Below in alphabetical order the top ten nominees for the best Dutch/Flemish series of 2024:
De Joodse Raad
The first nomination goes to a big contender: The Jewish Council. Many of you have put this series on the list. The Jewish Council is a Dutch television series that was broadcast on NPO 1. The series follows the events surrounding the Jewish Council from 1941 to 1947. It offers a compelling look at a complex and painful chapter in Dutch history. The leading roles are played by Pierre Bokma as chairman David Cohen and Claire Bender as his daughter Virrie Cohen. The series highlights the moral dilemmas that the members of the Jewish Council faced during World War II, as well as the tensions and reconciliations within the Cohen family. Unfortunately, there will be no second season.
Here you can read the reviews that were written about De Joodse Raad.
De Ring
The Ring is a Dutch crime series that premiered on BNNVARA. The series revolves around Anna, played by Hannah Hoekstra, who accidentally puts a ring from a client in her bag. However, this theft is captured on camera, leading to a series of exciting and dangerous events. The client, Simon, blackmails Anna with the images and demands sexual favors in exchange for his silence. Anna desperately tries to escape his demands while trying to hide her mistake. The series combines elements of thriller and drama, and is characterized by strong acting.
Here you can read the reviews that were written about De Ring.
De Toeslagenaffaire
De Toeslagenaffaire is a compelling Dutch drama series that premiered on NPO 1 and NPO Start in late November 2024. The three-part series highlights the childcare allowance scandal that disrupted the lives of approximately 30,000 families. The series follows a persistent lawyer, a whistleblower and two journalists who, together with the affected parents, try to expose the abuses.
This series offers a compelling and emotional look at one of the biggest political scandals in recent Dutch history.
Gooische vrouwen
After 15 years, a new season of Gooische vrouwen was released. The sixth season of Gooische vrouwen premiered on SBS6 and Videoland at the end of 2024. After a long absence, the popular series returned, to the great joy of the fans. In this season, the lives of the four friends, Cheryl, Claire, Anouk and Roelien, are once again turned upside down by all kinds of dramatic and comical events. The final episode brought some shocking revelations, especially for Cheryl and Martin Morero. Given this ending, you would expect a seventh season. However, there has been discussion about the edited images of Linda de Mol. Many viewers noticed that there seems to be a filter over her scenes, which makes her appearance softer and less natural.
Het verhaal van Nederland
After Het Verhaal van Nederland (The story of the Netherlands) and Het Verhaal van Nederland - Oranje Nassau, Het Verhaal van Nederland - Amsterdam was broadcast from February 2024. In this series, narrator Schuurmans takes the viewer through 750 years of history of our capital. In the well-known format of the successful series, Schuurmans travels through time and witnesses the most important historical developments in Amsterdam. This series offers an in-depth and fascinating look at the rich history of Amsterdam, from its foundation to modern times. It shows the growth and transformation of the city through the centuries, with attention to both well-known and lesser-known events and figures. The Story of the Netherlands has also been nominated in the documentary category.
Máxima
The series Máxima is a Dutch drama series that follows the life of Máxima Zorreguieta before she became Queen of the Netherlands. The series can be seen on Videoland. Based on the book Moederland: De jonge jaren van Máxima Zorreguieta by Marcia Luyten, the series highlights her youth in Argentina, her career in New York, and her meeting with Crown Prince Willem-Alexander in Seville in 1999. The reactions to the series Máxima are predominantly positive. Many viewers are enthusiastic about the production and find it a well-made series that is comparable to The Crown. The first episodes have received a lot of praise, especially for the acting performances of Delfina Chaves as Máxima and Sebastian Koch as Prince Claus. However, there are also some critical remarks, especially about the casting. Some viewers think Martijn Lakemeier is too handsome to play Willem-Alexander. In addition, there was a scene that some viewers found uncomfortable, namely an intimate scene between Máxima and Willem-Alexander.
Mocro Maffia
The next series is Mocro Maffia, an absolute contender given the huge number of viewers in this category. The sixth and final season of Mocro Maffia can be seen on Videoland. In this final season, old feuds are fought out and unexpected alliances are formed. The murders of Paus and Potlood have turned the Amsterdam underworld upside down, and characters such as Samira, Tonnano and Ashraf swear revenge on Tia Alvarez's Colombian cartel. Meanwhile, Tatta and Borsu try to set up a new drug line via Suriname, which brings them into conflict with gangsters from Paramaribo. The most important question this season is who will be the last survivor in this ruthless underworld.
Oogappels
The series Oogappels won the prestigious Gouden Televizier-Ring in 2023. Oogappels is a drama series that has been broadcast by BNNVARA on NPO 1 since January 2019. The series was created by Will Koopman, who also directs Gooische vrouwen. The series follows the lives of four families in a medium-sized Dutch city. We are now in the sixth season and the little children have all grown up and increasingly have their own lives. The series highlights the challenges of raising young people and the impact this has on the parents and their relationships. Oogappels is loved for its recognizable situations and the strong acting performances of the cast, including Jeroen Spitzenberger, Bracha van Doesburgh, Malou Gorter and Ramsey Nasr.
Here you can read the reviews that were written about Oogappels.
Sleepers
The second season of Sleepers will be available on Videoland from December 2023. This season is even more exciting and tragic than the first. The series once again follows Martin Oudkerk, played by Robert de Hoog, who balances between his work with the police and his criminal family. In this season, Martin's world collapses when his wife Noura threatens to discover his true identity. The pressure from the underworld has never been greater, and Martin must do everything he can to avoid being unmasked. The series is loved for its raw and gruesome scenes, and the strong acting of the cast. The second season has received much praise and is seen as one of the better crime series from the Netherlands.
Swanenburg
The last nominee is the drama series Swanenburg, which has been broadcast by KRO-NCRV since 2021. In the last season of Swanenburg, the Praal family tries to pick up the thread again after Jack's death. However, they receive a shocking message that threatens to reveal their well-kept secrets and tests their trust in each other. Caroline decides to deal with the issue of Jack's illegitimate son properly by letting him share in the inheritance. In the meantime, Dirk spills other family secrets to Willem Jan. The family members are not afraid to lie and cheat if it is in the interest of the family, but this season their motto "family above all" is severely tested.
These were all ten nominees nominated by you, the readers, the writers and myself. If you still want to choose another series, use your wildcard. Good luck with voting.
