Erik Levin leases the farm to his son and retires. In order not to be in the way of the son, he moves to a retirement home, where he looks forward to meeting people of his own age.

Doctor Knock takes over a medical clinic in a small town and provides a medical revival.

Kristoffer lives on the verge of poverty, just barely supporting himself on his photographic work and an allowance given him by his ex-wife to support their child. He is staying in his absentee mother's large old house, which she is preparing to sell. When he takes a photograph of a man who died by his own hand, the image fascinates him. He grows obsessed with the dead man's story and pushes his research as far as it will go.

Counter to the popular image of Erik XIV as the mad king Strindberg paints him as an intelligent but weak king, brought down by his insecurities.

A criminal gang use illegal immigrants as labor on the black market.