
Ack Värmland is the comedy series that had its premier on TV4 during March 2015 and became a success among viewers. The section is full of life advice and zaniness that pops up on the TV screen, mixed with expressions such as "dä ble gôrgôtt" and "gôrsmar in a broad Värmland accent. Or as the casting company describes it: “with genuine Värmland dialect”.
What is it that made Ack Värmland a success? What is it that makes us fascinated with hanging out at the kiosk, irony and low humour, clichés spiced with a smattering of rural contempt, poor timing and everything being so wrong all of the time. Indeed, it is when the recognition factor is high and we can take a step back and maliciously revel in the misery of others but at the same time know that the heart is in the right place and that nobody actually means any harm. As the character Janne advises Ola to read Lars Norén’s book before assuming the role of a parent in order to understand how good things are for you.
Ett annat av de goda råden som delas ut är att se livet som en kôrv: se den som ett fodral, som man kan fylla med bra eller dåliga grejer.xxx It can be nothing other than good entertainment when such specific and stalwart lessons are delivered in broad Wermlandian surrounded by other local expressions such as ”Gu va stôllit", "dä ble gôr gôtt" och "gôrsmart".
Ack Värmland is not played ins Värmland but in Trollhättan and Vänersborg. But in the series Mia Skäringer who plays Pontus’ (Björn’s) girlfriend and Johan Östling who plays his sister-in-law’s boyfriend Ola.
“We are like a little family and it is really good as actors to feel quite secure”, says Björn Andersson Ling (formerly Starrin),who for once would not have any role in the series. My character is actually a normal, everyday guy, I haven’t done this that much before so it’s a little unusual.
Even Johan who plays Ola will show his everyday side to the audience:
“I thought I would be doing something that could show that I am an everyday guy, so I was in “Hela kändis Sverige bakar”. I thought that I should portray myself as a normal decent guy in the first part, in any case before I left, but then there were other problems when I remains and won the whole bean feast”, says Johan.
But the Wermlandian Ida Hallquistalso makes her acting debut in the series: She plays Mia Skäringer’s spoiled teenage daughter and it is a complicated family history that is heaped up. Hang on for a quick reprise
When Anette (Mia Skäringer) is dismissed from her job in the work’s staff canteen and is replaced by a vending machine there is a great deal of bitterness and desire for revenge. She decides to start a pedicure salon Annette’s Feet together with Fanny (Ida Halquist), her 20 year old daughter who calls herself the company finance manager. They both become pregnant at the same time by their respective boyfriends Ola (Johan Östling) and Pontus (Björn Andersson Ling).
After a messy history Anette Sol-Britt starts work at the salon and the intrigues become a fact. The pregnant Fanny tires of her boyfriend Ola only playing TV games the whole day and the bailiffs come on an unannounced visit and make Fanny and Ola homeless.
Anette angrily regrets being tricked into selling half of the salon to the calculating Sol-Britt and Fanny becomes jealous of her friend Bea who has travelled around America but who is now visiting Molkom.
Fanny’s homeless father, Janne, turns up at Anette’s after years of absence and it ends with him moving into Sol-Britt’s. Eventually Sol-Britt throws Janne out who has to move in with the helpful Anette.
Fanny starts a blog that Ola does not want to be involved with and Anette suspects that Sol-Britt is trolling in order to get her wishes through. And in the middle of everything that is happening the pregnancies are becoming increasingly noticeable. Pontus, who is anxious about his role as a father, asks Ola to get them a fatherhood mentor, but the father of five children who Ola enlists may not be the best candidate.....
Anette has had enough of accommodating everyone and being crowded so after an improbable bidding against Sol-Britt, Fanny and Ola move into the house next door to continue to entertain us during season two of the viewers’ favourite, which, if everything goes as planned, will be broadcast autumn 2017.
“Now in season two the odd couple have had a child and it does not feel completely without problems when Ola and Pontus are to have parental leave”, says the series director Ulf Malmros to tv4.se.
The comedy series Ack Värmland is directed by Ulf Malmros and Jaana Fomin, who also wrote the script. Ulf, who himself grew up in Molkom, is a known name in a film context and was nominated for best director for the film Bäst i Sverige and brought home the award for best director with Tjenare Kungen and best screenplay for Bröllopsfotografen.
Foto Per Bäckstrand/TV 4