The Almighty Johnsons

I'm impressed that the majority of reviews so far have been from outside New Zealand - good on you for giving it a go! The storyline is interesting, most of the acting is great - if a little flat from some of the younger guys, especially Odin.

I recommend it, if you're not from NZ you may not understand all the humour (it is similar in a sense to Outrageous Fortune - another Kiwi production) - but it's enjoyable nonetheless.

I'm not going to go into the plot, as others before me have summed it up nicely. I'm just going to add a few comments.

With regard to Odin not being charismatic - he's a 21 year old male, part of the storyline is for him to find himself, to grow up if you will. I don't know exactly what it's like in other countries, but I think this is one of the best depictions of an average 21 year old out there. He's awkward, still trying to find his place in the REAL world and now he has the 'you're a God' thrown in on top. Given the acting is a little flat at times, I think it often fits.

Also, I'm glad samiester is enjoying the show, but Netball is not the Kiwi version of Volleyball - it's a completely different game. Called Netball :)

The Oracles are brilliant. I think Olaf brings a life and humour to the show.

All in all the show is not about Gods and Super powers, it's a drama about how the family reacts to each given situation. It brings it down from the likes of Heroes and Supernatural and gives it a life of it's own.

This show is really well put together. It is a perfect blend of fantasy and reality and explores Norse mythology in a compelling way. The main premise is that four brothers belong to a family of people that are living reincarnations of Norse gods. Upon his 21st birthday, Axl finds himself being told that he is Odin the All-Father, and is given a quest to find his Frigg. All four brothers - Ty, Mike, Axl and Anders - have distinct personalities. Alongside the main story line, the show also deals with how Gods interact with mortals and the grey-area that is prophecy.

This is a great show that is witty and quirky. There is quite a bit of nudity, but overall the characters drive the action forward and the mythological elements keep things interesting.

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.

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.

Why on earth does IMDb display one of the few poor instead of the many positive reviews of this series on the main page for this show?

I came to the Almighty Johnsons after watching an ad for the show on Sky and thought "why not? I'll check it out". The show easily lived up to all my hopes and expectations. Starting off lowish budget but with brilliant acting and storytelling with action and comedy easily worthy of the Norse legends it parodies.

Olaf and Anders provide the comic relief whilst Mikkel and Axl provide the main, straight performances that move the story along. Ty is the dark one of the brothers, whose character becomes so much more so in the second series.

Don't believe the haters, try it for yourself. If you are looking for intelligent drama/fantasy with a dedicated, well acted cast then you could be in with a winner here.