Mysteriet på Greveholm

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

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 1 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 include:
  • 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 - The Count.
  • Captain Obvious - It doesn't take until the second-to-last episode for Mommy and Daddy to realize that the castle is haunted! D: D: D:
  • Chekhov's Gun - There's two of them: a perfectly normal-looking rock (1) that can not only levitate, but also is the battery required to activate S.P.R.A.K. The robot in its turn is able to activate a spaceship that happens to be disguised as the castle's main tower (2). No wonder the Count hid them away!
  • 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 for the first half of the show. Later dubbed "Excalibur" by Ivar. Though it turns out to be completely useless against the Big Bad.
  • Cowardly Lions - The ghosts flee the castle when they know the final battle with the Count is near, but they come to their senses later on and return just in time to save the kids by taking on the Count by themselves. Earlier during this event, we also have Melitta, who just a few minutes ago ran away screaming in terror... but comes back and scolds the Count magnificently for what he's done to her siblings and the princess.
  • The Dead Can Dance - Parodied in the last confrontation with the Count, in which Ivar, Lillan and Melitta together frequently hit the piano keys and chant "Dance, stupid Count, dance!" when the Count is seen falling over on the slippery floor, 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 - As Dioda proves.
  • Freak-Out - Jean has one when Ivar pulls the sword out of his body. Don't worry, he gets better. Same goes for Staffan when his arrow recieves the same treatment.
  • Dem Bones - That fucking Count! And he's a rare non-Mook example too!
  • 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 make their last stand against the Count, 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 convince the Count to let go of Dioda. 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.
  • Human Aliens - Dioda. When asked by Melitta, she also confirms the existence of Little Green Men ("But they only live on Mars").
    • Alien Among Us - Dioda'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 - Dioda's signature dress.
    • Not to mention what was under it...
  • I Have You Now, My Pretty - The Count pretty much greet princess Dioda by proclaiming her as his wife. When she declines, he seals her spaceship away and imprisons her with the words "I won't let you out until you marry me!".
  • 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. He does actually get to be this exact trope, as he wears a shiny, golden armor during the last stand against the Count, and he is the one to finally unlock Princess Dioda from her prison.

"Do not fear, Milady, for I have come to save you!"

  • Leitmotif - Dioda 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; once in the past that failed miserably and killed them both, and once in present time where they ultimately bring down the Count for good.
  • 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...?
    • 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 the Count's current form, as a talking skeleton.
    • Interestingly enough, there was a "Behind the scenes" featurette in which the computer designer explained that they purposely gave the Count 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 (except for that one time when the Count pops out of nowhere and seals you in a dungeon), 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;

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."

"Ghost mucus?!"

  • 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 pretty much gets infatuated with princess Dioda the very moment Jean and Staffan tells him about her. He stumbles with his feelings, but eventually accepts the fact that they can never be together.
  • 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? It later turns out that they have indeed been guarding the several mysteries of Greveholm, as well as preventing people from disturbing the slumbering Count. It is also implied that they did it because there was no other way for them to withstand the pain of having a sword and an arrow, respectively, stuck through their bodies.
  • Really Seven Hundred Years Old - Dioda.
  • Robot Buddy - S.P.R.A.K.
  • Santa Claus - Yep, he appears too. This is essentially a Christmas show, remember?
  • Second Love - Maybe, Anna for Ivar.
  • Scarpia Ultimatum - PG Version. The Count, to Melitta: "Sure, I'll let go of [the princess]... if YOU marry me in her place!"
  • The Beautiful Elite - Dioda is unearthly beautiful in just about every way possible. Justified since she's not a human to begin with.
  • 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 - Someone has to go up to the extremely dangerous Count's tower and save one of the True Companions.
  • Team Pet - S.P.R.A.K., despite being a highly intellectual alien robot.
  • Trapped in Another World - Dioda the alien princess was inprisoned on Earth against her will.
  • 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!"

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