Vikings: Valhalla review – Netflix show is the latest gem in the historical fiction genre

4/5

Story: Set in the 11th century, a hundred years after the events of the Vikings series, this spinoff follows some of the most prominent figures in Norse lore — Leif Eriksson (Sam Corlett), Freydis Eriksdotter (Frida Gustavsson), and Harald Sigurdsson (Leo Suter) — as they set afoot in Europe for newer, more ambitious conquests. The show’s set during the expansion of Christianity, with its beliefs trickling into the Viking community and setting off internal clashes.

Review: Over five seasons, creator Michael Hirst’s Vikings, upped the scale of historical fiction, making it dazzlingly hardcore, informative (in bits) and greatly entertaining, especially at a time when the Game of Thrones fever was at its peak.

Vikings: Valhalla, from showrunner Jeb Stuart of Die Hard and The Fugitive, sets out to further its predecessor’s legacy by taking the audience a century after the exploits of Ragnar Lothbrook, Lagertha, Bjorn Ironside, Ivar the Boneless and Rollo. Fun fact: the Vikings never really referred to themselves by this term, but instead called themselves Northmen or Norse.

The story begins at the onset of the St Brice's Day massacre of 1002, ordered by King Aethelred II, who in spite of having loyal Viking warriors in his inner circle, sees them as a threat to his kingdom. So, naturally, in true medieval fashion, ethnic cleansing is his solution. The reverberation of this carnage is felt far and wide across the Viking community, sparking a bloody desire for vengeance.

King Canute of Denmark (Bradley Freegard) rallies an army of Vikings at Kattegat and prepare to extract justice, with the help of his right-hand man Harald Sigurdsson (Leo Suter), who, for me at least, holds an uncanny resemblance to Matthew McConaughey. Meanwhile, there’s a little boat making its way through treacherous waters from Greenland to Norway, aboard which are Leif Eriksson, his sister Freydis and their fellow sailors. It’s soon known that the purpose of this dangerous trip has nothing to do with the Viking revenge.

The first few episodes trudge at a slow pace, establishing characters, motives and relationships. With so many characters in the mix and new ones on the way, this exposition is only essential. The look and feel of Valhalla echoes its predecessor; it’s flush with the same themes of sub-factions rivalling each other, just this time it’s more to do with their religious affiliations, though they are united in one purpose — seeking justice for their people who were brazenly slaughtered. The pillaging and battle sequences are as brutal as ever, and the set pieces get bigger and more extravagant as Canute ascends to the English throne.

There’s plenty of testosterone fueling Vikings and Valhalla, but both give their female characters the space and screen time they deserve. The women in both these shows are fully-formed, have agency, and don't have anyone else puppeteering their fate. Valhalla has a sub-plot that focuses solely on Freydis and her destiny. Physically, she looks like a wisp of a person yet she’s no damsel in distress but a fierce and able warrior. She deserves her own spinoff or standalone show. The story also finds a steadfast female ruler in Jarl Haakon (Caroline Henderson) of Kattegat and her legion of female soldiers. On the other side, there’s the quiet, scheming precision of Queen Emma of Normandy, Aethelred’s widow and Queen Ælfgifu, Canute's first wife who appears quite late in the story but is a woman who knows she wields enough influence and power to not be sidelined. 

Another shoutout has to be given to Leo Suter — his glorious man bun, taut muscles and charming smile — who has become my favourite fictional historical hottie.

Valhalla moves swiftly after its nascent episodes, exploring a medley of issues in tandem, yet never losing its way. It’s a satisfying show that’s replete with mayhem, lust for power, some sex (way less than the Vikings) and some hammy dialogues to keep things spicy. Also, you don’t need to be abreast with the events of the original show to enjoy this spinoff.

Verdict: Viking: Valhalla should not be missed.

Watch the trailer here: