Susanne, a journalist, and Morten, a cellist, desperately want a child, but are unsuccessful. The situation leads to desperate acts, occasional drunkenness, and solace for her with a discreet lover.

Alcoholic Herbert's last birthday, experienced through his increasingly deadly drunken stupor.

Paul is a calm and sympathetic lawyer who senses from the outset that his wife Anne has found herself a boyfriend. But he doesn't say anything—not until she says something.

Christian is a nice man climbing the career ladder. His brother Mikael, on the other hand, is a petty criminal who hustles his way through life as best he can. When Mikael dies, Christian feels responsible and, in order to get to know his deceased brother better, he seeks out the underworld Mikael belonged to. He should never have done that.

Denmark, 2013. Police officers Carl Mørck and Hafez el-Assad, sole members of Department Q, which is focused on closing cold cases, investigate the disappearance of politician Merete Lynggaard, vanished when she and her brother were traveling aboard a ferry five years ago.

Frederik is the headmaster of a private school and one day he is being accused of stealing 12 million Danish crowns from the school. But everything is not as simple as it might seem. Frederik has been living with a tumor in his brain for the last 3 years and it has changed his personality. Now his wife Mia and the defense lawyer Bernard have to try and get Frederik acquitted of all charges.

Bertram is very happy with his life, but is encouraged to seek new challenges. Bertram is tasked with getting Merland to sign a contract with the municipality, but it is not easy, as Merland has changed his mind. Meanwhile, Jannie is considering moving out of her parents' house and in with Pelle. Henrik and Louise's relationship is on the rocks. Louise thinks Henrik is having an affair with Lisa. Henrik and Lisa's attraction to each other is obvious, but Bertram doesn't notice anything. Lisa and Bertram's lives take a sudden turn when Henrik dies in an accident. Erling tries to make Bertram the municipal director after Henrik's death, but of course, this doesn't come without a cost.

A man decides to perpetrate a series of killings and publicise them as political acts in an attempt to protest against nuclear armaments.