Miniseries Plot
Mariana and Samuel go to live in Vallvidrera, a mountain neighbourhood in Barcelona, to raise their children in a more authentic place, far from their respective painful childhoods. There, they find a community with the same aspirations. But when tragedy shakes the neighbourhood, they dismantle their ideal, the couple's certainties begin to waver and fear settles in, coming dangerously close to everything they were trying to escape.
This Is Not Sweden Miniseries aired on November 28th, 2023.
Miniseries Episodes
1. The Change
Mariana and Samuel have moved to a new neighbourhood, up in the mountains of Barcelona, where they hope to give their children Lia and Max a safe upbringing, something they never got to experience themselves. They have even organized a group therapy for parents, to find a like-minded community and to meet the role model for parenting — the admirable Swedish neighbour. But suddenly everything takes a drastic turn.
2. The Fear
The events with the Swedes shock everyone. Mariana does everything to facilitate Lia's schooling and Samuel, who feels uncomfortable as a stay-at-home dad and taken for granted by his wife, handles parenting with more 'traditional' methods.
3. The Limits
Mariana redoubles her efforts to make school better for Lia, but it only seems to worsen their relationship. Samuel feels that Mariana doesn't give him any attention and therefore tries to relive the life he had before he became a stay-at-home dad.
4. The Sex
Mariana tries to repair her relationship with Samuel, whom she has neglected lately. In this whirlwind of emotions and poorly handled sexual tensions, the couple's dinner with friends ends in the most unexpected way.
5. The Family
Shaken after visiting Annika's for the first time, Mariana takes her family to her hometown to visit her mother. The trip brings back traumatic childhood memories and leads her to contemplate drastic decisions.
6. Reconciliation
Samuel, feeling trapped in his stay-at-home dad role, desperately searches for a job while feeling tempted to seek validation in the arms of his Instagram fan. Mariana increasingly suffers from the tug-of-war between work and family life.
7. Self-Knowledge
It's time for Mariana and Samuel to have a heart-to-heart, but instead, they resolve in an unsustainable way. Meanwhile, as the parents neglect their children, Lia does something that frightens the family.
8. Anything Goes
Two months have passed since Mariana and Samuel made a drastic decision about their situation. They are still adjusting to their new life, but perhaps a local neighbourhood festival could be the place for a reunion.
