Norsemen: Seasons 1 & 2, It's good to be the chieftain?
October 25, 2018 8:40 AM - Season 1 (Full Season) - Subscribe
Waiting for the return of Game of Thrones? Missing the awkward comedy of The Office? Check out Norsemen on Netflix!
"Set in 790AD, Vikingane features the daily challenges of people living in a small Viking village, from power struggle, brother rivalry, gender equality, to betrayal and friendship." (IMDB)
This was created and filmed in Norway, using Norwegian actors, who filmed each scene in Norwegian and then in English. The production values are excellent and there are many beautiful panoramic shots of the countryside. There are currently two 6-episode seasons which have an overall dramatic arc.
"If you are left uncharmed by Norsemen you are both heartless and immune to their heartily irreverent approach to situation comedy. Lighten up and let the men in plaits beguile you into stupid, helpless giggles." Julia Raeside, The Guardian
CW: gore, animal butchering, situations with rape and pillaging
"Set in 790AD, Vikingane features the daily challenges of people living in a small Viking village, from power struggle, brother rivalry, gender equality, to betrayal and friendship." (IMDB)
This was created and filmed in Norway, using Norwegian actors, who filmed each scene in Norwegian and then in English. The production values are excellent and there are many beautiful panoramic shots of the countryside. There are currently two 6-episode seasons which have an overall dramatic arc.
"If you are left uncharmed by Norsemen you are both heartless and immune to their heartily irreverent approach to situation comedy. Lighten up and let the men in plaits beguile you into stupid, helpless giggles." Julia Raeside, The Guardian
CW: gore, animal butchering, situations with rape and pillaging
So much of the comic value just comes from the slightly tentative, Norwiegian-accented phrasing.
posted by sixswitch at 8:52 AM on October 25, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by sixswitch at 8:52 AM on October 25, 2018 [4 favorites]
This is the Office meets Vikings.
There are some bits that push against my boundaries of good taste a bit, but for the most part I've been greatly amused by this show (if you haven't watched but are thinking about it, here's an example - the second season opens with a scene of two guys working together, one of them wondering if he should grab a quick bite or if the whole group will be doing a meal together later, because he doesn't want to eat alone and miss the group meal, but he's hungry now and the whole thing is just the light, awkward conversation you might have with a co-worker, until the camera pans back and reveals that they are toiling together in the aftermath of a raid in which they killed a lot of people; violence and pillaging are background jokes on this show).
Jarl Varg is an awesome villain. I am stunned by the choices made in the finale of S2 with respect to Froya, and when I finished S2 last night I was quickly looking to see when S3 might be coming (hopefully sometime in 2019).
posted by nubs at 9:28 AM on October 25, 2018 [3 favorites]
There are some bits that push against my boundaries of good taste a bit, but for the most part I've been greatly amused by this show (if you haven't watched but are thinking about it, here's an example - the second season opens with a scene of two guys working together, one of them wondering if he should grab a quick bite or if the whole group will be doing a meal together later, because he doesn't want to eat alone and miss the group meal, but he's hungry now and the whole thing is just the light, awkward conversation you might have with a co-worker, until the camera pans back and reveals that they are toiling together in the aftermath of a raid in which they killed a lot of people; violence and pillaging are background jokes on this show).
Jarl Varg is an awesome villain. I am stunned by the choices made in the finale of S2 with respect to Froya, and when I finished S2 last night I was quickly looking to see when S3 might be coming (hopefully sometime in 2019).
posted by nubs at 9:28 AM on October 25, 2018 [3 favorites]
I really enjoy this show. I knew I was hooked from Episode 2's take on the "sneakily poisoned sword" trope.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 1:39 PM on October 25, 2018
posted by robocop is bleeding at 1:39 PM on October 25, 2018
This is the Office meets Vikings.
Okay, I've got to check out this show.
posted by homunculus at 1:55 PM on October 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
Okay, I've got to check out this show.
posted by homunculus at 1:55 PM on October 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
kay, I've got to check out this show.
I could force you, but a fear-based leadership style isn't really me.
posted by nubs at 7:40 PM on October 25, 2018 [5 favorites]
I could force you, but a fear-based leadership style isn't really me.
posted by nubs at 7:40 PM on October 25, 2018 [5 favorites]
“I mean, ritual sacrifice isn’t a perfect science, but I feel pretty good about this one.”
I love this show. I kinda hate The Office but, as a LARPer, Norsemen hits me right in that comfy space of Viking aesthetic combined with current outlooks.
posted by hanov3r at 4:11 PM on October 26, 2018
I love this show. I kinda hate The Office but, as a LARPer, Norsemen hits me right in that comfy space of Viking aesthetic combined with current outlooks.
posted by hanov3r at 4:11 PM on October 26, 2018
I love how Avrid and Froya seem so happy and and peace outside in nature together; its these strange moments of peace between bloody murder and musing about ones shortcomings.
posted by Hermeowne Grangepurr at 6:35 PM on October 26, 2018
posted by Hermeowne Grangepurr at 6:35 PM on October 26, 2018
I’m only partway through the first season but I am liking it so far. The show seems to walk a line between some very distinct styles of comedy, rather than sticking to a more simple approach, which I am appreciating.
posted by Dip Flash at 8:12 PM on October 26, 2018
posted by Dip Flash at 8:12 PM on October 26, 2018
I watched the first season of this and The Last King, which deals largely with the Viking occupation of eastern Britain at the same time... I've been working my way slowly through Season 2... because I want to have as much time as possible to enjoy the inanity...
posted by Nanukthedog at 11:30 PM on October 26, 2018
posted by Nanukthedog at 11:30 PM on October 26, 2018
OMG! The production quality was off the charts compared to similars.
I'm finishing out season 2 right now, but its funnier (if drier) than I expected.
Comparing it to The Office might be doing this a disservice. This is clever as hell.
It took me until end of ep2 or ep3 of the first season to get hooked.
I'm kind of looking forward to trying to get my hands on the original Norwegian version and compare it scene-by-scene with the English language version.
Felt a weird sympathetic vibe with Letterkenny.
posted by porpoise at 9:08 PM on October 29, 2018 [1 favorite]
I'm finishing out season 2 right now, but its funnier (if drier) than I expected.
Comparing it to The Office might be doing this a disservice. This is clever as hell.
It took me until end of ep2 or ep3 of the first season to get hooked.
I'm kind of looking forward to trying to get my hands on the original Norwegian version and compare it scene-by-scene with the English language version.
Felt a weird sympathetic vibe with Letterkenny.
posted by porpoise at 9:08 PM on October 29, 2018 [1 favorite]
Season 3 is now on Netflix, although I was very, very confused until I Googled and found out that it is actually season 0, and a prequel to season 1!
I’m sad that the Norwegian language versions are not available on Netflix. I think it’s amazing that the same cast and crew create the entire show twice, once in English and once in Norwegian.
Here is the trailer for season one:
English
Norwegian
posted by LEGO Damashii at 1:59 AM on July 30, 2020
I’m sad that the Norwegian language versions are not available on Netflix. I think it’s amazing that the same cast and crew create the entire show twice, once in English and once in Norwegian.
Here is the trailer for season one:
English
Norwegian
posted by LEGO Damashii at 1:59 AM on July 30, 2020
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posted by Hermeowne Grangepurr at 8:42 AM on October 25, 2018