By TJ Murphy ‘20

Netflix is supposed to be about convenience, so you can imagine my frustration when I would sit on my couch and spend more time browsing for movies than I would spend watching the movies.

After skimming a seemingly endless sea of movies and TV shows, the word “Ragnarok” caught my eye. I clicked on the title and without knowing what it was about, I started watching.

When it comes to TV shows, I have the bar set high; not only did “Ragnarok” meet my expectations, it exceeded them. The creators were able to successfully apply old stories to new concepts by creating this “what-if” universe where Norse mythology existed and played a role in today’s world.

“Ragnarok” follows a family that moves back into their old Norwegian town, one that struggles with pollution and poverty. The town has been on a downward slope, and as time goes by, the problems are getting more and more urgent.

What made “Ragnarok” so interesting was the way that the creators had no problem with making the show dark. It doesn’t get to any crazy dramatic depths, but it’s definitely not for kids. It hits on things you don’t expect, especially things you wouldn’t expect on the first episode or two.

This show forces you to feel with the characters. Just as you start to learn more about the characters and their relationships, you also experience the loss that they encounter, making you empathize with the characters and carry their burdens with you as you watch.

My personal favorite part of “Ragnarok” and the reason I appreciated it so much was that it subverted many tropes that most teenage supernatural TV shows have. The main character, Magne, had a realistic response to all the new situations he came across rather than an expected cliché reaction. I thoroughly enjoyed this because it made the show seem more original and less of a remake of other “hero vs. greater evil” movies or TV shows.

I had a few problems with this show. For one, it wasn’t in English. Since it was originally Norwegian, there is a voiceover in English and so the voices don’t sync up with the character’s lips. This was more of an annoyance than a problem, and it didn’t take long to get used to.

Another problem I had with this show was that it was too short. I thought that it ended very well and with few loose ends, but I just wish there was more to watch. The ending wasn’t a cliffhanger, but it showed that there was room for more, and I think that it will be interesting to see how the creators take it from here for Season 2.