State of Happiness

NRK · 2018-2022 · 2 Seasons · 16 Episodes · Ended
Period DramaHistoricalDrama
74
Fan Heat

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About State of Happiness

State of Happiness, known in Norwegian as Lykkeland, is an NRK period drama set in the coastal city of Stavanger at the close of the 1960s. After years of fruitless exploration, the discovery of oil in the North Sea on Christmas Eve 1969 transforms a quiet fishing and canning town into the unlikely epicenter of a national gold rush, upending the lives of everyone caught in its current.

The series follows a small ensemble of locals and newcomers as the boom arrives: an ambitious young secretary determined to claw her way into a male-dominated industry, the heir to a struggling family canning business, American oil engineers chasing the strike of a lifetime, and the working families whose fortunes rise and fall with the rigs. Their intertwined stories trace how sudden wealth reshapes ambition, class, and community.

Praised for its meticulous late-1960s production design and grounded performances, State of Happiness dramatizes a real turning point in Norwegian history, the moment the country began its path toward becoming one of the world's wealthiest oil nations. The second season jumps forward to the late 1970s, exploring the human cost of the industry after the Bravo blowout and the dangers faced by divers and rig workers.

Production Details & Legacy

State of Happiness was created by Mette M. Bolstad and originally aired on NRK, with streaming available on NRK / Walter Presents. The series ran for 2 seasons and 16 episodes from 2018-2022, establishing itself as a landmark entry in the period drama and historical and drama genres. Since its conclusion, State of Happiness has continued to attract new viewers through streaming platforms and remains a frequent subject of critical reappraisal and fan discussion.

The series features a rich ensemble of characters that have become iconic within television fandom. TVCeleb profiles 3 key characters from State of Happiness, including Anna Hellevik (Malene Wadel), Christian Nyman (Amund Harboe), Jonathan Kay (Bart Edwards). Each character has inspired dedicated fan communities, extensive analysis, and passionate debate about their motivations, relationships, and story arcs throughout the series.

State of Happiness holds a Fan Heat Score of 74 out of 100 on TVCeleb, reflecting the intensity and passion of its fanbase. The show has built a committed and enthusiastic community of viewers who continue to engage with and champion the series. The series is notable for its Norwegian, Nordic, Period Drama qualities, which have contributed to its enduring appeal and cross-generational viewership.

Characters (3)

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? Frequently Asked Questions

It is a fictional drama built around real events, most notably the discovery of oil in the North Sea off Stavanger on Christmas Eve 1969. The characters are invented, but the historical backdrop, including the Phillips Petroleum Ekofisk strike and the later Bravo platform blowout, reflects actual moments in Norwegian oil history.

There are two seasons. The first, released in 2018, covers the 1969 oil discovery and its immediate aftermath, while the second, released in 2022, jumps ahead to the late 1970s as the industry matures and its dangers become clear.

The series originally aired on Norway's public broadcaster NRK and has been distributed internationally through Walter Presents and various streaming and on-demand platforms with English subtitles. Availability varies by region.