Katla premiered on Netflix in June of 2021 and it’s an Icelandic mystery drama that barely grazes the sci-fi genre with underlying basis of mythic folklore. It’s unique and relies on a slow burn of intimate interpersonal drama laced into the reveal of this high concept mystery to sustain the interest of the audience. And it does sustain. At least, for me and my wife.

Within the first episode we are introduced to a cast of characters living… or, I should say, surviving on the mainland of Iceland a full year after a near cataclysmic eruption from the namesake volcano, Katla, that is still ongoing. Most of the residents have been evacuated but life goes on for a small group of folks including the local sheriff and his family, a group of emergency personnel, and some research scientists authorized to continue environmental studies around the volcano. So, with this cast of characters on this island crucible, we have the makings of a cozy mystery that Agatha Christie would be proud of. But, don’t let that mislead you. Icelandic drama is so much bleaker than a cozy mystery.

A word of warning, the entire show deals with themes of grief, suicide, and past regrettable choices. It’s certainly for mature audiences and when something like a death scene occurs it’s dealt with very realistically unlike, say, a summer action blockbuster.

By the end of the first episode, we discover that the ash laden soil seems to be bringing the long-lost back to life, including a 20 something woman that is believed to have died in the volcanic eruption a year earlier AND another Swedish woman who hasn’t been in Iceland for 20 years. This woman didn’t even die. It’s like a copy of her just emerges from the black soil with all the memories of her life from 20 years prior and she hasn’t aged a day. That’s just episode number 1.

By episode 4, I was still hooked but couldn’t tell you where the story was going to go. In most TV shows… or most American and British TV shows, you see where the premise is going by the end of episode 2 … you just get to enjoy watching it unfold. With Katla, I couldn’t tell you how the concept was going to unfold until the very last episode.

HIGHLIGHTS

· The concept is fantastic if you can hang on. Let the slow burn do it’s thing and enjoy the mystery. You’ll be asking what is happening plenty… just watch it play out.

· The scenery. Breathtaking and moody shots are everywhere. Even the most mundane scenes are backed by black beaches and fierce thunderstorms.

BONES TO PICK

· The pacing of some scenes are slow for American/British audiences. This may not be a fault of the directing or acting as much as it is a cultural norm in Scandinavian countries. Conversation can take its time and thoughtful pauses are relished over there while American’s constantly need to fill the silences even with affirming dialogue that tells the other person you are listening …by talking over them (Uh huh. Yep! Exactly. I know what you mean.)

· In the last two episodes there are scenes where the actions of the main character just don’t seem to make sense. You know, where the big conflict could be resolved if they’d just walk into the next room and say something… literally walk in the room and say anything and the confusion will be resolved, but no, that’s not what the character decides to do so the conflict continues. This is where I say “the writing is showing” and it shouldn’t be.

o Strangely, this inaction that I might ascribe as a fault of the writing could more likely be a prescribed character development that I cannot get in detail about without revealing serious spoilers. So, maybe the bone-to-pick is not a minor problem with the writing of a few scenes but a larger issue I have with the characters and themes of the show.

SUMMARY

Even with a few hang ups I have with the character choices at the conclusion of the season, Katla is a unique, worthwhile, and bleak story that is really well told. It’s hard for me to give this a number rating or even simply say, “I liked it.” All I can say is, Katla is a quality story that weaves heavy human drama with Icelandic folktale and I’m glad I watched it.

Katla - A Review