-peter-stormare-keanu-reeves/) Episodes run about 24 to 28 minutes.[11](https://tubitv.com/series/300009218/swedish-dicks) Stormare described the tone as "Twin Peaks meets Monty Python, with gallows humor and darkness".[13](https://www.cafe.se/swedish-dicks/) Filming took place in Los Angeles, including Downtown locations such as 1201 West 5th Street, used for the exterior of Ingmar's office building.[14](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5573240/) For Stormare, the series marked a turn toward his own projects after what he described as thirty years working for others.[15](https://www.gp.se/stormare-har-jobbat-i-30-ar-at-idioter.45a61512-de7f-4db5-b069-324eb7306605)
## Release and distribution
The ten-episode first season premiered exclusively on Viaplay on 2 September 2016 and set a viewing record, drawing more viewers over its launch weekend than any previous series premiere on the service in the Nordics.[4](https://commercial.viaplaygroup.com/viaplay-originals/swedish-dicks) • [1](https://www.mtg.com/sv/press-releases/mtg-och-lionsgate-i-globalt-distributionsavtal-om-originalserie/) On 14 September 2016, MTG announced a global distribution agreement with the Hollywood studio Lionsgate, making Swedish Dicks the first Nordic title Lionsgate distributed worldwide, with a US premiere expected in early 2017.[1](https://www.mtg.com/sv/press-releases/mtg-och-lionsgate-i-globalt-distributionsavtal-om-originalserie/) The US network Pop TV bought the season and premiered it in August 2017.[4](https://commercial.viaplaygroup.com/viaplay-originals/swedish-dicks) • [10](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-et-st-swedish-dicks-review-20170808-story.html)
The second season, also ten episodes, premiered exclusively on Viaplay on 25 December 2017 and added [Lori Petty](https://www.edgepedia.org/lori-petty), Haley Joel Osment, Justin Chambers, and Traci Lords to the cast.[4](https://commercial.viaplaygroup.com/viaplay-originals/swedish-dicks) The series received one award nomination, for Humour Program of the Year at the Kristallen awards in 2017.[4](https://commercial.viaplaygroup.com/viaplay-originals/swedish-dicks)
## Reception
American reviews were mixed. The Los Angeles Times critic Robert Lloyd wrote that he would like to find the series funnier than he did, but called it fundamentally good-hearted and praised performances among the principals and guest players.[10](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-et-st-swedish-dicks-review-20170808-story.html) IndieWire gave the season a C grade, finding that wacky physical humor distracted from the show's stronger moments.[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/swedish_dicks/s01) On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds a 90 percent Tomatometer based on three reviews.[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/swedish_dicks/s01) Swedish public radio's culture desk was more critical, arguing that the series relied on its Los Angeles setting and celebrity guest appearances rather than plot and humor.[16](https://www.sverigesradio.se/artikel/6508813) The series has since been available on free ad-supported streaming services including Tubi, The Roku Channel, and Plex.[17](https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/swedish-dicks)
## References
1. [MTG och Lionsgate i globalt distributionsavtal om originalserie, MTG press release (14 September 2016)](https://www.mtg.com/sv/press-releases/mtg-och-lionsgate-i-globalt-distributionsavtal-om-originalserie/)
2. [Viaplay får sin første nye originale serie – Swedish Dicks, Viaplay Danmark press release (17 November 2015)](https://www.mynewsdesk.com/dk/viaplay-denmark/pressreleases/viaplay-faar-sin-foerste-nye-originale-serie-swedish-dicks-1254878)
3. [Swedish Dicks (TV Series 2016–2018), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5324116/)
4. [Swedish Dicks, Viaplay Commercial](https://commercial.viaplaygroup.com/viaplay-originals/swedish-dicks)
5. [Peter Stormare i Viaplays første originale serie – Swedish Dicks, Viaplay Norge press release (17 November 2015)](https://www.mynewsdesk.com/no/viaplay-norge/pressreleases/peter-stormare-spiller-i-viaplays-foerste-originale-serie-swedish-dicks-1254812)
6. [Premiär i dag för "Swedish Dicks", TV-koll, Aftonbladet (2 September 2016)](https://tvkoll.aftonbladet.se/2016/09/premiar-i-dag-for-swedish-dicks-som-ar-battre-an-du-kanske-tror/)
7. [Swedish Dicks: Season 1, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/swedish_dicks/s01)
8. [Stormare och Glans i TV-satsning i Los Angeles, Sveriges Radio P4 Gävleborg (26 May 2016)](https://www.sverigesradio.se/artikel/6441016)
9. [Peter Stormare and Keanu Reeves Face Off in Pop's New P.I. Comedy 'Swedish Dicks', TV Insider (7 August 2017)](https://www.tvinsider.com/314771/swedish-dicks-pop-peter-stormare-keanu-reeves/)
10. [Review: Pop's imported comedy 'Swedish Dicks' has a good heart but not enough laughs, Los Angeles Times (8 August 2017)](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-et-st-swedish-dicks-review-20170808-story.html)
11. [Watch Swedish Dicks Streaming Online, Tubi](https://tubitv.com/series/300009218/swedish-dicks)
12. [Swedish Dicks credits, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/swedish-dicks/credits/)
13. [Så kom Stormare på "Swedish dicks" – när han spelade i CSI, Café (17 October 2016)](https://www.cafe.se/swedish-dicks/)
14. ["Swedish Dicks" Tale of the Tape (TV Episode 2016), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5573240/)
15. [Stormare: Har jobbat i 30 år åt idioter, Göteborgs-Posten (13 May 2017)](https://www.gp.se/stormare-har-jobbat-i-30-ar-at-idioter.45a61512-de7f-4db5-b069-324eb7306605)
16. [USA-fixering enda räddningen för "Swedish Dicks", Sveriges Radio Kulturnytt (2 September 2016)](https://www.sverigesradio.se/artikel/6508813)
17. [Swedish Dicks - streaming tv show online, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/swedish-dicks)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Unscripted, reality, and web-native series › Web-native and streaming-original series › Comedy, drama, and general-genre web series*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license