Mysteriet på Greveholm



"GHOOOSTS!!"

English title, "The Mystery of Count's Isle".

It's winter, the first of December. A paperboy is doing his daily business; passing out the morning paper. When he arrives at an old castle, an old man tells him that nobody lives there. The paperboy replies that there must be someone there, as he throws a paper inside the walls every morning and the next day it's gone. The old man shrugs and says that he's decided to move away from the neighbour hood as he's had enough of all those weird things happening over at the castle. The paperboy promptly throws in the paper anyway... and is shell shocked when it suddenly levitates above the ground and flies out of his sight.

Cut to the ditzy Olsson family living in their small apartment in the city. Because of a miscalculation, the satellite that is supposed to provide Swedish television is out of orbit, which causes major noise in TVs all over the country, and the one being blamed for it is none other than the dad of the family. Tired of being ridiculed by the newspapers, the family decides to rent a house outside the city and get away from all the gossip.

However, due to a misunderstanding, the family accidentally rents the old castle named Greveholm and starts preparing for the best Christmas ever. The three children immediately start noticing strange events and spooky figures lurking the dark corridors, and they decide to investigate. And soon enough, it's revealed that there are bigger, darker secrets hidden behind the thick brick walls; some of them much more dangerous than they could ever imagine...

Continuing the old Swedish tradition of the Christmas calendars made for TV, in which a show is aired one episode (usually about 10-15 minutes long) a day starting 1st December and ending on Christmas Eve, Mysteriet på Greveholm is by far considered the best one ever made. Though the show aired in 1996, it's still popular and widely remembered by a good portion of the Swedish population. It has won at least two "Best Christmas Calendar" polls.

What makes the show so popular is its near-perfect blend of mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, drama, romance and loads of ageless humour that appeals to both little kids and adults, all while retaining a genuine Christmas feeling. Genius script-writers Dan Zethraeus and Jesper Harrie have penned down a magic plot that has you hooked right off the bat, and while there are several subplots going on, nothing is left unsolved or draws your attention away from the big picture. The pacing is also excellent, with not even one second of filler (though you are still given time to breathe!). All the actors are fine, even the kids, and the acting is kept on a level that is easily digestible (although we're not talking Oscar level).

Something that really made this show stand out was the massive use of CG animations for its time. Some of Sweden's best animators were working on the series, and most of the time, it looks pretty smooth. The spooky soundtrack was provided by former pop/rock band The Creeps, which was among the last projects the band had before dissolving.

Like with any huge successes, merchandise was made to ride on the waves of the show's popularity. No fewer than three PC games were produced by Young Genius, of which the first one sold gold. A tabletop game was also made.

Mysteriet på Greveholm has been re-aired several times, but now as half-hour episodes consisting of three short episodes edited together. While still hugely entertaining, hardcore fans of the show aren't particularly fond of this version as some of the funniest scenes have been deleted in order to make the episode fit the TV schedule's time slot. Fortunately, the original episodes can be purchased on DVD. Unfortunately, only in Sweden.

In May 2011, a sequel was announced (the link is in Swedish). Supposedly, it will air in December 2012. Details about the plot and cast are very sparse at the moment, but it has been confirmed that it will feature pretty much the same production team as before, with Dan Zetraeus (scriptwriter) and Jesper Harrie (director and co-scriptwriter) joining forces once again.

The characters are as follows:


 * Daddy Leif:  The engineering dad who is blamed for the whole satellite screw-up. He might give a somewhat childish impression, but he is actually rather competent physician and mathematician.
 * Mommy Astrid:  The brisk, genki and educating mother who always seem to have a new project going on. Also a bit of a Bunny Ears Lawyer like her husband.
 * Melitta:  The oldest of the kids. She is a typical bored teenager who thinks living in an old, stale castle just stinks. Especially if you're scared shitless by ghost every five minutes.
 * Ivar:  The middle kid. He's an adventurer who spends most of his time day-dreaming of being a hero, and living in a haunted castle is the perfect set-up for an adventure, isn't it?
 * Lillan:  The youngest kid, but also the smartest. Like Ivar, she is greatly intrigued by the strange events in the castle, but unlike her brother, she approaches the situation with science and reason.
 * Jean and Staffan:  The two ghosts who LOVE scaring new inhabitants of the castle.
 * Måns:  The paperboy, and the first regular character we are introduced to. He bonds with Melitta pretty early on and the two of them start their own investigation about what's really going on.
 * Ralf and Rolf:  Two burglars who are dead-set on robbing the castle of all its supposed treasures.

Tropes used in Mysteriet på Greveholm:

""Do not fear, Milady, for I have come to save you!""
 * Annoying Arrows - One of them goes right through Staffan's head. But it's Only a Flesh Wound... or so he says.
 * Badass - The elves. Yes, the same kind of elves that "work for the big guy with the beard".
 * Big Bad -
 * Captain Obvious - It doesn't take until the second-to-last episode for Mommy and Daddy to realize that
 * Chekhov's Gun - There's two of them: No wonder the Count hid them away!
 * Chekhov's Gunman -
 * Conspicuous CG - Sure, some of the CG used look pretty lousy by today's standards, but one must keep in mind that the show was made nearly 15 years ago. And to be honest, CG animations never were Swedish filmmakers' ace...
 * Cool Sword - The sword that is pierced right through Jean's body . Later dubbed "Excalibur" by Ivar.
 * Cowardly Lions - The ghosts flee the castle when they know is near, . Earlier during this event, we also have.
 * The Dead Can Dance - Parodied in the, but it ends with an Oh Crap moment.
 * Estrogen Brigade Bait - Definitely Måns the paperboy. Also, girls who claim to have had their heart take a few extra beats for Jean are not uncommon either.
 * Everything's Better with Princesses -
 * Freak-Out - Jean has one when . Don't worry, he gets better..
 * Dem Bones -
 * Gadgeteer Genius - Lillan could be considered one in the making (if she isn't one already).
 * Genre Savvy - All three Olsson siblings, to varying degrees. When they are about to, Melitta even points out to Ivar that unlike in his comic books, things almost never go as planned. And Ivar replies that that is exactly what makes it so funny.
 * Gory Discretion Shot - In the flashback episode, Jean and Staffan tries to . We see the two of them enter a room, hear a few strangled cries and then see them walk out through the same door, now as the transparent shapes we are familiar with.
 * Haunted Castle - Duh! 
 * Heel Face Turn - The ghosts, though they weren't exactly evil or bad peop- err, souls to begin with.
 * Heterosexual Life Partners - Jean and Staffan, seeing as they've been inseparable, scaring people together for 200-something years. Ralf and Rolf also qualify, to some extent.
 * Hey, It's That Guy! - Anna-Lena Brundin (Mommy), is a reasonably famous comedic and performer, and Pierre Lindstedt (Staffan) can be seen and heard in various films and stage plays.
 * Not to mention the legendary  Swedish TV profile Arne Weise guest appearing as himself in the last episode. Makes you remember the good ol' days when he was still SVT's Christmas host...
 * Human Aliens - When asked by Melitta, she also confirms the existence of Little Green Men ("But they only live on Mars").
 * Alien Among Us - 's true nature is hidden from the parents at first, but not for very long.
 * Humanity Ensues - A subversion occurs in the final episode; Jean and Staffan aren't turned 100 % human, but thanks to make-up and a change of clothing, they are able to interact with other characters unbeknownst of their undead nature. The ghosts themselves comment on how human they feel when during so.
 * Impaled with Extreme Prejudice - The first thing you notice when you see Jean and Staffan is that you know exactly what they died of.
 * Impossibly Cool Clothes - 's signature dress.
 * Not to mention what was under it...
 * I Have You Now, My Pretty -
 * Jacob Marley Apparel - Jean and Staffan look exactly the same way they did when they died plus a skirt . That includes the weapons used to kill them. 
 * Jerkass - The main elf the kids are interracting with. His code name is "Happy Salmon".
 * For those that aren't Swedish: "Happy as a salmon" is an expression for a generally happy and lively person.
 * Kid Heroes - The three Olsson siblings (though Melitta is technically a teenager, and Ivar, well, we don't know for sure).
 * Knight in Shining Armor - Ivar often finds himself caught up in his own imaginations about being King Arthur.

"Jean: "Staffan! You were supposed to keep an eye on the kids!" Staffan: "That's easy for you to say! They went in opposite directions, it's not like I can divide in two!" Jean: "You cannot?!" Staffan: "No, because it makes my hips ache.""
 * Leitmotif - has one in the form of an ethereal female chorus chant that can be heard whenever she makes an appearance.
 * Let's Get Dangerous - "We can't just ignore S.P.R.A.K.!" and "We have a princess to resque!"
 * The ghosts too. Twice in fact;.
 * Meaningful Name - Staffan worked as a stableman when he was alive. Incidentally, there is a Swedish song (traditionally sung during Saint Lucy's Day) named "Staffan the Stableman?".
 * The castle is named Greveholm. "Greve" means Count. And guess what title the man who let build the castle had...?
 * Speaking of the Count, his full name was Count von Sludge. And his motives sure were as dirty as mud...
 * Averted with Melitta; she is named after a coffee filter, yet she is never shown drinking coffee or having any involvement with said hot drink at all. 
 * Nightmare Fuel - Several, several little kids had their childhoods Ruined FOREVER when they were exposed to
 * Interestingly enough, there was a "Behind the scenes" featurette in which the computer designer explained that they purposely gave weird-looking eyebrows and three front teeth in order to make him less intimidating. And truth to be told, he does indeed look pretty silly once you've grown up. But that didn't matter back in the days; the kids were still scared shitless.
 * The first PC game also qualifies, while nothing outright scary ever happens, it's full of spooky atmosphere and younger kids might find the game very unsettling.
 * Nostalgia Filter - Averted: many viewers who did not watch the show as kids are still able to enjoy it as adults.
 * The Nineties - Video tapes, parabolic aerials, references to Ace of Base and Red Hot Chili Peppers, cellphones the size of a brick...
 * Oh Crap - "We have no Plan Four!", which causes Melitta to promptly run away screaming.
 * Once Upon a Time - The appropriately named flashback episode.
 * Our Ghosts Are Different - Jean and Staffan's powers include;
 * Invisibility, as we frequently see them fade in and out on-screen.
 * Flight/Levitation.
 * Duplication, but we only hear them talk about it.

""Ghost mucus?!""
 * Subversion; Mom and Dad are seen talking about their (supposed) ability to take over people's bodies, but we never see Jean or Staffan either perform the act or mention it.
 * Voluntary Shapeshifting. Thanks to this, they are able to physically enter a computer game!
 * They also exude ectoplasma...


 * POV Cam - A video camera is placed on S.P.R.A.K.'s head and what he sees is broadcasted live on the kids TV. This leads to Nightmare Fuel - so much that it even affects Daddy in-series!
 * Precocious Crush - Ivar
 * Punch Clock Villains - The ghosts. When befriending Ivar and Lillan, they are asked why they scare the inhabitants of the castle away in the first place, whereupon they just shrug and say that they don't have anything else to do. Because haunting is what ghosts are supposed to do, right?
 * Really Seven Hundred Years Old -
 * Robot Buddy - S.P.R.A.K.
 * Santa Claus - Yep, he appears too. This is essentially a Christmas show, remember?
 * Second Love - Maybe,
 * Scarpia Ultimatum - PG Version.
 * The Beautiful Elite - is unearthly beautiful in just about every way possible. Justified since.
 * Theme Tune Cameo: The show's theme song is heard several times in-show, including when it's played on the piano by a few characters. The piano version even has a name; "Count von Sludge's Minuet".
 * The Smart Girl - Lillan is definitely the brain of the family.
 * Someone Has to Do It -
 * Team Pet - S.P.R.A.K., despite being a highly intellectual robot.
 * Trapped in Another World -
 * Treasure Map - One that leads to one of the aforementioned Chekhov's Guns.
 * This Is Sparta - "Begone... evil... SPIRIT!"
 * Vague Age - Ivar is a case of this, as his age is stated to be both 12 and 13 (both times happened in an episode that focused on his birthday!). This is most likely an accidental blunder by the production team for never realizing the slip, rather than inconsistent writing.

""My, what a horror flick! You're gonna get nightmares, kids!""