Vikings: Valhalla arrives on Netflix this week, and should have a ready-made audience of viewers still searching for a replacement for Game of Thrones.
The show picks up 100 years after the History Channel’s Vikings series left off, but fear not – you don’t have to have seen the original series to find yourself totally invested in this new project.
While a departure from the original series, showrunner Jeb Stuart’s take on the historic venture of the famous Northmen keeps everything that made the original a cult favourite.
The compelling storyline tells of some of the most famous Vikings in history, including Leif Eriksson, Freydis, Harald of Norway, the Viking King Canute, and more.
It also delves into the complicated lives and motives of England’s royals as they battle to keep power against the ever-rising force of the Vikings.
There’s plenty of historical context here, but don’t feel that you need to have read up on the lives of Norse heroes: it’s just as easy to follow the plot as though it were fiction, and doing so gives more power to the twists and turns throughout.
The opening episode gives a glimpse into the lives of Viking settlers in the 11th century, illustrating an uneasy, segregated existence between the Norsemen and the English.
That is, until the king of England orders the Viking settlements to be wiped out completely, leading to Vikings across Europe banding together to take their revenge.
Valhalla introduces viewers to some exceptional young talent, particularly Sam Corlett, Frida Gustavsson and Leo Suter, who are brilliant as warriors Leif, Freydis and Harald.
Filmed in County Wicklow, Ireland, the countryside is transformed to the Viking battleground and showcases both incredible scenery and fantastic acting, with Freydis’ journey from victim to one of history’s fiercest warriors a definite highlight of the series.
While based on true historical context, the atmosphere, pace, characters, and action of the series means the show is guaranteed to be compared to Game Of Thrones, even featuring a reckless and inexperienced young king many people will love to hate.
And for those who are missing the show – despite that controversial ending – Valhalla is the perfect fit for the Westeros-shaped hole on TV.
On the other hand, it means those who didn’t enjoy Game of Thrones may be unlikely to find something they like in this series.
It’s not the type of drama that you can have on in the background or while scrolling on your phone: it is complex as TV can be. Dozens of characters are introduced at once, and you’ll need to do the work to keep up with their motives, allies, and where they stand in the hierarchy of things.
This, of course, isn’t a bad thing – it just won’t be for everyone. You’ll likely already need an interest in the era and context of Valhalla to become fully invested, but for those viewers the reward is great.
Certain scenes will stay with you long after you’ve watched it: Valhalla’s depiction of The Battle of Stamford Bridge, and the build-up of tension before it begins, is a testament to the show, as is the merciless brutality of villain Jarl Kåre.
But despite the highs, there are a few lows. The plot can meander at times, taking a while to get to where it needs to be, though there are plenty of sub-plots to prevent episodes from feeling like filler content.
And while it does revolve around famous warriors, there are only so many times you can watch the hero silently and easily take out someone who foolishly tries to face up to them before it becomes a tired trope.
If you’re not much into violence, this definitely won’t be for you – the first episode opens with multiple bloody massacres, some scenes of which could make even the most hardened among us cringe, and this continues throughout.
But there are also strong emotional moments, action-packed scenes, characters you root for with everything you’ve got, and – unless you are familiar with the history – a plot that continuously keeps you guessing.
Vikings: Valhalla arrives on Netflix on February 25
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