The Local’s Emma Löfgren writes about her annual TV obsession, and lists Sweden’s top stories of the week.
Hej,
I know it’s autumn when I start thinking “man, I’d really love to watch På Spåret”.
That may be the most Swedish sentence I’ve ever written.
If you’ve lived in Sweden for a few years you’ve probably – without doubt if you happen to have a Swedish partner on top of everything – been exposed to this long-running, ever-popular quiz show.
Did I say quiz show? I misspoke. It’s a lifestyle.
På Spåret is not only Sweden’s most famous quiz show (OK, we’ll call it a “quiz” for the non-believers), it is also one of Sweden’s most watched TV programmes, behind only Donald Duck on Christmas Eve (another peculiarity in Swedish TV habits) and Melodifestivalen, Sweden’s Eurovision try-outs.
Why is it so popular?
Longevity is one reason. It’s been around since 1987, which makes it a year younger than me. A straightforward format is another. The fact that the questions are genuinely quite hard. And perhaps most of all, everyone watches it because… everyone watches it – Swedes may be trendsetters in the worlds of fashion, industry and tech, but dear reader, we are also followers.
The contestants compete in two teams. Photo: Björn Larsson Rosvall/TT
The show runs annually from autumn and over the Christmas holidays, every Friday at 8pm on SVT, and not only do people watch it, but the newspapers also review every single episode: the contestants, the music and the questions.
På Spåret translates to “On the Tracks” and the show sees the four participants “travel” to three destinations around the world – despite the name, not always by train – in every episode.
It starts with the host asking “where are we going” (vart är vi på väg) and the two teams have to be the first to guess based on a series of clues, starting at 10 points, which get easier and easier.
It may be difficult to follow for non-Swedish speakers because many of the clues are based on puns (this is partly because the show is recorded in Gothenburg, which is famous for its puns).
A clue might look something like this: “We leave solid ground behind and travel toward a sinking beauty on stilts, where masks conceal faces and a sighing bridge leads to confinement.”
See the end of this newsletter for the answer.
After the contestants have guessed their destination, they have to answer a series of questions about the destination or things associated with the destination, as well as music questions.
The music questions are performed by an invited artist or band, and if you thought performing on a quiz show is something you do after your career has not only peaked but careened into oblivion, you’ve got another think coming. Past artists include both legends and the hottest Swedish artists, such as First Aid Kit, Chrissie Hynde, Europe, Nina Persson of Cardigans fame, Sahara Hotnights, Seinabo Sey, Veronica Maggio and bob hund.
Throughout its almost 40-year existence, På Spåret has only had two hosts. Ingvar Oldsberg led the show for over 20 years, flanked by judge Björn Hellberg, and the current host, Kristian Luuk, and judge Fredrik Lindström, who took over in 2009, are well on track (!) to beating that record.
The show has never quite made it abroad. According to Wikipedia (the only time for this I had to turn to an outside source to get information that wasn’t already in my head), it was sold to Norway in 1998 but was cancelled after one season. A Finnish equivalent, however, is now on its fourth season, so apparently the Swedes and Finns have their taste in quiz shows in common.
What do you think? Have you become as obsessed with På Spåret as a Swede? Do you wear those times you got a city at 10 points as a badge of pride, or are you still baffled by this national obsession?
In other news
Sweden Democrat leader Jimmie Åkesson this week waded into an ongoing internal party row over what defines Swedish identity.
The Swedish Migration Agency will not freeze the controversial deportations of young adults – yet. But what would it take for them to do so?
If you live in Sweden and have an account with a non-EU bank, you may have recently received a message telling you about a new EU directive – here’s what it means for foreigners in Sweden.
A new Statistics Sweden report reveals which immigrant groups have become Swedish citizens after over a decade in the country – and how many have left again. The numbers show that labour migrants leave Sweden in higher numbers than any other group.
Centre Party leader Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist is set to face a parliamentary confirmation vote on Tuesday to become Sweden’s next prime minister (spoiler: she’s going to lose the vote).
It’s All Saints’ Day today. It always falls on a Saturday, so weekday workers don’t get a special day off, even though it’s a public holiday. But how are shops, Systembolaget and public transport affected?
It’s not just All Saints’ Day, it’s also Halloween: here’s how Sweden celebrates.
The Christian Democrats believe that Sweden should explore the possibility of deporting people to countries other than their home countries.
A committed father was left “speechless” by a Swedish Migration Court decision saying moving to “visa-free visits” from the UK would not unduly affect his relationship with his one-year-old son. He spoke to The Local.
A leading Swedish business organisation is urging the next government – whenever it is formed – to step up the work of attracting and retaining crucial international talent.
What’s your favourite Swedish children’s book? I’m asking all readers. When something in a culture becomes so iconic that it’s ubiquitous, it can be easy to assume that its status is overblown. But even after all this time and exposure, Pippi Longstocking still lives up to the hype, writes The Local’s Mandy Pipher.
And finally, winter is coming, and in Sweden, that means darkness – in some places, round-the-clock. Reflectors are a key safety tool in the Swedish winter darkness, and they’re not just for kids. Here’s how they work, and how to use them.
Thanks for reading,
Emma Löfgren
Editor, The Local Sweden
*Correct answer: Venice