One of the most famous of the Viking legends, Leif Erikson, is now at the forefront of Netflix’s new series “Vikings: Vahalla.” Viking mythology enthusiasts are familiar with Eriksons fame of being the first European to discovering North America almost 400 years before Columbus. The first episode introduces Leif and his sister, Freydis, to a not-so-warm welcome to Kattegat. Already a few episodes in, these two are being forced to prove themselves and it is nothing short of exciting.
Over a hundred years have now passed and the Ragnor and Lagertha’s stories told on History Channel’s popular show “Vikings,” are legends. Now thanks to Netlfix, fans will get to know Erikson (played by Sam Corlett) and other legends such as Freydis (Frida Gustavsson) and King Harald (Leo Suter).
In true Viking fashion the first two out of eight episodes are filled with action and boast gritty, and passionate stories as viewers are introduced to powerful male and female characters who already grab that attention. Vahalla comes from showrunner and executive producer Jeb Stuart, executive producer by Morgan O’Sullivan, Michael Hirst, Sheila Hockin, Steve Stark, James Flynn, John Weber, Sherry Marsh and Alan Gasmer, Paul Buccieri. The show also stars Bradley Freegard, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Caroline Henderson, Laura Berlin, and David Oakes.
Netflix’s series synopsis:
Set over a thousand years ago in the early 11th century, VIKINGS: VALHALLA chronicles the heroic adventures of some of the most famous Vikings who ever lived — the legendary explorer Leif Eriksson (Sam Corlett), his fiery and headstrong sister Freydis Eriksdotter (Frida Gustavsson), and the ambitious Nordic prince Harald Sigurdsson (Leo Suter). As tensions between the Vikings and the English royals reach a bloody breaking point and as the Vikings themselves clash over their conflicting Christian and pagan beliefs, these three Vikings begin an epic journey that will take them across oceans and through battlefields, from Kattegat to England and beyond, as they fight for survival and glory.
Jeb Stuart and executive producer Morgan O’Sullivan, explain the genesis of Valhalla and why the show excites fans.
Netflix: Can you talk about where the idea for Vikings: Valhalla came from?
Jeb Stuart: Morgan approached me about three years ago. I also knew Michael Hirst, the creator and writer of Vikings. They both made it clear that they didn’t want to do another season of the previous show, but that they wanted to push the story into the future, and asked me to figure out a home for that narrative.
Morgan O’Sullivan: Michael Hirst was the sole writer on Vikings. He wrote 89 episodes and, understandably, was ready to do something else. But he said that if we ever decided to continue the story, he would still be involved. I started to look for someone who could move into a role similar to Michael’s. Jeb and I were working together on a series called The Liberator, and I was so taken by him. I also knew that the remarkable movies he has written, like The Fugitive and Die Hard, marry action and character so well, which is exactly what we wanted to do in Valhalla.
Netflix: Can you walk us through when and where Vikings: Valhalla is set?
Stuart: Setting the story in 1002 gave me a really good starting point to get the ball rolling. We return to familiar settings like Kattegat, and also explore entirely new settings and lands. The story this season starts with a particular historical event that happened in 1002, over 100 years after the end of the original Vikings show. The Vikings had been living in the British Isles and had settled into big areas called the Danelaw. The Danelaw had started to grow — not just with Danes, but also with Swedes, and Norwegians, and folks from all over Scandinavia. This had become a problem for the Saxon king, King Aethelred II of England. Saxon nobles were afraid that, if you went out another generation, suddenly there wouldn’t be any difference between Saxons and Vikings. At the same time, back in Norway and Denmark, the Viking groups were in an undefined religious civil war with each other.
Netflix: This season centers around three key new characters who are all based on real historical figures. Can you walk us through who they are?
Stuart: We meet Leif Eriksson, the famous Viking explorer who eventually becomes one of the first Europeans to set foot in North America, and his sister, the fierce pagan warrior Freydis Eriksdotter. We also follow Harald Sigurdsson, who becomes Harald Hardrada, one of the last great Viking kings. The three of them become triumvirs through which we weave the story. For me, they each embody different elements of the Viking spirit. Bringing Leif and FreydÃs — who are both Greenlanders — to Norway, to Kattegat, and embedding them in the Viking story just seemed a very natural place to go. That’s where their journey starts, and where they both meet Harald.
Netflix: How did you research Viking history and toe the line between fact and fiction?
O’Sullivan: On Vikings, one of the most important people working on the show was Justin Pollard, our historical consultant. Justin did all of our research and he was invaluable to Michael Hirst. When we started Valhalla, it was imperative that Jeb meet Justin Pollard. They had many months together before the writing even started, and that was an invaluable period of time.
Stuart: When I first got the call asking if I would like to continue and expand this story, I knew what any other viewer knew. I began absorbing everything I could get my hands on. We don’t know a whole lot about the original Vikings — they didn’t have a written language, so the documentation is tricky. They left us the sagas, but the sagas were written 200 years after the end of this story, and they were written by Christians. We know archeologically what has been dug up, but we’re still discovering new things about Viking culture. Ultimately, we’ve made an authentic show. Sometimes we’ve moved dates or characters around a bit, but the historical pieces are all there.
Netflix: What do you think it is about Viking culture and stories that still excite and captivate us?
Stuart: In a strange way — if you take massive violence out of the equation — the Vikings embody some of the elements that we still most want for ourselves. They were great explorers. They were often very inquisitive and open to learning. They were an egalitarian society. Women could not only divorce their husbands, they could also rule kingdoms and own property. If you could earn it, you could take what you wanted from life. It’s a timeless story. Our characters are dealing with relationships and issues that are just as relevant today as they were a thousand years ago, and those stories will always excite and captivate us.
The trailer excites audiences.
Interview by Netflix.
Article by Colleen Bement