The famous author Mark Storm's publisher is unhappy with his books and asks him to write books in a more popular genre, crime for example. When Mark Storm comes to his apartment, he finds a burglar, Kurre. He notices that they have a physical similarity and they change identity, which makes it possible for Storm to make empirical studies in the world of crime.

Ulla and Gunnar meet and fall in love in Stockholm in the late 1930s. Early in their relationship Ulla discovers that she is pregnant but she decides to get an abortion because she doesn't want to pressure Gunnar into marrying her. The outbreak of the war puts a strain on their relationship when Gunnar gets called up for military service.

Marine Bo Fredriksson is travelling home on a leave. He reminisce about an accident he caused as a 12-year old which killed a young girl, an event that has made him feel revulsion for death. Back home he meets Eva, a girl he fancies and they move together to Stockholm to start a life together.

In postwar Sweden, a gifted young pianist’s life is transformed after a tragic accident leaves him blind. Struggling with bitterness, isolation, and the loss of his former world, he finds unexpected support and companionship from a compassionate young woman who helps him rebuild his sense of purpose. As their relationship deepens over the years, both must confront questions of pride, class, and emotional vulnerability in order to move forward.

While Bertil Lindström works at the Swedish embassy in Paris, his wife Gabrielle spends the summer alone in Sweden. After a phone call to her, he starts to think of all the things she can possibly be doing separated from him.

Jan Froman is a young man with great plans for the future. He gets a job as an assistant janitor at a bank, but with inherited money he starts to buy and sell real estate which eventually increases in value. He falls in love with Margareta, whose father is a naval officer. Margareta is slighted by her fiance and follows Froman on a sailing trip in the archipelago. Plot by Mattias Thuresson.

The Björcks are an ordinary middle-class family in a large Stockholm apartment with with two children, Greta and Ville. But the family's happiness is threatened in two ways: Greta prefers Börje Schack instead of the well-behaving Bertil. And the flirtatious Mrs. Holten tries to snare Mr. Björck.

Latin teacher Birger Sjögren at Ringsala boarding school threatens his possesive and chronically ill mother that he will get married. She gets a stroke and dies. Sjögren is affected by feelings of guilt, envy and hatred towards the surroundings. A series of mysterious fires have taken place around the school the last few months. One of the students has seen Sjögren setting fire to a barn. But can he convince the trusted biology teacher Nordmark, expert of the criminal mind?

The Swedish officer Mikael Bourg has served with the French army in Africa. When he returns to Sweden after many years abroad to recover from malaria, he meets his son, a student who prefers partying with his frat friends instead of his bank job; a disappointment in his father's eyes. He also meets a young librarian, Ebba Garland, which makes him feel young again and distracts him from the sickness.

Karin does not belong to the nobility but nevertheless marries the mentally ill king Erik XIV and becomes queen of Sweden. The king's skilled counsellor Göran Persson wants a royal policy supporting the people and supported by it. But in relation to the nobility the king oscillates between provocative strength and unpredictable weakness. Göran arranges that some very powerful noblemen are killed. Subsequently the king tries to have them convicted of high treason by the parliament. He forgets the manuscript, mixes up all facts, and the noblemen are acquitted. But Göran speedily gathers another parliament and has them convicted. Meanwhile Erik apologises because of the unjust murders. Hence Erik is dethroned and imprisoned. Göran is executed. Karin is restricted to a castle in Finland. In the prison Erik believes that he is still the king and gives the guards presents such as all fishes in the Baltic Sea.