In the UK: Available on Netflix
It’s usually right-wing European ideologies that hark back to their historic, home-grown paganism in order to foment nationalism. Greece’s Golden Dawn used to be fervent proponents of worshipping the gods of Olympus, while you only have to look at Der Pass to see how Woden and Krampus are being used in Austria and Germany for similarly unpleasant ends.
Which makes Ragnarok‘s new youth-oriented Norwegian original an interesting exception to the rule, being a left-wing call for the youth of Norway to channel the viking gods and protect the environment from capitalists.
Very Thor
The show sees David Stakston playing Magne, a young dyslexic, not especially bright man who moves with his mum back to their home town, Edda, in the remote wilds of West Norway. The last place to be Christianised in Norway, it’s now the home of Jutul industry and its super-rich family of Jutuls, who also run the school and most of the companies in Edda.
However, there are concerns about pollution, with the glaciers defrosting and the drinking water more than a bit suspect. Yet nothing happens, because the Jutuls own everything, including the police.
But when Magne shows kindness to an old, one-eyed man, he suddenly finds himself a changed man. He no longer needs glasses, he can run faster than the world’s best athletes, he can smell different kinds of blood, he’s nearly indestructible – and boy, can he throw a hammer.
How will Magne use his new abilities? And are the Jutuls quite what they seem?
