With nukes possibly in play, it was no laughing matter.
The team behindWhiskey on the Rocks, a satirical take on theCold Warsub drama, beg to differ.
The ensuing six-part series was tipped for success by Deadline in its European dramas tolook out forin 2025.
British actor Mark Noble plays U.S. President Ronald Reagan in ‘Whiskey On The Rocks’Disney+, SVT
It dropped on SVT over the festive period, generating big numbers for the Swedish pubcaster.
In the U.S., it rolls out onHulu.
They produce the show under theHumanoidsbanner.
Swedish actor Rolf Lassgård plays Swedish leader Thorbjörn FälldinSVT, Disney+
The initial plan was for a straight-up drama, but that did not pan out, Jansson-Schweizer explains.
take a stab at make a thriller out of that.
The resulting series establishes its satirical chops early.
The Soviet leader, meanwhile, sinks bottles of vodka, while mostly forgetting to whom he is talking.
A TV show about the 1980s crisis brought modern-day production challenges.
There is an all-Lithuanian cast for the Russian characters, led by Kestutis Stasys Jakstas as Brezhnev.
The series is about power, diplomacy and politics, but the team were decidedly non-partisan.
Were not pointing fingers, director Bjorn Stein explains.
Swedes, Russians, Americans there are idiots everywhere.
We dont have a political standpoint with this.
Its more like men with power abuse it repeatedly, and diplomacy is the way to go.
Thats what were communicating.
The absurd elements work because they ring true, mostly anyhow.
Quite a few to be honest…
The balancing act for the producers was to lean into the humor but also deliver the necessary high-stakes drama.
Scenes inside the sub, or of the military mobilizing for battle have the requisite dramatic edge.
The director found a method for keeping the thriller elements thrilling.
Jonasson is proud and happy that the series will be shown worldwide.
If the show gets airtime in the Kremlin, White House and beyond, so much the better.
