‘You won’t see what’s coming next — I can’t stop watching’: fans are hooked on a new Nordic Prime Video show that will keep you up at night

1. Streaming
2. Amazon Prime Video

‘You won’t see what’s coming next — I can’t stop watching’: fans are hooked on a new Nordic Prime Video show that will keep you up at night Features By Jasmine Valentine published 9 February 2026

Vaka is the hit we're all sleeping on

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

This show is genuinely my worst nightmare. (Image credit: Prime Video)

• Copy link
• Facebook
• X
• Whatsapp
• Reddit
• Pinterest
• Flipboard
• Threads
• Email

Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Get the TechRadar Newsletter

Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.

Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful

An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter

Prime Video is a master at releasing the sleeper hit. In the last year alone, shows like Ballard, The Girlfriend and Malice have all been underestimated before rocketing to the streamer's top 10 charts – and there's another hidden gem I'd bet a month's salary that you haven't seen.

Introducing Vaka, or if you're streaming it from an English-speaking territory, Wake. Think the Nordic Noir vibes of shows such as The Killing and Trapped, but with an entirely new post-COVID pandemic twist.

Set in Stockholm, Sweden, a nation is pushed to the brink by an insomniac epidemic that won't let anyone sleep... ever. What's causing it? They don't know. Can it be fixed? They can't say.

You may like

• 7 new movies and TV shows to watch this weekend (January 16)
• 7 new movies and TV shows to watch on Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+ and more this weekend (November 28)
• 7 new movies and TV shows to watch on Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, and more this weekend (January 23)

Sweden's Prime Minister is trying to steer the country through the chaos, putting his son at risk in the process. We also follow perspectives of civilians caught up in the crossfire, including a nurse trying to save her infected partner.

You can stream all six episodes now whether they're dubbed or with subtitles, and trust me when I say you won't be able to sleep either after watching.

Today's best Amazon Prime Video deals SG$20.75View SG$21.70View SG$22.05ViewWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices

Why you need to stream Vaka on Prime Video this winter

Vaka - Officiell Trailer | Prime Video Sverige - YouTube Watch On

Sure, I might be biased because I've just come back from Norway and Vaka was advertised on every tram and train in Oslo, but the Prime Video show has quietly entered the global top 10 even without my knowledge.

It's easy to see why. There's nothing more terrifying than something that could genuinely affect you in real life, and lack of collective sleep seems like something that could happen to us all in years to come.

Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox

Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.

Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

I know how I am without a good night's sleep, and they're a rarity as it is. The thought of trying to function on a day-to-day basis without any sleep at all... well, that's a horror movie, pure and simple.

It's not just me who's been taken with Vaka either. As one IMDB review puts it, "It's a very well-developed story. You won't see what happens next, or who is good or bad. The suspense is always high... I can't stop watching."

Another fan on YouTube says, "Excellent mini-series, highly recommended," with a third weighs in, "A truly exciting and captivating series! Really well done! Be warned, it gets quite oppressive at times, but that atmosphere is simply part of the genre."

If you can hack it, you can binge all six episodes in one day... though that's basically fast-tracking you to permanently awake status. There's just as many political stakes here as there are personal ones, and that's exactly how I like my drama.

Today's best Amazon Prime Video deals SG$20.75View SG$21.70View SG$22.05ViewWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices

Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.

Jasmine ValentineSocial Links NavigationStreaming Staff Writer

Jasmine is a Streaming Staff Writer for TechRadar, previously writing for outlets including Radio Times, Yahoo! and Stylist. She specialises in comfort TV shows and movies, ranging from Hallmark's latest tearjerker to Netflix's Virgin River. She's also the person who wrote an obituary for George Cooper Sr. during Young Sheldon Season 7 and still can't watch the funeral episode.

View More

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Logout Read more 7 new movies and TV shows to watch this weekend (January 16)    7 new movies and TV shows to watch on Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+ and more this weekend (November 28)    7 new movies and TV shows to watch on Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, and more this weekend (January 23)    It Ends With Us is one of Prime Video's top 10 movies for all the wrong reasons    7 new movies and TV shows to watch on Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, and more this weekend (November 21)    7 new movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max and more this weekend (December 12)    Latest in Amazon Prime Video ICYMI: the week's 7 biggest tech stories from Alexa+ leaving early access to the Fitbit founders' a new health tracking platform    Fallout season 2 ending explained: what happens to Lucy, Maximus, and The Ghoul?    What is the release date for Fallout season 2 episode 8 on Prime Video?    Fallout season 3: everything we know so far about the hit Prime Video show's next chapter    Amazon Prime Video 'toned down' the violence in The Wrecking Crew, says director    New DC movie and The Wrecking Crew 2 could come from Blue Beetle director    Latest in Features How to change your GPS location on Android devices with Surfshark    Vaka is the new Prime Video show you need to stream — but be warned    "The height of nonsense": Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison’s 1987 argument that not everything should be AI makes perfect sense in 2026    Seeing BAFTA-winning game music live was an experience I think any gaming fan would love    Here are my 4 top TVs that should be getting a big discount soon    'With RPGs, it's all about offering players things that they only get to experience in the game' — Sea of Remnants creative director outlines vision behind upcoming free-to-play pirate epic    LATEST ARTICLES

1. 1Proton VPN has just fixed this issue on Windows – you can now use three critical features together
2. 2Striking a perfect balance between budget and performance, the Chuwi CoreBook Air impressed me with its work-focused features
3. 3'The drones can buzz off' — noisy FPV drones at the Winter Olympics are capturing stunning action, but dividing opinion
4. 4The 'RePod Ultra' turns your 'forgotten' Apple Watch Ultra into an iPod, complete with scroll wheel — but the description makes some pretty outlandish points
5. 5I tested out the LG UltraFine 6K Evo 32U990A - a 6K monster of a monitor with 21 million pixels but also a few flaws