Rita: Season 3 of Danish Dramedy Coming to Netflix

Nordic noir it isn’t, but the Danish comedy-drama, Rita, is still a hit on Netflix around the world. And it returns to the subscription VoD service with new episodes in 2015.

When it comes to television series from Denmark, the birthplace of some of the best shows anywhere, it’s fair to say that hard-hitting dramas such as Borgen, The Killing, and The Legacy, are top of mind for most Euro TV fans.

So when Rita, the multiple awards-nominated funny and touching comedy-drama, debuted on Netflix in the summer of 2013, “Cool! Something different!” is what came to mind.

Rita stars Monte Carlo TV Festival award winner Mille Dinesen (Borgen, Nynne) as the titular single-mum school teacher, whose independent and uninhibited nature is both an asset and a liability. She is close with her three children (not so much with her aging mother), yet there is much about them that she doesn’t know. Important stuff, like her daughter’s dyslexia.

As an educator, she champions her students and new teacher Hjørdis (Lise Baastrup, Lykke), and is popular with both. She also has a fan in Rasmus (Carsten Bjørnlund, The Killing, Legacy), the married principal with whom she has, um, extracurricular activities. With school counselor Helle (Ellen Hillingsø, The Protectors, The Bridge), and a few parents, things are less cozy. (Well, except for one student’s dad.)

(Note: Rita features mature themes and language that aren’t appropriate for everyone.)

Season 1 is a terrific binge-watch, and the wait to see if Rita’s life gets any messier in Season 2 has been long. The good news is that it is slated to screen on Netflix this year. And Season 3, too.

Netflix isn’t just offering all three seasons to subscribers. The internet streaming giant is also co-funding SF Film Production’s making of Rita‘s third-season episodes in partnership with Denmark’s TV 2.

Said TV 2 Program Director Anne Engdal Stig Christensen, “We’ve wanted a new season of Rita for a long time… The financial partnership with Netflix has been crucial for the production of the third season of Rita.” Added Thomas Gammeltoft, Director of the Copenhagen Film Fund, “Without the involvement of Netflix, season 3 of Rita likely would not have happened.” So kudos to Netflix and Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos for making it possible.

Season 3 of Rita is slated to debut on TV 2 this spring and arrive on Netflix soon thereafter. All seasons will be available on Netflix in the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand later in 2015.