Valkyrien

Norwegian television series

  • Thriller
  • Medical drama
  • Crime drama
Created byErik Richter StrandWritten by
  • Erik Richter Strand
  • Thomas Seeberg Torjussen
  • Bjørn Ekeberg
  • Katherine Valen Zeiner
Directed byErik Richter StrandStarringComposerMarius ChristiansenCountry of originNorwayOriginal languageNorwegianNo. of series1No. of episodes8ProductionExecutive producerTone RønningProducers
  • Nina B. Andersson
  • Eric Vogel
  • Ronnie Fridthjof
CinematographyJohan-Fredrik BodtkerEditors
  • Anders Bergland
  • Simen Gengenbach
Camera setupMulti-cameraRunning time45 minutesProduction companies
  • Tordenfilm AS
  • Fridthjof Film
BudgetNOK 65 million (USD 8.2 million; GBP 6.4 million)[1]Original releaseNetworkNRK1Release1 January (2017-01-01) –
12 February 2017 (2017-02-12)

Valkyrien (English: Valkyrie) is a 2017 Norwegian TV series first broadcast by NRK1.[2] The series combines elements of the "Scandi noir" school of television with medical drama, crime drama and "a palpable sense of the paranoia induced by operating on the edges of society", drawing favorable comparisons with AMC's Breaking Bad.[3][4][5]

It was named after the closed metro station Valkyrien in Oslo.

Premise

Surgeon Ravn Eikanger becomes furious when his supervisors do not allow him to test experimental medical procedures on his dying wife. In desperation, Eikander fakes her death as an apparent suicide and brings her to a makeshift clinic in the abandoned subway station Valkyrie. He is aided by Leif Lien, a paranoid prepper, who allows Ravn stay hidden if he operates an underground hospital where those who do not trust the Norwegian health care services can seek help.

Cast and characters

  • Sven Nordin as Ravn Eikanger – a brilliant surgeon who has become disillusioned and embittered after colleagues refused to allow his terminally ill wife to undergo an untested experimental treatment.
  • Pål Sverre Hagen as Leif Lien – a "doomsday prepper" and a Chief Technical Officer with the Sivilforsvaret—Norway's civil defence agency—responsible for the security and maintenance of a network of Cold War-era bunkers beneath Oslo.
  • Pia Halvorsen as Vilma Eikanger – Ravn's wife, a neuroimmunologist working to develop a bacteriophage for use as an antibiotic in humans.
  • Ellen-Birgitte Winther as Unn Vikebø – a former colleague of Ravn and Vilma at the Oslo University Hospital.
  • Mikkel Bratt Silset as Teodor "Teo" Naustvik – Leif's friend, wanted by the police for his part in a bungled bank robbery and on the run with NOK 62 million (EUR 6.7 million; USD 7.8 million; GBP 6 million).
  • Gine Cornelia Pedersen as Marit Naustvik – Teo's pregnant wife.
  • Laila Goody as Grethe – the head of Vilma's research team at Oslo University Hospital.
  • Ameli Isungset Agbota as Siv – Vilma's daughter.
  • Joachim Rafaelsen as Per Olav – a police officer determined to track down Teo.
  • Svein Harry Schöttker Hauge as the prison guard.

Episode list

Series 1 (2017)

# Title Directed by Written by Original air date
1"Undergrunnen (The Underground)"[6]Erik Richter StrandErik Richter Strand, Thomas Torjussen1 January 2017 (2017-01-01)
2"Styx"[6]Erik Richter StrandErik Richter Strand, Thomas Torjussen1 January 2017 (2017-01-01)
3"Vinn Vinn (Win Win)"[6]Erik Richter StrandErik Richter Strand, Thomas Torjussen8 January 2017 (2017-01-08)
4"Pro Bono Publico"[6]Erik Richter StrandErik Richter Strand, Bjørn Ekeberg15 January 2017 (2017-01-15)
5"TEOTWAWKI"[6]Erik Richter StrandKathrine Valen Zeiner22 January 2017 (2017-01-22)
6"Blindgjenger (UXO)"[6]Erik Richter StrandBjørn Ekeberg29 January 2017 (2017-01-29)
7"Post Mortem"[6]Erik Richter StrandErik Richter Strand, Kathrine Valen Zeiner5 February 2017 (2017-02-05)
8"SHTF"[6]Erik Richter StrandErik Richter Strand, Bjørn Ekeberg12 February 2017 (2017-02-12)

Remake

Mark Strong stars in a British remake of Valkyrien set in London named Temple which first aired on Sky One in the UK in September 2019 and was produced by Hera Pictures.

References

  1. ^ "Norwegian TV Goes Underground With Valkyrien". Nordic Drama. 27 October 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  2. ^ Armstrong, Stephen (13 August 2017). "APOCALYPSE NOW: Scandi noir just got even darker with this dystopian drama". The Sunday Times. London. p. 17.
  3. ^ Tate, Gabriel (14 August 2017). "A new genre is born: the Scandi-medi-noir". The Times. London. p. 10.
  4. ^ Bennion, Chris (12 August 2017). "Critic's choice: Valkyrien". The Times. London. p. 28.
  5. ^ "Valkyrien: One heck of a ride". The Sunday Times. London. 13 August 2017. p. 44.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h "Valkyrien: Episode Guide". Channel 4. August 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  • Valkyrien at IMDb