Vikings: Valhalla review: Netflix drops a violent, same-y sequel series

Sequels, reboots, and the sometimes unholy union of the two (“Requels”) are everywhere these days — notably on Netflix, where what is dead may never die and the streaming service has resuscitated more than a few dormant or waning projects. See: Texas Chainsaw Massacre, It is possible to, Manifest, Designated SurvivorAnd LuciferAll Netflix Originals available now in one or more ways.

However VikingsThis is another ballgame. The original series was History Channel’s first stab at fiction TV, and a massive ratings success out the gate. Bjorn ironside, Lagertha and Ivar the Boneless’ exploits was like an episode of a miniseries. Game of ThronesThis period focuses less on complicated political intrigues than it did in the past, but still a fascinating time for audiences. Also, there were some very bloody raids.

Netflix’s spinoff, Vikings: ValhallaThe, seeks to again capture the lightning, just a little further back in Vikings’ history. It’s even more prevalent in TV, where ax-swinging imitations are far more frequent. Or, put another way: Valhalla has to do more to set itself apart from the pack — of historical fantasy epics and the Netflix glut alike.

What are Vikings? Valhalla.

Photo: Bernard Walsh/Netflix

It was 100 years ago that the History Channel original aired. Vikings, Valhalla picks up as the age of the Vikings is just about coming to a close (though the Vikings on the show certainly don’t know that).

When the show arrives in Kattegat, it’s hard to know exactly what will be the biggest contributor to the downfall of the civilization. But there’s certainly a lot to choose from: The Viking infighting spurred on by religious differences? What is Europe’s declining influence? What is the growing influence of Europe’s Vikings?

Who’s behind Vikings: Valhalla?

Vikings creator Michael Hirst stepped aside as showrunner for this one, but he’s still on board as one of the executive producers. Jeb Stuart will take his place as showrunner and creator. Valhalla. Stuart is a veteran of blockbuster script writing, having written the scripts for timeless classics such as Die Hard And Fugitive.

Richard Ryan was also a vital part of the show. He helped with the choreography of the fights. ValhallaAs well as Troy, Sherlock Holmes, The Dark Knight, Original Vikings.

What’s the pilot about?

Image by Bernard Walsh, Netflix

Valhalla being a Vikings show, things start off with a bit of bloodshed: the St. Brice’s Day massacre, when the British killed the Viking communities on their shores. Harald Hardrada, Leo Suter, who dreams of becoming the King and Queen of Norway is barely able to escape with his life. One year later, Harald Hardrada (Leo Suter) is called to Kattegat by King Canute. He plans to lead a counterattack against the English.

Among those arriving in the bustling port city are Leif Erickson (Sam Corlett) and his sister Freydís (Frida Gustavsson), who have an ulterior motive for attending the Viking get-together. But while they show up with other missions in mind, they can’t resist getting caught up in the glory of Viking life in the 1000s.

What’s it really about?

While Vikings: Valhalla has gotten a lot of ink for being about the end of an era, the show’s first season investigates the waning days of a culture on a much quieter level. Changes are inevitable, but things remain constant. Although the Christian Vikings are not able to agree with one another, they behave and raid almost exactly alike. Both share the same clothing, hairstyles and even philosophical beliefs. Each side may mount its attacks against the other, but the bad guy, an Assassin’s Creed-style Christian Viking named Jarl Kåre (Asbjørn Krogh), still calls his soldiers “berserkers.”

So it goes. Valhalla’s guiding ethos as it moves forward is about how to deal with a mammoth cultural shift that is taking its time. There’s no sense that the Vikings will stop engaging in behaviors they’ve done for hundreds of years. However, the Norse/Viking identities are undeniably shifting due to the larger net of religious idolatry and geographic location.

Leif, along with his Greenlanders, arrive in Kattegat feeling like they are stepping back to an earlier time in Viking culture. They feel more concerned about their work and want to return to quiet living. What we know of Leif’s future means the shifts in Viking culture will push them further and further into the frontier, until they finally reach a realm they once thought mythical: North America. Their sense of Viking identity is going to be tested long before they reach the New World.

Is Vikings: Valhalla good?

Photo by Bernard Walsh/Netflix

ValhallaFor those who mainly just want good Viking conflict, they will be satisfied. The soldiers are berserk and battles can be bloody.

At its finest, the first season allows complex beliefs to rest comfortably next to one another in some of its most memorable moments. These beats provide a softer look at the cultural divides that are often misrepresented as a dichotomy in the eyes of history; people can hold different views within the same culture and it’s not actually a reflection of their morality as a person. Freydís, a Pagan, is brutal and vengeful, but not pointlessly cruel. Olaf Haraldsson (Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson) is a dick, and also a believer in merciful Jesus Christ.

Finally, the most difficult part of the series will come from stepping outside the shadow of its predecessor. This is the arc of Valhalla’s first season is broadly very similar to that of the original Vikings: You’ve got different Vikings factions scheming against each other. They eventually make it to England where they encounter the English internal politics, which complicates the situation. Even the religious undercurrents aren’t that far off of Ragnar’s early flirtations with Christianity. It’s not that there aren’t interesting moments within these conflicts or gripping battle sequences, but there’s a feeling of having seen it before.

Plus, it’s not quite as unique as it once was. Which? Vikings felt like little else on TV at the time — the obvious comparison to Game of ThronesIt leaves behind a broodiness that feels more like. Hannibal — ValhallaThe whole thing feels very much like television. There’s a sheen to the whole affair, literally brighter on the screen than its forebearer. VikingsIt had a more detached artfulness that guided the style and tone, which made it feel strange. ValhallaThis is more impulsive but has some of the strangeness of the original.

Perhaps the best example in their differences comes from the opening credits: Set to the otherworldly “If I Had a Heart” by Fever Ray, Vikings’ was all moody ephemeralism, portending doom and conquest all at once. Valhalla’s — when it plays in full in the pilot episode — is winding string instruments and chanting played over closeups of silver runes flying against a nondescript background. It’s almost exactly the template Netflix used for The Witcher.

It seems that this choice is representative for how far TV has advanced in the short time since. VikingsThey have left us. Fantasy epics, historical or otherwise, aren’t as unique as they once were. Netflix will release the fifth and final season in just weeks. The Last KingdomAnother Netflix rescue. OutlanderIt is going as it is Kingdom Britannia, and that’s all befOdere House of the Dragon or WitcherCome back. Valhalla isn’t terrible. However, it is a lot of the same as before but doesn’t have much identity. In a crowded landscape, that doesn’t give it a lot to fight for.

What time and where is Vikings: Valhalla available?

The eight episode of Vikings: ValhallaNetflix is now offering streaming.