It's the 4th of July. The sun is shining down here in Ocean City, MD, American flags are out and visible at every turn. It's a day for everyone to feel national pride.
So, naturally, I'm going to review a show from Norway.
Ragnarok is one of those shows where you have no problem reading subtitles to understand what is going on. It follows the lore of Norse mythology, focusing on the stories of the Gods against the Giants. The show somehow manages to be somewhat educational, entertaining as hell, and introduce you to some actors that we as Americans would have never known without it.
So what's so good about it?
It's easy to track because of the MCU: I'm trying to avoid as many spoilers as possible, but I will say that the storyline has a lot of parallels to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's easy for an American to pick it up and say to themselves "oh yeah, that sounds familiar." It's so much easier to get invested because of this. Familiarity breeds comfort.
Versatility: I'm thinking of one character in particular with this thought. Jonas Strand Gravli's character is the wild card of the show and he does a phenomenal job and giving you multiple looks into his personality, thought processes and emotional shifts. Much like how I loved Jesper from Shadow and Bone's portrayal (read my review of the show here) I cannot speak highly enough of the job that Gravli did with this role. I could watch the show for his character and no other reason.
Who doesn't love a good mythology? Seriously, stories of war, celebration, drinking, more war, sex, war, supernatural powers, and did I mention war? Greek mythology may be the most commonly referred to in American culture, but Norse mythology is just as, if not more fun to hear about. Maybe I'm just a geek for this kind of stuff, and so what if I am? It's awesome and I won't be told otherwise.
It doesn't shy away from real life. While the show does hide real world problems in the scope of a war between gods and giants, it still pushes it to the front of the plotlines. This way the show is both fun, but also demonstrates the importance of being a good human to the world as well. It can be fun, and responsible at the same time. Wait... I'm enjoying that a show demonstrates responsibility on an entertaining level? Agh I really am getting old here. Someone pour me a mead!
Conclusion:
Ragnarok doesn't have ground breaking acting like some shows that I love, but that doesn't matter. It's a fun show with a solid storyline, good twists and turns, and keeps your attention. So what are you waiting for? Go give it a watch and tell me what you think!
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