Norsemen (TV series)

Norsemen takes place in 790s Norway, with various characters taking leading roles and forming their own storylines as the series develops. The story covers the lives of Vikings in the village of Norheim, with their day-to-day mundanities and strifes presented to high comedic effect. As the series progresses, disputes with neighbouring villages—such as a rival community led by the ruthless Jarl Varg—and the efforts of Roman slave Rufus to modernise and sophisticate Norheim's culture result in ongoing conflicts and dramas. ==Cast and characters==

• Henrik Mestad as Chieftain Olav, the leader of the village. He finds a route to sail west, and is in possession of a much-coveted map. • Marian Saastad Ottesen as Hildur, Olav's wife • Nils Jørgen Kaalstad as Arvid, the chieftain's second-in-command. He loves to go on raids but he also wants to settle in the village. • Kåre Conradi as Orm, Olav's closeted homosexual brother and husband of Frøya • Silje Torp as Frøya, a shield-maiden who joins in on raids and is married to Orm • Trond Fausa Aurvåg as Rufus, an enslaved actor from Rome who befriends Orm and plans to modernize the village • Øystein Martinsen as Kark, a freed slave who has voluntarily returned to his life as a slave after being institutionalized • Jon Øigarden as Jarl Varg, the regional overlord and main antagonist of the show • Kristine Riis as Liv, Arvid's gold digger wife • Bjørn Myrene as Torstein Hund, Varg's right-hand man • Mikkel Bratt Silset as Ragnar, Arvid's right-hand man • André Eriksen as Ørn, a local Viking • Thorbjørn Harr as Jarl Bjørn, Varg's former friend, turned enemy • Stig Frode Henriksen as Vebjørn ==Episodes==

Season 1 (2016) Season 2 (2017) Season 3 (2020) ==Reception and awards==

The first season averaged more than one million viewers in Norway, a country with a population of a little over five million. The New York Times called Norsemen one of the 10 best international TV series in 2017, and one of the best international TV shows of the decade. The Guardian ranked Norsemen the 29th best TV show of 2017. Norwegian writer Marie Kleve praised the parody violence and how it reflects stories from our time while the characters are living in the Viking era. The Guardian gave the show a glowing review, and described it as "Monty Python meets Game of Thrones." The first season of Norsemen won the Gullruten award in 2017 for Best Comedy Show, and it was also nominated for Best Sound Production (Peter Clausen and Erling Rein). The second season was also nominated, and season 3 won the Gullruten award in 2020 for Best Comedy Show, while Bjørn Myrene was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. ==References==