Netflix's 3-Part Norse Historical Drama Is Even Better Than Vikings

Published Sep 1, 2026, 8:30 PM EDT Adrienne Tyler is a movies & TV features writer, with a focus on horror. She has written for Netflix, FanSided, & more. She was a regular guest on the Netfreaks podcast and was a YouTuber at some point. Guillermo del Toro said “hi” to her once. Netflix is home to a three-part Norse historical drama series that ended up being better than Vikings. The genre of historical dramas on TV has gained a lot of force in the last two decades, becoming one of the most popular ones. The list of the best TV shows of all time includes different historical dramas, such as Band of Brothers, Rome, Chernobyl, and The Crown, all of them covering different topics, subjects, and with different tones. In 2013, a new branch of historical dramas gained notoriety thanks to the show Vikings, created by Michael Hirst. Inspired by the sagas of the legendary Viking figure Ragnar Lodbrok, Vikings aired on History Channel and Prime Video for six seasons from 2013 to 2021. Vikings quickly became one of the best historical drama shows of all time, and even though it gave closure to all its main characters, it got a sequel series on Netflix titled Vikings: Valhalla. Created by Jeb Stuart, Vikings: Valhalla premiered on Netflix in 2022 and ended in 2024 after three seasons. Vikings: Valhalla was a critical success, currently holding a 90% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, though, just like the main show, it was criticized for its historical inaccuracies and changes. Still, Vikings: Valhalla is one of the best historical dramas in recent years, and was even better than Vikings. Vikings: Valhalla Told Some Of The Best Stories From The Viking Age Vikings: Valhalla is set over a century after the finale of Vikings, and as such, it doesn’t feature any of the characters who made it to the end of the original series, but it does include characters related to them. The triggering event in Vikings: Valhalla is the St. Brice’s Day massacre, after which King Canute of Denmark (Bradley Freegard) recruits Viking warriors to plan revenge against the English. Among those joining the plan are Harald Sigurdsson (Leo Sutter) and his half-brother Olaf Haraldsson (Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson), both looking to take the throne of Norway. Joining them shortly after is Leif Eriksson (Sam Corlett), who finds his true calling throughout his journey with the rest, while his sister, Freydís Eiríksdóttir (Frida Gustavsson), goes on a personal journey to find her destiny. Also part of the story are Queen Emma (Laura Berlin) and Earl Godwin (David Oakes), who go through their own dose of drama, betrayal, and chaos. Vikings: Valhalla also covers the conflict between Christian Vikings and pagan Vikings, as well as the events that marked the beginning of the end of the Viking Age. The most notable story from Vikings: Valhalla is that of Leif Eriksson, who the audience sees go from a wandering Viking to finding his true calling and learning everything he can to go on the most important journey of his life. There’s also the story of Harald Sigurdsson and everything he goes through to become King of Norway, including his almost deadly time in Constantinople. The stories of Queen Emma and Earl Godwin are also quite interesting, as there’s a lot of manipulation, betrayal, and strategic moves to seize the throne of England. One of the most fascinating parts of Vikings: Valhalla is the Christians and pagans conflict, with some characters being fiercely loyal to their beliefs, others changing sides, and others bringing both worlds together. Vikings: Valhalla feels a lot richer, better structured, and cohesive than Vikings, with a perfect balance of action scenes, drama, and plenty of twists. What Happened After Vikings: Valhalla Finale? Unfortunately, three seasons weren’t enough for Vikings: Valhalla, and it was only getting started on the best and most exciting stories of its characters when it reached its end – and, as a result, it left too many loose ends. The real Leif Erikson was the first European to set foot on continental America, but Vikings: Valhalla ended before that, with Leif and Freydis setting out to the Golden Land, a.k.a. North America. Vikings: Valhalla ended with Harald claiming himself the only King of Norway, but the audience never got to see how cruel he ended up being. Over in England, drama was only getting started after Canute’s death, with his eldest son, his father, Emma, and Godwin looking to take the throne whichever way they could. As for Freydis, she left with Leif, but her son, Harald Jr., was left behind after being taken by her father, Erik the Red, and found by Stigr. Vikings: Valhalla ending after just three seasons was disappointing, but that doesn’t make everything that happens in those three seasons any less interesting, engaging, and exciting, and, on the bright side, it makes it a lot more rewatchable. Release Date 2022 - 2024-00-00 Showrunner Jeb Stuart Directors Niels Arden Oplev Cast Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson Writers Jeb Stuart, Michael Hirst