The Almighty Johnsons

So basically it does not have the production values of Supernatural or some other show from the US but I have been brought up on the cheap sets of Dr Who which requires a more interesting storyline and in that respect if you go into this show with low expectations you will actually end up impressed.

Going through the list of actors you can see that there is not much experience but they all pull together really well, I especially like Anders character as he adds a certain amount of lightness to the darker back stories and the Thor character from one episode was laugh out loud funny. I would certainly not classify this as a comedy but more of a light hearted supernatural drama.

I have just watch the first series through in three day and can't wait for the second season to air and really hope the good story pace and sharp writing is continued.

It took me ages to get to see this show and it has exceeded my expectations. As a comedy drama it works on both of those levels. The main characters are likeable and as a fan of Norse mythology, I like the dilemmas they face as modern day Aucklanders who happen to be the vessels of gods and goddesses. I can't praise the cast enough but Shane Cortese as Colin/Loki is wonderfully sleazy, and Ben Barrington as eternally young grandfather Olaf/Baldur is believable as the Johnson who uses getting stoned as a means of coping with immortality.There is pretty good character development and the myths are used as a good inspiration for some of the storylines. I'm almost through all three seasons and I will miss it when I have finished watching it, although I very much feel that it is a show that will go out on a high. Earlier episodes show that the budget may not have been huge, but everything else makes up for that and you can see it has been made with love.

This is a fun show. Where did the Norse gods go? As far from Europe as possible, of course - New Zealand! The unlikely premise, and the typical NZ down-to-earth way of dealing with things are a great combination.

This show is hard to classify - sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's dark, sometimes exciting, sometimes intriguing. Various mysteries pop up. Enemies become friends, and friends, enemies. Alliances are made & broken. Everyone has their own agenda.

At the center of all this is Axl, the youngest Johnston brother, just turned 21, feckless, reckless, unassertive and a bit slow on the uptake. Which makes it at first hilarious, then very very interesting when he discovers that he's the greatest Norse god of them all.

This is not a show you can watch 5 minutes or even 1 episode of & make a decision. It'll make no sense to you. You have to watch a few episodes, pick up the storyline & get to know the characters. Then it's worthwhile.

If you like your shows formulaic & predictable, it's definitely not for you. But if you like a character-driven story line with the occasional laugh and supernatural thrill thrown in, it's great. The characters react very naturally, like normal people in an extraordinary situation.

Love it.

As a Kiwi ex-pat, I occasionally watch some TV programs from back home to see what is happening. Sometimes they are OK, sometimes dire, but this is a real gem.

Great Kiwi humor, acting and story-line. I love this series! I have even introduced this to a few other Kiwi ex-pats, as well as other foreigners (including an American mate, who actually gets it)

To the Nay-sayers who dislike this program, I don't know what they are expecting or what they want. Perhaps another mass-produced American series ? there are loads of those.

This is original, and brilliant. I am so happy there is going to be a 3rd series!

Cheers

Other reviewers have compared it with several other shows - I think the most relevant comparisons are with Misfits and Northern Exposure. Don't expect a Heroes style epic adventure, the stories are on a smaller (more human) scale, but very engaging.

The character development is nicely handled and by the end of the season I was really interested in all the characters - even the ones that annoyed me at first.

Some of the acting is a bit soapy hence my lower rating but it's a great concept, well executed and the story gets better and better as it develops. I can't wait to see where they take it next season!

UPDATE: Having watched and re-watched all the episodes of the first 2 seasons and having just finished and digested watching season 3, I felt I really needed to update my review, written after watching season 1. I have upgraded my vote from a 7 to a 9. I only marked it down (from an 8) originally because I thought some of the acting a bit soapy, but on reflection it wasn't the acting, it was the lighting, and this improved by season 2. The stories are creative and compelling and human; the actors play their parts really well. It just gets better and better as the seasons progress. I was worried at the end of season 2 that it would jump the shark if it continued, but season three was just utterly AWESOME! That is what pulled it up to a 9. There are very, very few shows out there as good as this one. It ended beautifully, but with a sneaky little something to leave a door open to continue and I really, really hope they do.