Valkyrien

I added the «comedy» tag to this series. Originally the description read «drama», but it's so much more than that: if you watch this series, you'll (hopefully) notice how funny, smart and unpredictably original its dialogue is. Generally, I'm not a fan of any actor, I rather believe in good casting. Yet I need to mention that Pal Sverre Hagen does (again) a magnificent job. He appeared on my radar while watching «Kraftidioten» (English: «In order of disappearance»), a movie in which he plays a psychopathic drug dealer in an incredibly humoristic fashion. The story of Valkyrien may be a little farfetched, personally I think it's exceptionally original in its writing. It is very off beat, unpredictable, even philosophical. In short: very smart and funny. All actors are very well cast and do a marvelous job. Superb writing and a must see if you're in for something original.

If you are looking for playful and exciting entertainment but don't care about medical or scientific impossibilities, then you can manage to get through this series. I guess the creators of the series thought that if the show is entertaining enough, people wont focus on the medical impossibilities that litter the show e.g operating on people with anesthesia, two doctors who seem to specialize in everything under the sun etc. You also have to put up with the usual moralizing about global events (climate change, pharmaceutical companies, health care)that is fairly common in Danish and Norwegian movies, and to a lesser extent in Swedish series. So, if you can ignore the scientific silliness and just go on a crazy roller coaster ride for the entertainment, this series is for you. If there's a second season, I'll probably watch it but after a while I fear that the sheer impossibility of the plot events may just cause me to lose interest.

This series starts off as a boring and predictable series. Some Doctor doing the "Frankenstein" piece.

But its nothing like that. The story line is a mix of "yeah, so what", and "hey! these are great characters". Leif is a standout - his humoristic attitude, yet involved in a series of events which is totally novel, and set in the fictitious(?) caves under Oslo.

I think all the acting is brilliant - and the script is simply, not predictable.

I was so concerned to start watching this, but I am so glad I did.

Beyond thrilling and dramatic with superb acting, very very interesting plots and awesome realism, but going downhill by episode 6 until the end, losing its wonderful dramatic tightness and adding many not-credible and "soap-opera" sub-plots.

Valkyrien had definitively potential and driving force for a second season. My main feeling is sadness after the joy, thrill and entertainment that it brought me.

Wish it had 4-5 episodes more, tying some loose ends and bringing real closure for a one-season series.

• Screenplay/story: 9
• Development: 8.5
• Realism: 9
• Entertainment: 9.5
• Acting: 9
• Filming/cinematography: 8.8
• Visuals/special effects: 8.5
• Music/score: 9
• Depth: 9
• Logic: 7
• Flow: 9.5
• Thrill/drama: 8.5
• Ending/closure: 7.

I was hesitant about starting this series because the teaser didn't make it sound interesting. But I got hooked and found it was entertaining. If you're a stickler for believability you will probably have some issues with the story. But the characters are likeable and plot twists will keep your attention.