Vikings Valhalla: TV Review-Episode 2
"Vikings" gets things rolling with a balanced and effective episode.
Vikings: Valhalla
Season One, Episode Two: “Vikings”
To save the life of Freydis, Leif agrees to join Canute and Harald's siege of London. Queen Emma dispatches stepson Edmund to secure an ally's help.
(BEWARE—MEDIUM SPOILERS BELOW)
With Leif and Freydis in custody for her murder of Magnus, King Canute and Chieftan Jarl struggle to keep a lid on the Christian vs. pagan animosity boiling in the halls of Kattegat. Leif is commanded to join Canute’s expedition against England in order to pay for his sister’s debt.
The Viking departure from Kattegat is cinematic and beautiful and we get a look at some other characters, namely the troublemaking pagans Yarl Gorm (Julian Seger) and his son Arne Gormsson (Paaru Oja). Methinks the irritating duo may not last long. It all feels very reminiscent of the expeditions to England in the original Vikings series, and Valhalla will have to use inventive plots and strong, well-defined characters to set its story apart.
In London, King Aethelred II lies dying with his son Edmund (Louis Davison) and young second wife Emma of Normandy (Laura Berlin) at his bedside. The threat of the coming Viking invasion looms over everything and the steely-eyed Emma, discarding the King’s plan to bargain, decides to fight. She sends Edmund and Earl Godwin (David Oakes) to summon the Mercian army, led by the devious Eadric Streona (Gavin Drea) to London.
The Christian vs. pagan quarrel on Leif’s boat is quelled by Leif’s blade. Canute’s expedition lands in Kent, England. Jarl sends Freydis on a journey of her own. Let the questing begin.
I was happy with the “Vikings” episode, where Valhalla begins to show its character-building teeth. Freed of the pilot’s introductory demands, the story locks into its characters and the result is encouraging. Freydis’ farewell to Leif and the Greenlanders offers a meaty chunk of emotional weight, as does her bestowing of a favor to her lover, Harald. Swedish actress Frida Gustavsson glows as Freydis, the most interesting character thus far.
“Vikings” is a superior episode to “The Greenlanders” because its scenes slow down and simmer. I’ve always felt that shows like this prove how good they are not in the action scenes but in the quietest moments where the actors plumb the depths of their characters, hopefully given opportunity through good writing. Nice character pairings emerge: the wise Jarl with the seeking Freydis, the advisor Godwin mentoring the uncertain Prince Edmund and the ambitious Harald building a friendship with Leif.
There are many players in this show, as is usually the case in historical fiction where numerous factions struggle for power in a complicated political arena. So far Vikings: Valhalla has kept things reasonably streamlined as it sets up its chess pieces before the plot shakes things around. The show’s balance is good, and I’m looking forward to episode three.
EPISODE RATING: 7.9 out of 10
(All eight Vikings: Valhalla season one episodes are currently streaming on Netflix. I’ll be reviewing one episode per day.)
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