Don't Hit Play Unless You're Ready To Binge: Zack Snyder's Action Fantasy Series Is Irresistible

Right, so Zack Snyder – the man forever synonymous with slow-mo punches and visually overcooked comic book adaptations – used to be a real snob about television. Cast your mind back to 2009: Snyder was dead set on Watchmen being a film, not a HBO miniseries, swatting off the idea that telly simply couldn’t deliver the scale or polish he was after. His words, not mine – he basically reckoned TV budgets and the episodic format would be a straightjacket. Flash forward to the Netflix era, and just look at him now, singing telly’s praises and wading into the world of streaming with his first proper series.

During a 2023 chinwag on The Pizza Film School Podcast – yes, that is what it’s actually called – hosted by the Russo Brothers, Snyder was practically gushing. In his own words:

'I think we’re in a real golden age of TV in the sense that TV shows are much better at showing you something that you’ve never seen before or catching you off balance or making a turn that you didn’t see coming… They’re way riskier.'

So, when Netflix rolled out Twilight of the Gods in 2024 – an animated fantasy series, no less – I wasn’t remotely surprised. Snyder loves a bit of grandeur, and with this, he’s finally gone full Norse myth geek. The show sprawls across eight episodes, all lavish in a way you probably wouldn’t expect from a typical animated mythfest. If you’ve ever fancied seeing familiar names like Thor and Loki done differently, you’re in for something genuinely meaty.

Thor and Loki Throw Down… But Not Quite How You’d Think

Let’s get one thing out of the way: if your mental image of Thor and Loki involves a couple of Marvel lads bantering in a pub, this is not that. The series leans hard into Norse legend, but Snyder and his co-creator Jay Olivia (who’s previously tackled Man of Steel and Batman v Superman with him) have changed the recipe.

• Sigrid – a half-giant, created just for this series, finds her wedding gatecrashed by Thor and Baldr, who are on the hunt for the escaped frost giant, Loki.
• The gods reckon Loki’s hiding out locally, but when the mortals protest that they’ve no clue, Thor’s answer is to murder the lot – subtlety clearly not his strong suit in this version.
• Sigrid, reasonably miffed about the mass slaughter of her clan, vows revenge and then gets a ghostly invite from Loki himself, who’s more than willing to help her out.

The big twist: this Thor isn’t Marvel’s golden-haired himbo. Snyder’s Thor is an arrogant, violent powerhouse – actually closer to the Old Norse stories, but, if anything, even less likeable. Baldr is with him, also an Aesir god, and Loki is still up to tricks (naturally). Sigrid and her lover Leif – another series original – bring a bit of unpredictability. No idea what will happen next, and for once it’s not just empty hype.

Production: Pure Snyder, But It Actually Works

Snyder has a reputation, for better or worse, for doing things Big. It’s been said he’ll chop his films into a thousand pieces, slap them back together, and occasionally create a story no human being can follow. Yet, with Twilight of the Gods, he shows surprising restraint.

He directed only the opener and closer – and honestly, they’re properly brilliant. Magical, even. The show’s a love letter to Norse drama with a blend of brutal action and surprisingly sharp writing. He goes for mythic visuals without making it look like a PlayStation cutscene. And, unusually for Snyder, he actually nails the emotional notes.

The voice talent is superb. Hakeem Kae-Kazim stands out as Baldr – if you ask me, an actor long overdue for more attention. Remember him from 24, Dynasty, or Black Sails? Exactly. Pilou Asbæk, best known as Euron Greyjoy on Game of Thrones, gives us a wonderfully boorish Thor. John Noble pops up as Odin, bringing that haunted gravitas you’ll remember from The Lord of the Rings (Denethor, of course). Oh, and Hans Zimmer takes care of the music; say what you like about modern telly, but when Zimmer’s name is in the credits, you know your ears are in for a good time.

Not Your Average Norse Knock-off

Everyone loves a good Viking yarn, but most film or TV takes on Norse myth tend to feel like empty spectacle – a storm of axes, then nothing much else. Twilight of the Gods actually has some weight behind it. There’s a real sense of desperation as everyone fights for survival, and – much to my surprise – the show dives into proper commentary on power and faith instead of dodging any big ideas.

Instead of making the Aesir your run-of-the-mill heroes, Snyder drags them down to earth (well, slightly above everyone else – they’re gods, after all), making them out-of-touch, almost despotic. It’s a clever jab at unchecked authority, and, unlike some superhero fare, it actually sticks. Even bolder: the society here is completely dominated by religion. People worship the gods without question, and that has very real (and ugly) consequences.

There’s even a nod to mental health, which you never get in standard myth retellings. Sigrid, having witnessed her loved ones wiped out, gets a raw deal with anhedonia (the joyless state linked to depression). It’s a proper theme, not a throwaway mention. Snyder, not usually known for subtlety, actually pulls it off.

Cast

• Pilou Asbæk as Thor
• Hakeem Kae-Kazim as Baldr
• John Noble as Odin
• Others: (full supporting list not detailed in original source)
• Hans Zimmer – composer