With Christmas over and now that the family has left, I and my husband have the weekend to ourselves for the first time in months. My choice of activity? Now that the TV is no longer being Fortnite monopolized, binge watching Netflix.

Of the two shows I settled on, Norsemen was one of them. Initially I did not intend to write a review as this show is cruel, crude, out there and, at times, shocking. Per the show these Norsemen are Vikings with their raids, their pillaging, their violating of women or in Froya's case monks, customs, and brutal strength. Despite this description, it is a comedy. And not even a dark comedy, at that.

Set in Norway, it centers around the power and power struggle around the Chieftain of the village of Northeim. This also includes the women of the village, in an "almost reversal of sexual roles". The women are more manipulative and conniving while the men come across as Fargo dumb-witted.

The "charm" of this show is it's characters. The Cheftain, Cheftain Olva has just returned with his band of vikings from a successful raid, having left his obnoxious, foppish dandy of brother in charge. The rivalry between the two is obvious as no one really likes Orm, the brother, and everyone reveres Olva. As Cheftain, Olva is a decent man, dedicated to the ways of their heritage and wants what's best for his village. Olva's right hand man is Arvid, who is kind, not very bright, single, but will kill you, brutally, if need be. You will like him. Also in this returning band is Froya, the only girl warrior viking, who has the sad, embarrassing fate of being Orm's wife. (This must have been an arrangement marriage. I don't really know.) Not part of the band but a quirky character from the village is Kart, the free slave who just wants to be part of the village. Then there's Jarl Vang, who is as one critic put it, is "The Bald of Evil", and then there's that 8th century hot tube scene where you are cringing on your couch, wondering "is this really happening?" Yeah. It is. It is.

Besides the characters, the drive of this show is two-fold. One is the soap opera love story and the other is it's "out of nowhere plots scenes", if you will. For instances, one of Jarl Vang's men starts having PTSD after Jarl Vang's band raids and pillages the people of Northeim. This leads to his wife encouraging him to discuss his feelings openly in front of the Baldness (as I'd prefer) of Evil, which essentially leads to other warriors around the table discussing "what's my motivation to violate women and pillage?" feelings. I highly doubt the real Vikings had these conversations.

Despite it's Nordic setting, it is in English and makes several references to today's society, Trump included. Fair warning, though, it does have adult related moments and references, though not a lot of nudity. One scene maybe?

If you are going to watch this show, you absolutely can not take this show seriously. Seriously. You have to check your American sense of proprieties at the door. This show is considered the Monty Python of Vikings and even though it's set in 790, it's got a 2018 loutish sense of mentality.

As for me, despite it's crass, immaturity and occasional shocking moments of violence, I am not certain I will watch season 3. I became vested and not to spoil anything, but I was not okay with how Season 2 ends. They had a horse whisperer gets killed by a horse moment and it has not sat well with me. So, with my bitterness, I shall refrain from my Kitty Paw ratings.

One more bit of warning though, they do kinda play out Rufus of Rome and Orm in Season 2. Even I was like, someone just kill them already.

csk

Not part of the band but a quirky character from the village is Kart, the free slave who just wants to be part of the village.

Being a slave, he would certainly not be owning anything. Nevertheless, he will eventually be leading someone else's livestock somewhere.

This would turn into a case of putting the Kart before the horse. 😊