Welcome To Sweden - General Discussion

[ElectricBoogaloo]

So the point of having Bruce's parents visit was to make Bruce look like less of a dick in comparison?

 

I thought we were going to get a scene where his mom thought she was tripping balls from that mushroom only to be told that it was a regular old mushroom.

Edited February 8, 2015 by ElectricBoogaloo

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The parts with Aubrey Plaza were awkward and odd and the opposite of funny.  Amy tells her to go and bring him back, but all she does is stalk him and never really mentions going back to NYC.  Are we supposed to assume that Aubrey and Bruce palled around all the time back in New York when he lived there ? Because that's how she came off but it's completely unbelievable.   Would Emma even know Aubrey personally, enough to recognize her skulking in the street ?

Yes to all of this. Aubrey didn't come off as funny or smart of anything good. It was all weird and awkward and just uncomfortable in a fake way. Then Aubrey didn't do anything to try to get Bruce to come back.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

While I loved seeing Birger tell Bruce to fuck off, I thought it was ridiculous that Bruce got the blame for causing Viveka to dump Birger. If I had been Bruce, I would have said, "Hey, I was just repeating what Emma said to me a few hours ago."

 

Oh, Bengt. First he was completely unable to say a single word to that customer he liked (his conversation with her when she came into the shop consisted completely of grunts). Once Bruce helped him out, Bengt was only able to upgrade his conversational skills to movie quotes.

 

Emma was stupid not to tell Bruce that Markus was her ex-boyfriend. I have some ex-boyfriends who I dated long ago and am now friends with so they are like old family friends (to the point where sometimes I introduce them to my new friends as "this is an old friend of mine" because I kind of forget that we dated a million years ago) . But I would never forget to tell a current boyfriend that one of these guys was an ex-boyfriend, and I certainly wouldn't invite one of them to stay at the house I shared with a current boyfriend if I thought that the ex was still attracted to me.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The one redeeming factor -- Lena Olin going full-on cougar-mode.  I can't believe she's nearly 60 -- she's still hot !!

I KNOW! When I saw her in the first episode, I thought wow, I hope I look that good when I'm 60. Then I saw her in this episode and thought whoa, she looks freaking amazing. She has the body of someone half her age. Of course, I was also simultaneously cringing for poor Emma who had to see her mother in that outfit. I don't know many people who would want to see their moms dressed that way, no matter how good they look.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Why would Emma and her brother knowingly take their father to a support group for widows/widowers ?  Was that supposed to be funny, because it wasn't ?  It came off as incredibly stupid.

The flyer that Gustaf saw in the waiting room at Viveka's office said "the survivors - a therapy group for single people" so he assumed that it was literally for single people coping with being single.

 

That clerk at what is apparently the only travel agency in all of New York was beyond ridiculous and would have been fired for that kind of attitude with a customer.

I think that Bruce was at the airport trying to buy a ticket directly at the counter.

 

Birger and Vivecka breakup because of Bruce's bad advice, but now Vivecka hates the summer house for some reason -- and that's why she won't get back together with Birger.

While I get that the seeds of this were planted from the very beginning (in the first episode Birger told Bruce that a summer house is not for fun and that he had already built a house for smoking meat that they never use as well as another building, and later Viveka went into town while Birger stayed behind to work on some other construction project), I never got the feeling that Viveka hated the summer house or being there. It seemed the main problem was that Birger was a bit passive while Viveka was bored.

[trow125]

It's coming back to NBC in July.

WtS will start airing its 2nd season in Sweden on April 1.

[trow125]

The episode is available on YouTube on what looks like an official Welcome to Sweden channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbyhGohZVnU

(It's been up for 3 days now, so I'm hoping it'll stay up. Non-Swedish speakers should be advised, however, that there are no subtitles.)

I had extremely high hopes for season 1 (I was born in Sweden, grew up in America, but I have spent a great deal of time in Sweden) and was too often disappointed, as my comments in this forum will attest. However, I thought 201 was delightful. I laughed out loud at least a few times, and thought Bruce's character was much less of an annoying asshole than he was in S1. Is it possible that the show's new writers (I remember there was an announcement at the end of last season that they had hired some new ones) are sharper and funnier than those who wrote S1? I'm not totally convinced this trend will continue, but I am definitely looking forward to ep #202.

[Random Noise]

After watching avsnitt (episode) 1 of the second season I was really looking forward to the next one but it was a huge let-down. I hope they can pick up on the writing because I see potential in the show.

[ottoDbusdriver]

I binge-watched Season 2 over the last couple of days only to see if it at all improved beyond the crapfest that was Season 1 -- and it didn't.  In fact, it got worse.

 

Bruce is just as awful as ever.  Even Emma is completely unlikeable now.  Gustav is mildly amusing.  On the plus side, Lena Olin is still as hot as ever -- how she does it I have no idea, plus I like that she was fully against the marriage.

 

Bruce's marriage proposal to Emma was just stupid -- the white tux and the marching band.  WTF ?  Getting someone like Bruce who barely speaks any Swedish (he still barely knows any Swedish) to coach a kids basketball team is even stupider.  Bruce was just a dick to pretty much everyone on the ski hill.  Why Emma would have ever considered marrying this clown in the first place is beyond me.  And now they are going to be parents -- uggh !!!  Even weirder was the fact that the church was packed even though these two barely have any friends and a smattering of relatives.

 

Amy Poehler is just weird at playing this version of herself, she's also unlikeable.  And I'm genuinely starting to dislike Aubrey Plaza just based on her participation in this show -- which I didn't think was possible.  And why would Aubrey have been invited to Bruce/Emma's wedding when she is still trying to seduce him for some reason that is never explained ?  Renting a waiter to pose as her boyfriend to make Bruce jealous -- WTF?

 

How they managed to get Neve Campbell for a recurring role (which was just terrible) along with Jason Priestly, Jack Black, and Paul Simon on this show I have no idea -- I guess these guests never bothered to watch the show before they decided to participate.  Ileana Douglas and Patrick Duffy return as Bruce's parents -- unfortunately.

 

Exactly one thing made me laugh -- when Gustav arranged the Bachelor party for Bruce for a day he would not forget was priceless for the participation of Hassan (the Iranian that Bruce met in Swedish class and that Bruce lied to telling Hassan he was actually Canadian) signing up because Gustav said they would torturing Bruce -- and Hassan was eagerly looking forward to it.  Whereupon they proceeded to dress Bruce up in a bunny suit and shoot him with paintball guns while chasing him through the woods followed by putting Bruce in a ring with a boxer who slugged Bruce and probably gave him a concussion.  I enjoyed it for the same reasons Hassan did.

[Quickbeam]

I am astonished that this is getting a season 2. Season one was so awful. The good actors were completely wasted in this badly written hack job. My husband refuses to come into the house while it is on.

Sadly, there was a really good idea here lost in Greg Poehler's lifeless dead eyes.

It premieres here in the U.S. Next week.

[Azaelia]

It also sounds like they've gone overboard with guest stars. But I wonder if that's what's keeping it alive? Which might also explain the quality, if the focus is more on the winking and nudging.

 

I'm just surprised it's this bad with Amy Poehler. I know she's an actress and not normally a director (producer?) but still.

[Quickbeam]

Hey has there been a schedule change in the US? I thought this was supposed to be on tonight.

[ottoDbusdriver]

Hey has there been a schedule change in the US? I thought this was supposed to be on tonight.

 

Per the NBC web site, it appears to be running Sunday nights, starting July 19

 

http://www.nbc.com/welcome-to-sweden

[trow125]

And they're going to be doubling them up, with 2 episodes running each Sunday, from 8-9 PM ET/PT.

[Quickbeam]

Burning them off, me thinks.

[Quickbeam]

Better than all the season 1 episodes. Gustav is growing on me and Lena Olin can't miss.

[Quickbeam]

I liked the bit about Swedish conversational sounds.

[Shermie]

How old is Emma? I find it hard to believe she is so social media stupid.

And Bruce continues to be an idiot. I'd rather have a small simple Swedish diamond ring than a large gaudy American one, if that is, indeed, a thing.

[trow125]

Swedish engagement rings frequently have no diamonds at all -- and they're pretty inexpensive, which you'd think Bruce would appreciate, considering that he's unemployed.

 

I loved the subplot about Emma as "the chairman of the bored." This was definitely the better of the two eps.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I know I am supposed to feel bad for Bruce, but I laughed when Viveka cooed at his sweet sentiments about how he loves Emma and wants to spend the rest of his life with her and then Viveka still said no.

And to be fair, Viveka brought up a good point since it was obvious that he had never discussed marriage with Emma. You can love someone and still not want to get married. Good to know before you propose. I liked how easygoing Emma ended up being about it though. You want to get married? Okay.

Oh, Gustaf. I love that this focus is always on food. First his obsession with lunch (meatballs!) then whining that you can't give bad news with ice cream and then storming out declaring he would never come back except when tacos are for dinner. Mr. EB is convinced that Gustaf is the Swedish cousin of Bevers on Marry Me and Cal on OITNB.

Emma's viral picture was funny and I appreciate that the actress was so committed to making terrible faces. I don't know why Neve Campbell didn't take a picture while she was doing jumping jacks and giggling.

Edited July 20, 2015 by ElectricBoogaloo

[possibilities]

This show has improved so much!! I almost didn't watch, but this turned out to be much more enjoyable than I expected.

[possibilities]

I liked the "sounds" plot also.

 

The unprepared guy/guide and faking knowledge of movies gimmick was tired. Bruce is a nebbish, but the writers of the show ought to at least try to make it interesting by giving him a way to flail that hasn't been done to the point of being a cliche.

[TimWil]

Greg Poehler has definitely dialed back Bruce's douchiness. This has been a very pleasant surprise.

[TimWil]

Bruce has definitely dialled back on Bruce's douchiness. This has been a very pleasant surprise.

Gustav is hilarious. That is all.

There's a 7-11 in Stockholm? I spotted one when Bruce and Emma ran into her work colleague and his wife. Do they have herring flavored Slurpees?

I hope there's a Swedish Christmas episode. I think these episodes were set in January, though.

[legaleagle53]

If there can be two McDonald's within walking distance of the hotel I stayed at in Rome a few years ago (I know -- wrong on so many levels, but their Baci McFlurries are to die for!), then there can be a 7-11 or two in Stockholm.  Those franchises are everywhere.

Edited July 21, 2015 by legaleagle53

[trow125]

There's a 7-11 in Stockholm? I spotted one when Bruce and Emma ran into her work colleague and his wife. Do they have herring flavored Slurpees?

Oh, there are 7-11s all over Stockholm. I don't think they sell Slurpees at all in Sweden, but 7-11 does sell hot dogs topped with shrimp salad; here's a photo.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I would definitely try one of those shrimp salad hot dogs!

[ichbin]

To each his own I guess.  I liked the first season and am enjoying the second season as well.  It's definitely not a typical sitcom, but I don't see that as a bad thing..it's just different.  The one improvement I see from the first season is that Emma's flaws are being highlighted as well as Bruce's.  The shows make me laugh and that's what I want a comedy to do so I hope there will be another season next year.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Ha, Gustav the man child continues to amuse me (although if he were my brother or son in real life, he would drive me crazy). I can't believe Vivika and Birger still give him an allowance and he somehow thought that would be enough to cover his rent.

Poor Birger! He just wanted to go on his annual family ski day only to learn that Vivika hates everything about his tradition. I'm with Birger though. Who hates egg sandwiches? They're delicious!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Poor Birger! His heart was breaking when Wayne said he was going to tear down the summer house. Maybe Wayne's offer to buy the house will be a blessing in disguise. She dislikes Nancy and Wayne so much that maybe she will tell Birger to keep the house just to prevent Wayne from getting his hands on it.

While I felt bad for Bruce and Emma dealing with his parents trying to manipulate all the wedding details to their liking, part of me thought well, that's what happens when you make a deal with the devil. When you accept someone's offer to pay for your wedding, there is a pretty good chance that you will be getting a lot of unsolicited "advice" and suggestions.

[Pallida]

*raises hand* eggs are disgusting.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Okay, fine. That just means more eggs for me since I will eat your share, Pallida!

[Azaelia]

Am I the only one who thought they changed actresses for Emma? She looks really different, at least she does to me. This isn't a criticism, she looks great either way, just different. Maybe the actress is wearing more makeup?

[ottoDbusdriver]

The long nightmare is over -- Welcome to Sweden has been canceled, it has been pulled from the schedule and is being replaced with Hollywood Game Night.

 

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/07/28/welcome-to-sweden-cancelled-by-nbc/419640/

[trow125]

Am I the only one who thought they changed actresses for Emma? She looks really different, at least she does to me. This isn't a criticism, she looks great either way, just different. Maybe the actress is wearing more makeup?

I believe she'd just had a baby before they started shooting... maybe that would explain it?

[EverCat]

Such a funny show. I really enjoyed it. I didn't even know season 2 had started until last week. NBC didn't promote

it at all. Now that it is cancelled I hope I can watch the remaining season episodes online.

[possibilities]

I was just starting to really enjoy it, so I'm sad (but not surprised) it's gone. They took way too long to find a tone that worked, and balance all the characters.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Has TV4 decided whether the show will have a third season in Sweden?

[Quickbeam]

I am just afraid I'll never see Claes Månsson again! I just loved him in this show.

[Azaelia]

I was a little worried they were going to end Gustav's arc this episode with the poor dog being abandoned, and was glad that wasn't how it ended. However, did Gustav know the dog was dognapped? Or did he just assume it was a stray? Or am I trying too hard to find logic in a character who severely lacks it? ;)

[ichbin]

Am I the only one who thought they changed actresses for Emma? She looks really different, at least she does to me. This isn't a criticism, she looks great either way, just different. Maybe the actress is wearing more makeup?

I agree that she looks different but I think it's because of a change in hair and make-up. 

[candall]

I have this on my auto-record, but I only got two episodes.  On 7/26, I saw the ski trip and shopping for the wedding dress.  No other upcoming episodes listed.

 

So does this mean my local NBC affiliate is gumming up the works?

 

I loathe the main character, but I've spent some time in Sweden and I see why it's so popular there.  "The big stupid man only speaks one language so does anyone mind if we have the class in English?"  "Okay."  "Okay."  "Okay." 

LOL

Edited August 2, 2015 by candall

[trow125]

Has TV4 decided whether the show will have a third season in Sweden?

It's over, in both Sweden & the US. Maybe Greg Poehler will have to go back to being a lawyer now?

[ottoDbusdriver]

I have this on my auto-record, but I only got two episodes.  On 7/26, I saw the ski trip and shopping for the wedding dress.  No other upcoming episodes listed.

So does this mean my local NBC affiliate is gumming up the works?

 

FYI -- It's been canceled and future episodes have been pulled and are being replaced by Hollywood Game Night Sundays at 8pm.

[legaleagle53]

Well, that article doesn't expressly say that it's over in Sweden, but I think that can safely be inferred from the fact that the article does say that the show's second season here is also its last season.

[EverCat]

I just realized that Christopher Wagelin (Gustaf) also played Max in Äkta Människor (Real Humans). No wonder he looked familiar.

[Azaelia]

I was just starting to really enjoy it, so I'm sad (but not surprised) it's gone. They took way too long to find a tone that worked, and balance all the characters.

Yeah, I agree. I actually think this season could've easily been last season. You can't have a show about someone getting used to a foreign country, but spend the entire season wishing they weren't there. It gets annoying, and Bruce's personality was awful. I was really getting into the characters here.

 

Oh well...

[Azaelia]

I wish they'd at least air the last episodes, honestly. I'd like to see how it ends, even if the show wasn't perfect. And I was actually beginning to enjoy it, too.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Hopefully NBC will put the episodes online. They just released the final six episodes of About a Boy which they canceled earlier this year.

[trow125]

Greg Poehler Tweeted that they're going to be available on NBC.com. (For anyone outside the U.S. who may be reading this: use the Hola! plugin if you need to get around geo-blocking.)