Modern Norway, Oslo. A few years ago, aliens from the past began to appear in the city, and from certain time periods: cavemen, Vikings and the aristocracy of the 19th century. They come from the ocean: there is some kind of green flash, after which people begin to float to the surface. What kind of portals are these in time – no one can understand.
However, the aliens have already arrived, they are already living in the 21st century and are slowly beginning to adapt to life in modern Norway. Moreover, as it usually happens with migrants, some socialize and join the life of society, others try to maintain their traditional way of life, and still others are engaged in various crimes.
In the center of events – two police detectives who are investigating the murder of a girl from the past. The first detective is named Lars Haaland (Nikolai Cleve Brock). Lars is in some depression: his wife left him and went to an aristocrat from the 19th century. As a result, Lars is addicted to a drug that is given to aliens – this helps them survive the shock of time travel. So far, no one in the precinct knows that Lars is a drug addict, and he carefully hides this.
Lars’ partner is Alhildra Erginsdottir (Krista Kosonen). She came to this world from the time of the Vikings. Alhildra socialized well, graduated from police school, and was accepted into service at the police station where Lars works. Alhildra is the first police officer in this precinct from other times. She is a warrior, a shield bearer. But soldiers are not taken to the police, so she wrote in the documents that she was the wife of a farmer.
During the investigation, Lars and Alhildra will come across several criminal communities, in which people from the past also take part.
Also, Alhildre will meet several of her old acquaintances – both old enemies and former girlfriends, among whom is the battle shield-bearer Urd (Augusta Eva Erlendsdouttir).
***
It’s a great idea – in a detective story to show modern Norway, inhabited by migrants, and migrants from the past. However, what are they, in fact, migrants? They are indigenous people. They just arrived from another time, that’s all. And they can claim this land in the same way as modern Norwegians.
And if you imagine what could really happen if this took place in real life – well, then, most likely, everything would happen, as shown in the series. And the locals would gradually get used to the fact that people from different centuries now live among them, and the newcomers would gradually adapt, and some of them would continue to live the way they used to.
Alhildra performed by Krista Kosonen turned out to be quite spectacular. But it was hard to believe that she was a shield-bearing warrior. The creators of the series focused more on all sorts of fun related to the fact that she still does not understand everything in this modern life. But the actress is good.
But who really is a shield-bearing warrior with the proper level of berserker madness is the rampaging Urd, who was perfectly played by Augusta Eva Erlendsdouttir. The brightest character, one of the best in the first season!
Lars, played by Nikolai Cleve Brock, is so slightly amorphous. Depressive, almost constantly in a slight euphoria from the drug. However, a professional in his field and conducts an investigation quite effectively, especially since Alkhildra helps him in many ways.
In addition to the fascinating detective component, the storylines associated with a variety of aliens are very interesting here. A caveman who hunts rabbits with his bare hands and eats them raw: he lives in a posh house and supplies prostitutes to a brothel run by a mannered aristocrat from the 19th century.
A Viking who works as a simple courier, who is actually a great warrior, only he remembers almost nothing from his old life. But Alhildra and Urd know well who he is.
It also perfectly demonstrates the life of aliens in modern Oslo: settlements where people are trying to live the way they used to be, specialized bars for Vikings and entertainment for Vikings – all this looks very exciting.
I really enjoyed the first season and can’t wait for the second. (There is no word yet on whether it is being removed or not.)
I did not find this series in Norwegian with subtitles, only versions with voice over come across. I looked in the Gears Media translation – well, it seems to have been decently translated and voiced.
Aliens from the past / Beforeigners serie meaning
Directed by: Jens Lien Cast: Nikolai Kleve Brock, Augusta Eva Erlendsdouttir, Krista Kosonen, Stig Er Amdam, Ellie Harboa, Jeppe Beck Leursen, Ingunn Joijen
Series, Norway, 2018, 45 min. 6 episodes