Exclusive: The third season of the spoof Viking series Norsemen produced by Norway’s Viafilm should reach Netflix’s global viewers this fall.

Between February and early May, more than 640,000 average viewers (TSR) watched the Norwegian version Vikingane season 3 on NRK’s platforms. Its English-language version Norsemen will soon reach Netflix’s 183 million global viewers.

Hailed by most Norwegian media outlets as ‘the best season’, with more subtle humour, based on the characters’ weaknesses and views on life, the third instalment is in fact a prequel, or a ‘season 0’, as co-writers/directors Jonas Torgersen and Jon Iver Helgaker explained. 

“We actually wrote the first draft of season 3 - which is the chronological sequel to season 2, and were quite happy with it. The problem was that we started to explore all the past history of our characters, and noticed that we laughed more than with what we had already written. Questions like “why is Jarl Varg [the rival chieftain, played by Jon Øigarden] evil, and why are Frøya (Silje Torp) and Orm [Kåre Konradi] married” came up. And when we first opened that door, there seemed to be no way back, so we threw everything we had written and started over with season 0,” said the creators. 

Discussing the challenge of a prequel, Torgersen and Helgaker said: “the big problem with writing a prequel is that everyone knows how it ends. So how do you manage to create a tension in the season when the answer lies at the start of season 1? That was really the biggest challenge, but we are very happy with how this season takes us into season 1. It feels very natural. And it’s so much fun that we introduced more niche characters into our universe, which is clearly a natural part of [a possible] season 4.”

Viafilm managing director and producer Anders Tangen added: “It’s hard to do a prequel as you have to plan jokes that we see in the following seasons. But I feel we’ve taken on board everything we’ve learned from the first two seasons and created ‘the best of the best’ with this new season. The strength of Norsemen also lies in the great ensemble cast, and here we have many new faces, among Norway’s biggest string of actors,” he said.

New actors include Jakob Oftebro (Agent Hamilton), Thorbjørn Harr (Vikings), Pia Tjelta (State of Happiness, Blind Spot), Jan Sælid (Aber Bergen, One Night), Per Christian Eliefsen (Elling) and Ellen Horn (Next Summer, The Bothersome Man).

Tangen confirmed that a fourth season is being discussed with NRK.

The producer who master-minded the dual-language concept, inaugurated with Norsemen, has another screen antidote to the Covid-19 stressful era in the series Magnus by actor/creator Vidar Magnussen. The Norwegian version commissioned by NRK, world premiered at Canneseries 2019 and won Best Nordic Comedy series at Oslo’s Series Days 2019.

The English-language version is finally available, with Hat Trick International handling global sales, together with the show's original version. 

The series was launched late February in a dubbed version on France’s SerieClub (co-owned by M6/TF1) and was praised in the French press for its quirky screwy humour. The sci-fi crime comedy tells of the Inspector Clouseau-like detective Magnus (Magnussen), on a quest to solve a murder with his suicidal police partner (Pål Rønning) and a young bullied neighbour.

In an interview with us (CLICK HERE) Magnussen (who plays six characters) said he was inspired for the show by Peter Sellers, the series Atlanta and Rick & Morty.

Tangen says he is confident the English version will attract major broadcasters/platforms. “Magnus is an unusual comedy show, but we’ve edited it for the international market with a faster pace and shorter version. Due to Covid-19, broadcasters need new content to fill their slots, emptied of sports events. The timing is just right," he says.

The producer is also re-launching on the international market the award-winning comedy series DAG featuring the misanthropic relationship counsellor starring Atle Antonsen. “Season 4 premiered in 2015 - the entire creative team behind the series feels it’s time to do a season 5”, says Tangen who is also looking for partners for a US remake, together with co-creators Øysten Karlsen (Exit, One Night) and Kristopher Schau (One Night).  

Viafilm also signed a deal with US producer and entrepreneur Ben Silverman (Propogate), to create with Paris-based Federation Entertainment, a US remake of the Norwegian romantic comedy One Night.