Aahana Swrup
The Swedish crime show ‘The Breakthrough’ follows the narrative of one detective, John Sundin, who dedicates his career to an impossible murder investigation. In Linköping, on October 19, 2004, young Adnan and a passerby, Gunilla, become victims of a crazed killer who stabs them to death. Nonetheless, despite diligent police work, the killer continues to escape the authorities, stretching the investigation out for years. Eventually, 16 years later, John finally finds a potential crack in the case once he decides to bring a genealogical researcher, Per Skogkvist, on board.
The true-crime-inspired show charts the story of this invigorating investigation, keeping the narrative grounded through its real-life connections and effective world-building. Stina Eriksson, a local journalist for the Corren newspaper who is interested in the case, and Per Skogkvist’s business, Släkt & DNA, are two major elements that serve this purpose. However, is there any real-life resonance behind these details?
Corren is a Real Newspaper From Sweden
In ‘The Breakthrough,’ Stina Eriksson is a reporter from Corren who closely follows John Sundin’s criminal investigation into Adnan and Gunilla’s murders. From attendance at the press conference to wily attempts to get a quote from the detective in bars, Stina plays her journalistic part well. However, her character, only loosely inspired by the real-life journalist/author Anna Bodin, remains one of the more fictionalized aspects of the show. Even so, Corren—the publications Stina belongs to—is actually a real Swedish newspaper. Corren is the commonly used name for Östgöta Correspondenten, a daily newspaper native to Sweden’s Linköping.
The publication’s connection to the city makes its presence in the narrative feel more natural and realistic, allowing the story to extend the same idea of authenticity to Stina’s characterization. Nonetheless, it’s worth noting that there aren’t any records of Bodin, the most probable inspiration for parts of Stina’s character, having worked for Corren. On the other hand, it is highly likely that the publication covered the police investigation throughout its 16-year run. Still, there aren’t any records of a reporter’s close relation to the people involved in the case that bears a resemblance to Stina’s storyline. Therefore, for the most part, Corren’s inclusion in the dramatized narrative remains confined to the purpose of world-building.
Släkt & DNA is Peter Sjölund’s Real Website
Even though ‘The Breakthrough’ slightly fictionalizes the real-life genealogist involved in the 2004 Linköping murder case through the character of Per Skogkvist, the latter remains a mostly true-to-life counterpart. The same is true for Per’s website, Släkt & DNA (roughly translated to Family & DNA), through which he facilitates his business as a genealogical researcher. In the show, Per provides the services of a DNA expert by using his research to help his clients look into their family histories. Furthermore, he holds lectures and courses to expand and share his life’s work further.
The real Peter Sjölund has a similar business with the same name, Släkt & DNA, through which he carries out similar work of his own. Evidently, the website is the base inspiration for the on-screen company as the two share similar visual identities through details like aesthetics, layouts, fonts, and more. This clear similarity between the on and off-screen Släkt & DNA draws a clear parallel between Per Skogkvist and his real-life inspiration Peter Sjölund.
Read More: John Sundin: Is He a Real Swedish Detective? Where is He Now?
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