Streaming series review - First Responders

First Responders ** (out of 5) (Unrated) The first season of this subtitled Swedish TV series introduces us to a surprisingly diverse group of doctors, EMTs, firemen and police in a small, idyllic town with a full array of professional and personal challenges to face. The setting is lovely, as we meet them during their summer offseason. Apparently, the village thrives on winter sports tourism, which should make our intro less pressured. Not exactly the way it works out. Bad for them. Good for viewers.

Each episode presents a few crises calling for some combination of dramatic rescues, medical intervention and/or crime solving. Everyone in the ensemble cast gets his/her turns in the spotlight. Since they are mostly young and attractive (could it be any other way?), there is a fair share of romantic activity, as well, with some story lines unfolding throughout the season. Besides the main theme of their duties, a separate plot thread involves luring a big investor for economic growth that may, or may not be, good for the community.

Compared to our domestic network counterparts, like 911 and 911: Lone Star, these events play out with relatively little splash. Background music highlighting major scenes is largely absent from First Responders, which keeps the focus more on the visuals, and lets viewers feel the urgency of their efforts without that audio prompt. Other than a couple of shockingly gruesome displays of medical yuckiness in Episode 3, the romantic encounters and assorted injuries are shown without much graphic detail. Or levity.

Viewers’ enjoyment of these 10 hourlong episodes will depend on the extent to which they bond with the characters. Everyone is presented in relatable human scale. No superjocks or megavillains; nobody cast strictly for eye candy. The season ends with a few open questions, but without any cliffhangers that leave viewers in the lurch if Season Two never materializes. Overall, the series seemed engaging, though not riveting.

(First Responders, mostly in Swedish with subtitles, streaming on MHz Choice as of 5/31/22)