So I’m something of a sucker for historical pieces, particularly the swords-and-shields age. Granted, most of these shows deviate HARD from the historical facts, but more than a few series have cropped up over the last decade that tell interesting retellings of old legends and how they reshaped their contemporary worlds.

Showrunner Michael Hirst has carved out a niche in the genre, first with the acclaimed HBO series, “The Tudors” before following that up with the excellent “Vikings” series (which will be getting a write-up at a later date on why you should watch it). While Hirst is now working on the “Billy the Kid” series, his “Vikings” universe lives on in Jeb Stuart’s “Vikings: Valhalla”.

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Stuart’s “Vikings: Valhalla” takes places a century after the events of the “Vikings” saga, with much of the world being shaped in a way that long-time viewers can feel the original characters still echo on screen. Similar to how the original “Vikings” series drew loosely from the sagas of Ragnar Lothbrok, “Valhalla” is pulling much of its materials from the sagas of the famous Leif Eriksson and Harald Sigurdsson for inspiration. While the eight-episode season length does cause the story to be told a little too briskly and some moments to be blown through (most of these new TV S&S shows need ten episodes, but they all seem to get eight), overall they spin an intriguing yarn to lay the groundwork for future seasons.

The Netflix series is extremely well-produced, with a thick enough budget to craft a diverse and nuanced England and Norway. The cast lacks the type of star power other period and fantasy series have boasted over the years, but the audience is treated to numerous standout performances, particularly from Sam Corlett (Leif) and Frida Gustavsson (Freydis Eriksdotter). Leo Suter (who kind of strikes me as a Swedish reincarnation of Gene Kelly) has a wonderfully charismatic performance as Harald and Emily Berlin steals practically every scene she’s in as Queen Emma of Normandy. Like its predecessor, “Valhalla” builds up a world with rich, well-rounded characters with a wide array of conflicting beliefs and motives that push the narrative in unpredictable directions (shout outs to Johannes Johannesson and Caroline Henderson for crushing it as the Jarls Olaf and Haakon).

Now, I don’t like to get all spoilery when trying to explain why you should watch the show, but one of the core themes of the first season that I would like to talk about is the division of faith represented in the show. While the Vikings are looking to bring all kinds of wrath and vengeance down on Christian England for the St. Brice Day Massacre, we are introduced to the huge rift that was already occurring in Norwegian culture: the fall of the old Norse ways and the rise of Christianity. This division is a key wedge to much of the main plot, especially in regards to Freydis’ journey in season one, and is one of the strongest points of the show. It shows how zealotry and tolerance could be equally unifying and devastating to one’s cause.

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“Vikings: Valhalla” is the latest series to take advantage of the West’s renewed fascination with old Norse culture. Whether it’s streaming this show on Netflix, watching “The Northman” at your local cinema, or booting up “Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla” on your favorite console, we as a culture seem to have a Spartan-like obsession with the Vikings of old. So, while you wait eagerly for “The House of Dragons” or “Lord of the Rings” to drop this fall, take a few nights to experience “Valhalla” to scratch that epic itch you might be feeling.

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• How many seasons: 1
• Where you can stream it: Netflix
• Come for: The talented cast, excellent battle scenes
• Stay for: Viking vengeance