"I de beste familier" (In the best of families) was intended as a Norwegian interpretation of the soap opera genre. The idea was a realistic series portraying normal peoples everyday lives. This was contrasted with American soap operas such as "Dallas" and "The Dynasty", both of which had become successful in Norway in the 1980s and 1990s. As this American tradition was regarded as scandalous and sensationalist, "I de beste familier" was inspired by British shows like "Eastenders" and "Coronation Street". Consequently, it appears as a family friendly drama advocating healthy values, rather than exhibiting the moral ambiguity associated with other soap operas. In fact, its intrigues seem somewhat dull compared to later Norwegian soaps like "Offshore", "Venner og fiender", "Familiesagaen de syv søstre", and last but not least "Hotel Cæsar". However, despite lacking some dramaturgical tension, the cinematography is impressive in a national and historical context. With a few exceptions, most notably "Vestavind" and "Benoni og Rosa", NRK (the state-owned Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation) at the time had largely been preoccupied with productions quite stagy in character, such as the various installations of "Fjernsynsteateret" (The Television Theatre). Although parts of "I de beste familier" were studio produced, many scenes were also competently shot on location. Bright imagery and gorgeous scenery clearly demonstrated its advantages over the opponents. Indeed, in addition to outshining most preceding and contemporary Norwegian TV shows with respect to production value, it also overshadowed that of its successors. Concludingly, while by no means perfect, "I de beste familier" is well worth considering for those engaged with Norwegian or Scandinavian television history.
