If You Like ‘Shōgun,’ Watch This Epic Historical Netflix Series

The big picture

• Vikings: Valhalla
  masterfully weaves Nordic history and rich interpersonal relationships, just as
  Shogun
  does for Japan
• Freydis' journey of revenge and self-discovery takes center stage, showing the division between Christians and pagans.
• Leif and Harald team up and head to London for the Battle of Stamford Bridge, facing challenges and political games.

Shogun just concluded its 10-episode first season and was a huge hit for Hulu. The adaptation based on the seminal 1975 James Clavell The novel struck all the right chords with the audience, deftly tackling the historical aspect of the Japanese Empire in the 16th century combined with rich and compelling main characters. There's a historical period piece created by Jeb Stuart on Netflix that does an equally outstanding job of recounting a key moment in Nordic history while intertwining formidable interpersonal relationships between a trio of main characters: Leif Erikson (Sam Corlett), Freydis Eriksdotter (Frida Gustavsson), and Harald Sigurdsson (Leo Suter).

Vikings: Valhalla already has two seasons, with a third and final batch of episodes coming later in 2024. It's set in the 11th century when the Vikings headed south and spread across Europe. In the show, they stake their claim in England, very close to London, in a settlement called Danelaw. When they become a threat to the neighboring Saxons, King Aethelred of England is pushed by the nobility to find a problem that the native English call “The Viking Problem”. Vikings: Valhalla resumes just as Aethelred launches a devastating and deadly attack on the Vikings.

What is “Vikings: Valhalla”?

Vikings: Valhalla begins with the bloody St. Brice's Day Massacre, where Aethelred seeks to purge Britain of Viking settlers. He launches an unprovoked attack on the Danelaw, killing thousands of Vikings, including women and children. While the story is broad and depicts Norse revenge for the slaughter, it focuses on the journey of Greenlanders Erikson and Eriksdotter, the brothers and sons of the legendary explorer Erik the Red. They travel through rough seas to reach Kattegat, the largest Nordic city in Norway. King Canute (Bradley Freegard) unites all the Vikings to avenge those slaughtered in the Danelaw. A

Long with Sigurdsson, the three take separate paths throughout Season 1. Freydis goes on a journey of self-discovery, becoming one of the greatest Norse warriors. Erikson is also a great warrior, fiery and determined, but he struggles to find his place within the southern tribes and must overcome great tragedy to find his purpose. Sigurdsson is a wise politician and an able speaker who plays his cards close to the vest the schism between Viking Christians and pagans leaves a void in the leadership of the various clans which must be filled if they want to defeat their enemies.

Freydis' journey takes center stage in 'Vikings: Valhalla' season 1

Vikings: ValhallaThe Freydis of the screen comes off the screen, not only because she is a badass, but also because, unlike the other characters, she is a woman who travels alone in the most hostile environments of the time. Upon her arrival in Kattegat, she is already a formidable warrior who kills men twice her size but is sometimes impulsive. Her journey of revenge and self-discovery leads her to make rash decisions with much bigger implications throughout the first two seasons. His narrative encapsulates the divide between Christians and pagans. She tells Harald in the first episode that she is looking for the Christian man who sexually assaulted her in Greenland. She is smart and strong but unfamiliar with the practices of the southern Vikings. It takes time for him to navigate the politics of religious warfare within the clans.

Gustavsson owns the Freydis character. His commanding screen presence is the first thing that stands out Vikings: Valhalla. She is the embodiment of the pagan faction of the Vikings who do not recognize most of the beliefs of their Christian counterparts. Finally, he will seek spiritual answers in the mystical city of Uppsala and take an epic journey to the legendary Viking fortress of Jomsborg (modern day Pomerania) in Season 2. The division within the Viking ranks is just as big of a story which finally fits. in search of revenge against Aethelred, King Edmund and the English. The theological divide lasts long after the Battle of Stamford Bridge is settled. Pagans recognize Odin, Thor and Freya as the only true gods, while Christians believe in the teachings of the Bible and Jesus Christ.

Leif and Harald head to London for the Battle of Stamford Bridge

Leif and Harald quickly bond and become brothers as they travel south from the Kattegat to London. Along the way, Leif falls in love with fellow Greenlander Olivia (Ludzja Richter). Leif is a sensitive and introspective thinker who only fights when necessary. Corlett nails a complex character who marches to the beat of his own drum and is a leader, never a follower. His relationship with Olivia will make things even more difficult for him, as Viking couples don't usually last long – especially in wartime. If he has a weakness, it's his compassion for others, especially Olivia. Harald and Canute respect his strong self-belief and constant moral compass. Harald is a wild card with his own agenda, but he has to stand up and play political games. Suter's turn as the mercurial Harald is a high point. It plays both sides of the religious divide and keeps the viewer guessing where their loyalties lie.

Together, they arrive in England to wage war against the new King Edmund (Louis Davison), who assumes the throne of the dead Aethelred. But the formidable, graceful and intelligent Queen Emma of Normandy (Laura Berlin) is the puppeteer behind the curtain. The Battle of Stamford Bridge took place in 1066 and is remembered as the last time the Vikings invaded Britain. Episode 4, “The Bridge,” shows a cunning plan that is the brainchild of Leif, Olivia, and the other Greenlanders. Creator and showrunner Jeb Stuart masterfully combines reality with fictionoffering a historical spectacle of strength with fascinating dramatized characters Vikings: Valhalla. It uses the great ancient city of Constantinople as the backdrop for these two warriors in Season 2.

More “Vikings: Valhalla” is on the way

Jeb Stuart and Netflix have not formally announced a date for the third and final leg of our favorite Vikings' travels. Collider reports that new characters will be joining the cast, incl Goran Visnjic as Erik the Red, the famous father of Leif and Freydis, and Florian Munteanu like George Maniakes, general of the Byzantine Empire. If the third season has the same amount of tense drama and well-directed tension as the first two, it's worth catching up before it debuts. You'll want to see which of the three main characters and the many interesting supporting players make it through the first two seasons of the epic, well-shot series, filmed in and around Ireland's beautiful shores.

Vikings: Valhalla is available to stream on Netflix in the United States

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