I consider myself to be an avid television watcher. I love a good series or two, especially when it becomes a multiverse in itself: Grey’s Anatomy, The Sopranos, Mad Men, and New Girl are perfect examples of this—all of them are my favourites to rewatch every year.
Four years ago, however, a Swedish Netflix original show titled Snabba Cash appeared in my recommendations, a stark contrast to my usual viewing habits. I decided to give it a try, thinking, “Hey, why not?”
Sweden is rated sixth in the world on the Best Countries List, according to the U.S. News and World Report. Snabba Cash shows the flipside of this stat, following the trickling effects of a capitalist country, combined with the pressures to stay afloat. You’ll root for every character, who undoubtedly will make the most questionable decisions along the way in the name of survival.
Snabba Cash already has a whole franchise lending to it, starting with the 2006 novel Easy Money (which translates to ‘snabba cash’ in Swedish) by Jens Lapidus, following the life of a young male Swede who encounters the dark truth of the Stockholm underworld. Flash forward 15 years later, Netflix’s gender-flipped version of the fan-favourite series follows the story of Leya, played by Evin Ahmad, who is an ambitious single mother that takes all the risks you could imagine to break free from poverty and to get funding for her AI start-up. Leya has a few alternatives with picking her business off the ground, none of them, as you could imagine, are easy (or even legal).
What is so fantastic about this show is that it showcases the rawness of the criminal underworld. It’s not for the faint of heart. In some scenes, you will witness heavy use of rifles, drug use, and violence. But as you watch it unfold, you immerse yourself in their decisions and the conflict that ensues, feeling the tension leading these characters’ lives.
This is one of the reasons why I feel so passionate about foreign language shows because yes, there may be a language barrier and the customs can look completely different to yours, but behind that veil, there is a reminder that we are all innately the same. We think, feel, and react as humans who are trying to achieve one goal: survival.
The series extends beyond Leya’s personal journey, showing the impact of the criminal underworld on individuals who, often impulsively, choose to become entangled in it. One such character is Salim, portrayed by Alexander Abdallah, a charismatic gang enforcer who serves as Ravy’s “muscle” and Leya’s problematic love interest.
Finally, there’s Tim, played by Ali Alarik, who is a troubled teenager who finds himself working for Ravy as a drug dealer, just as confused as to how he will get himself out of this one when all he wants is to make fast cash.
You feel more uncomfortable as a viewer, seeing how far all these characters will go to ‘make it’ in a capitalistic society. Even so, the director’s choice to do a handheld-camera style in some high-adrenaline scenes will make you feel as if you are right there in the room with them. It is sharp and heartbreaking; I still think about it to this day, and this strong reaction is exactly why I felt the need to write about it.
Non-English speaking language shows are unique media that challenge our idealised notions of ‘great television’. They serve as a crucial reminder to explore diverse cultures for fresh perspectives and compelling narratives.
In a Netflix interview, Head writer, Oskar Soderland, remarks on the show’s uniqueness. “When Snabba Cash came, no one depicted Sweden this way before. It was contemporary, a Sweden seen from a perspective no one had seen before”. And, quite frankly he’s right! While watching the show, I was gobsmacked at how honest it had been with dismantling any preconceived notions we had about Sweden. The people we walk by in public every day, good or bad, who just want to get somewhere in life no matter how corrupt it may be.
We often limit ourselves by sticking to familiar shows, leading to a sense of stagnation. The content we consume, which we believe reflects our society, may not always be an accurate representation. But, seeing shows in different languages or from a different culture, like Snabba Cash, has been proven to immerse you in the culture of the setting. It helps add more words to your vocabulary and introduces the possibility of wanting to learn a new language.
“What I understood after watching the series is that I understand all the characters. I understand why they are making these choices,” said Evin Ahmad in an interview. “I might not have made those same decisions but I can understand how they end up in these situations because there aren’t that many options.”
When looking back on the characters, Leya is a favorite of mine because she is consistently strong with her delivery and didn’t take no for an answer. I see a bit of myself in her demeanor. The culture for which she grew up in was completely different from what I knew as an American, but I can still connect to her.
Even though there hasn’t been any news on when the next season for the show is set to come out, it’s worth a watch regardless. Rated 83% by viewers on Popcornviewer, it’s a show worth watching.
America can be seen as the poster child of making great content because of how well it does internationally. For people like me, who grew up in the States and wanted to break the ceiling of Western television and media culture, it’s important to explore TV produced elsewhere.
We’re all drawn to content that reflects our own experiences and identities. No one is forcing you to watch foreign shows, and choosing not to doesn’t make you a bad person. However, it can be incredibly enriching to step outside our comfort zones and find that connection in unexpected places.
Television, at its heart, is about forging a connection with the audience. It’s about truly understanding viewers and then crafting a narrative for them, whether that story is factual or fictional, fantastical or realistic, live or pre-recorded. The method of portrayal is entirely up to the creator.
Watch seasons one to two of Snabba Cash on Netflix.
Words by Sydney Johnson
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