Following its 2022 premiere,Vikings: Valhallahas been met with praise from critics and viewers for its introduction of a new era of Viking legends. Set a century following the History series,Vikings,the sequel begins to establish the beginning of the end of the Viking age as it was once known. Its second season is prepared to premiere in early 2023 and if the Netflix series hopes to match the reputation of its predecessor, there are a few things the series can use to its advantage.
Despite its basis on the Michael Hirst created History series,Vikings: Valhallais far from identical toVikings.The tone of the spin-off series differs from that of its predecessor, first asking the internal conflict among the Vikings to take a backseat tothe conquering of territories across Europe. WhereVikingsoften suggested the shift in leadership was guided by fate,Vikings: Valhallaproposes that it is merely the desire of man. Its differences work well with the qualities it shares withVikingsto create an atmosphere that is both familiar and new.
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The early seasons ofVikingswere met with high praise, as the story ofRagnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel)and his exploits gave the series tons of excitement and thrilling adventures. Later seasons of the series were subjected to some scrutiny as some felt that it drifted further from its historical roots and prioritized the drama of the rivalry between the Ragnarssons.Vikings: Valhallahas the potential to make a similar mistake if it isn’t careful. The desires of Olaf (Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson) and Harald (Leo Suter) to rule Norway, as well as Canute’s (Bradley Freegard) growing kingdom, poses tremendous difficulty for their allyship and those that follow them. Additionally, theconflicting allegiances of Freydís (Frida Gustavsson)and Leif (Sam Corlett) continue to tug them in opposite directions, leaving room for potential conflict.
IfVikings: Valhallahopes to match the reception of its predecessor, it should first avoid the temptation of becoming too much of a drama.Vikings: Valhallahasalready demonstrated some of its strong suitsand if it continues to utilize the formula that works best for it, the series can certainly compete with its predecessor. “The Bridge” (season 1, episode 4) is unanimously considered the series' best episode to date, and fans ofVikingswill notice its similarities in style to the series.
“The Bridge” begins with Leif in the middle of the sea and a series of sharp cuts transport viewers into a violent battle. Before viewers can discover who prevailed, “The Bridge” places viewers a day prior to the fight. From here, “The Bridge” begins to tell its story chronologically,detailing the plan formed by Leif,Harald, Canute, and Olaf, in an effort to successfully gain control of England. “The Bridge” is certain to keep enough of their plans a mystery, unveiling all its intricacies with visual enactments, which include the moments seen at the start of the episode.
Part of what makes “The Bridge” the most significant episode ofVikings: Valhalla,is that it appears to be the episode where the characters have the most to lose. This gives the series a layer of suspense that many of its other episodes lack. The stakes “The Bridge” provide, givesVikings: Valhallaa feeling that is similar to the early seasons ofVikings, which received so much praise. The numerous raids and battlesbetween Ragnar and the Saxonsas they attempt to outsmart one another is almost identical to the presentation of Canute’s warriors and those attempting to defend King Edmond (Louis Davison).
In order to be successful,Vikings: Valhallashouldn’t merely use the same tacticsVikingsonce used. This would quickly make the Netflix series seem repetitive and lose the spark that draws many viewers to each series. However, ifVikings: Valhallawishes to measure up to and potentially exceed the reputation of its predecessor, it should first focus oncementing some of its lead characters.Season 1 spent a great deal of time establishing the landscapes that have changed sinceVikings,introducing its new cast, and their motives. With only 8 episodes, it was difficult to properly establish a relationship between the viewer and the number of new characters in the series who would be spotlit.
To ensure success,Vikings: Valhallashould prioritize its core cast of characters introduced in season 1, andavoid devoting too much time to introducing new characterswho won’t play a significant role in the series. In season 1, some of these characters were needed to establish the morals and priorities of characters like Leif, Freydís, and Harald, but season 2 no longer requires the same commitment. The new additions toVikings: Valhallacan provide a terrain that will continue to raise the stakes for its core cast, and entice viewers to stick around for it in the same manner as they once did forVikings.
