THE PLOT THUS FAR
A new comedy-drama about four brothers who just happen to be descended from Norse Gods.
Meet the Johnsons: responsible Mike, smooth-talking Anders, cool and reserved Ty, and fun-loving youngest brother Axl. But these four guys are far from ordinary. Upon turning 21, each brother secretly became a Norse god with his own powers, except that their powers are not all that powerful anymore.
With guidance from the family oracle (their eternally young grandfather Olaf) and with the help of his brothers, Axl, as the human incarnation of Odin, god of wisdom, victory, and magic, must embark upon his life’s quest, to find Frigg, his beloved. The family prophecy states that only when Odin and Frigg are reunited will the house of Asgard be rebuilt and the Gods will rule again unless their nemeses, the power-hungry Goddesses, can stop the Johnsons and find Frigg first! This drama is set in New Zealand. This program includes material that may not be appropriate for younger viewers. Viewer discretion is advised. May contain suggestive dialogue, coarse language, sexual content and violence.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“The Almighty Johnsons” is a New Zealand show with a small, but loving fanbase. They made the jump to American airwaves in July, but I seemed to have missed this as I stopped watching SyFy ages ago. After watching the first episode, the fault in that is squarely on my shoulders. While the premise is simple, the execution is simply engaging. The spirits of Norse Gods have left Europe and moved way down South. After possessing four brothers, the newly powered family works through their new personas to try and make their new lives work.
The Norse Gods are a weird fit for New Zealand, but it’s neat to see how it ended up gelling together. There are the typical super type issues. My powers don’t let me touch you or my powers turn me into a loner. I don’t know what the big deal is about this season being unedited. I don’t notice any major cuts throughout the ten episodes. Maybe, they were trying to trim material from Olaf. Also, I noticed the “Whale Rider” influence so much more in the later parts of the season. Plus, Keisha Castle-Hughes shows up. I love her and I wish she did more acting!
The Blu-Ray comes with commentary on the first episode and a bonus cast interview as the special features. The A/V Quality is superb when compared to the early disc I reviewed a week or so ago. The 1080p transfer blows away the SyFy broadcast. The 2.0 audio track reads as PCM, but it seems like a lossy Dolby. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase.
RELEASE DATE: 10/07/2014