Hem till Midgård
Encyclopedia
Hem till Midgård is a Swedish
sit-com which ran on TV4 in Sweden during 2003. It is currently being re-run on TV4 Komedi
. The name is a pun of the classic Swedish TV series Hem till byn
as well as Emmerdale
which is known as Hem till gården (Home to the farm) in Sweden.
The series was created and written by Per Simonsson, Fredde Granberg, Johan Petersson and Stefan Roos
. The later three also (among others) starred in the show. In total 2 seasons of 12 episodes each were produced before the show was canceled.
in Sweden, in a suburb of Birka
called Midgård, which is the last village in Sweden where people still believe in the old Norse gods. Meanwhile the real chieftain Snorre den Store (Snorre the Great, but with the alternative meaning "big penis") is away plundering in the Mediterranean. His youngest son Lillsnorre (Snorre the Lesser or "small penis") is in charge of the village, and forced to guard his father's Byzantine
thrall
Cassandra, who Lillsnorre also falls in love with.
The episodes usually feature Lillsnorre and his not so great men attempting a new scheme to get money (which they are notoriously short on), sometimes by Plundering and sometimes by more honest means, or Lillsnorre trying to impress Cassandra and outshine Rövhalt.
, for example "Baldur's balls", "Freya
's boob" and "Ymir
's giant ass".
; cannot stand the sea or see blood without vomiting violently. He is laughed at by his friends for the small genitals implied by his name. Although he is more intelligent than others, he is shy and cowardly, and cannot face an argument with Cassandra without stuttering,sweating and sometimes even crying. He is afraid to say openly that he and Cassandra are a couple, since his father would probably kill him if he found out. He has an ability to think up quick comebacks whenever Halvdan insults or questions him, often followed by a groin kick.
. A beautiful slave from Byzantium
(although her former boyfriend appeared to be Spanish
). She is Lillsnorre's girlfriend, and although she often assaults Lillsnorre when he does something stupid or appears (mostly by mistake) with another woman and bullies him about his penis size, they are in love. When Lillsnorre tries to argue with her, he shutters and barely succeeds in saying what he wants. She is very spoiled and must always have what she wants.
, he seems to have a learning disability
as he is often drooling and does not use words such as "you" or "I". Calling him dumb or insulting Lillsnorre (or annoying Tyke in general) is not a good idea as he may hit his adversary with his club. Lillsnorre does not look down upon him as he does with Runar or Halvdan, as he knows that hitting Tyke will result in fighting back, unlike Halvdan and Runar who only take their punishment. Instead Lillsnorre favours him as his best ally.
. His name means "Runar Pretty-Boy". Blond, tall and strong, he is known as the "sex machine from Mälaren", and prone to jumping into the sack with anything female (including the Queen of Sweden and Lillsnorre's mother) but he is utterly unintelligent. Lillsnorre often beats him when he asks stupid questions. Runar is the member of the group who ruins Lillsnorre's situations the most.
. His name means "Halvdan Blabbermouth". He is the considered the most annyoing member of the group, and his laugh sounds like a goat. He is the member who is least respected, Lillsnorre neglects to refer him as a member of the crew, and calls him Gunilla. Halvdan competes with Runar for his rank as sex machine, and Lillsnorre's rank as a chief because he is weak as a chief. However, Halvdan is the only member of the group that Lillsnorre can feel superior to, and is most often on the receiving end of his eye-pokes and groin kicks. Tyke also beats him up on a regular basis.
. Gammelman (name meaning "old man") is the (somewhat senile) elder of the Midgard village, he is a Aesir priest aged around 100. He is sexually kinky and often refers to the gods' sexual parts when he is talking about them. He uses unrecommended methods to heal people, such as pouring hot water in the anus of the king when he has toothache. He often intends to sacrifice
the monk Peter Nicolaus.
. A rich trader from Birka, he often tries to charm Cassandra. He received his name (which means "half-ass") because Snorre den Store cut his left buttock off when fighting over Cassandra in Byzantium. He often makes fun of Lillsnorre, but Lillsnorre does not dare retaliate because of Rövhalt's position. On the other hand, Gammelman, who is not afraid of anything, has called him "the man who takes half price for ham'" (due to the Swedish word "skinka" meaning both "ham" and "buttock" in English).
as a punishment for having sex with his younger sisters. He is picked on and threatened by Gammelman that he will be made a sacrificial victim. Cassandra is apparently his only defense, because she wants a Latin
teacher. He is called "Petter-niklas" (which is a nickname for "Penis") by Lillsnorre and the other vikings.
singlehanded, and raped half of Rome
. He has set to sea with his seven strongest sons, leaving Lillsnorre to guard Cassandra in Midgård.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
sit-com which ran on TV4 in Sweden during 2003. It is currently being re-run on TV4 Komedi
TV4 Komedi
TV4 Komedi is a sister subchannel of Swedish TV4, owned by TV4 AB. The channel focuses on comedy only with sitcoms, comedy shows and talk shows...
. The name is a pun of the classic Swedish TV series Hem till byn
Hem till byn
Hem till byn , written by Bengt Bratt , is Sweden's longest running TV series and one of its most popular...
as well as Emmerdale
Emmerdale
Emmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
which is known as Hem till gården (Home to the farm) in Sweden.
The series was created and written by Per Simonsson, Fredde Granberg, Johan Petersson and Stefan Roos
Stefan Roos
Klas Stefan Roos is a Swedish actor and screen writer.Roos finished NAMA in Stockholm 1993. He is married to the actress Elisabet Carlsson and together they have a daughter.-Filmography:*Mimmi och Mojje...
. The later three also (among others) starred in the show. In total 2 seasons of 12 episodes each were produced before the show was canceled.
Plot
The setting is 992992
Year 992 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Africa :* The Ghana Empire captures the Berber town of Awdaghost.- Europe :* Boleslaus I becomes Duke of Poland....
in Sweden, in a suburb of Birka
Birka
During the Viking Age, Birka , on the island of Björkö in Sweden, was an important trading center which handled goods from Scandinavia as well as Central and Eastern Europe and the Orient. Björkö is located in Lake Mälaren, 30 kilometers west of contemporary Stockholm, in the municipality of Ekerö...
called Midgård, which is the last village in Sweden where people still believe in the old Norse gods. Meanwhile the real chieftain Snorre den Store (Snorre the Great, but with the alternative meaning "big penis") is away plundering in the Mediterranean. His youngest son Lillsnorre (Snorre the Lesser or "small penis") is in charge of the village, and forced to guard his father's Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
thrall
Thrall
Thrall was the term for a serf or unfree servant in Scandinavian culture during the Viking Age.Thralls were the lowest in the social order and usually provided unskilled labor during the Viking era.-Etymology:...
Cassandra, who Lillsnorre also falls in love with.
The episodes usually feature Lillsnorre and his not so great men attempting a new scheme to get money (which they are notoriously short on), sometimes by Plundering and sometimes by more honest means, or Lillsnorre trying to impress Cassandra and outshine Rövhalt.
Style
The series are often considered childish as the episodes contain a lot of Toilet humor and vulgar language as well as plenty of face punches, groin kicks and eye pokes, often with an added sound effect. The swear words used are often with references to the Old Norse godsNorse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
, for example "Baldur's balls", "Freya
Freya
In Norse mythology, Freyja is a goddess associated with love, beauty, fertility, gold, seiðr, war, and death. Freyja is the owner of the necklace Brísingamen, rides a chariot driven by two cats, owns the boar Hildisvíni, possesses a cloak of falcon feathers, and, by her husband Óðr, is the mother...
's boob" and "Ymir
Ymir
In Norse mythology, Ymir, also called Aurgelmir among the giants themselves, was the founder of the race of frost giants and was later killed by the Borrs.-Etymology:...
's giant ass".
Lillsnorre
Portrayed by Fredde Granberg. The opposite of the stereotypical VikingViking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
; cannot stand the sea or see blood without vomiting violently. He is laughed at by his friends for the small genitals implied by his name. Although he is more intelligent than others, he is shy and cowardly, and cannot face an argument with Cassandra without stuttering,sweating and sometimes even crying. He is afraid to say openly that he and Cassandra are a couple, since his father would probably kill him if he found out. He has an ability to think up quick comebacks whenever Halvdan insults or questions him, often followed by a groin kick.
Cassandra
Portrayed by Sara SommerfeldSara Sommerfeld
Sara Anita Sommerfeld is a Swedish actress.Sara Sommerfeld was born in Sollentuna north of Stockholm. Her parents are Polish-Jewish immigrants who came to Sweden in 1968. Sara Sommerfeld started as a child actress at the age of ten...
. A beautiful slave from Byzantium
Byzantium
Byzantium was an ancient Greek city, founded by Greek colonists from Megara in 667 BC and named after their king Byzas . The name Byzantium is a Latinization of the original name Byzantion...
(although her former boyfriend appeared to be Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
). She is Lillsnorre's girlfriend, and although she often assaults Lillsnorre when he does something stupid or appears (mostly by mistake) with another woman and bullies him about his penis size, they are in love. When Lillsnorre tries to argue with her, he shutters and barely succeeds in saying what he wants. She is very spoiled and must always have what she wants.
Tyke Mörbult
Portrayed by Marko Lehtosalo. His namn means "Tyke Clobberer". Raised in Midgård, although from his accent he appears to be Finnish. The resident berserkerBerserker
Berserkers were Norse warriors who are reported in the Old Norse literature to have fought in a nearly uncontrollable, trance-like fury, a characteristic which later gave rise to the English word berserk. Berserkers are attested in numerous Old Norse sources...
, he seems to have a learning disability
Learning disability
Learning disability is a classification including several disorders in which a person has difficulty learning in a typical manner, usually caused by an unknown factor or factors...
as he is often drooling and does not use words such as "you" or "I". Calling him dumb or insulting Lillsnorre (or annoying Tyke in general) is not a good idea as he may hit his adversary with his club. Lillsnorre does not look down upon him as he does with Runar or Halvdan, as he knows that hitting Tyke will result in fighting back, unlike Halvdan and Runar who only take their punishment. Instead Lillsnorre favours him as his best ally.
Runar Tvålfager
Portrayed by Johan PeterssonJohan Petersson
Pär Johan Petersson is a Swedish handball player who competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics and in the 2000 Summer Olympics.He was born in Karlshamn....
. His name means "Runar Pretty-Boy". Blond, tall and strong, he is known as the "sex machine from Mälaren", and prone to jumping into the sack with anything female (including the Queen of Sweden and Lillsnorre's mother) but he is utterly unintelligent. Lillsnorre often beats him when he asks stupid questions. Runar is the member of the group who ruins Lillsnorre's situations the most.
Halvdan Glappkäft
Portrayed by Stefan RoosStefan Roos
Klas Stefan Roos is a Swedish actor and screen writer.Roos finished NAMA in Stockholm 1993. He is married to the actress Elisabet Carlsson and together they have a daughter.-Filmography:*Mimmi och Mojje...
. His name means "Halvdan Blabbermouth". He is the considered the most annyoing member of the group, and his laugh sounds like a goat. He is the member who is least respected, Lillsnorre neglects to refer him as a member of the crew, and calls him Gunilla. Halvdan competes with Runar for his rank as sex machine, and Lillsnorre's rank as a chief because he is weak as a chief. However, Halvdan is the only member of the group that Lillsnorre can feel superior to, and is most often on the receiving end of his eye-pokes and groin kicks. Tyke also beats him up on a regular basis.
Gammelman
Portrayed by Rolf SkoglundRolf Skoglund
Rolf Skoglund is a Swedish stage and film actor. He won the Eugene O'Neill Award in 2007.-References:* , Dramaten...
. Gammelman (name meaning "old man") is the (somewhat senile) elder of the Midgard village, he is a Aesir priest aged around 100. He is sexually kinky and often refers to the gods' sexual parts when he is talking about them. He uses unrecommended methods to heal people, such as pouring hot water in the anus of the king when he has toothache. He often intends to sacrifice
Sacrifice
Sacrifice is the offering of food, objects or the lives of animals or people to God or the gods as an act of propitiation or worship.While sacrifice often implies ritual killing, the term offering can be used for bloodless sacrifices of cereal food or artifacts...
the monk Peter Nicolaus.
Rövhalt
Played by Per MorbergPer Morberg
Per Henrik Morberg is a Swedish actor, chef and news presenter.-Biography:...
. A rich trader from Birka, he often tries to charm Cassandra. He received his name (which means "half-ass") because Snorre den Store cut his left buttock off when fighting over Cassandra in Byzantium. He often makes fun of Lillsnorre, but Lillsnorre does not dare retaliate because of Rövhalt's position. On the other hand, Gammelman, who is not afraid of anything, has called him "the man who takes half price for ham'" (due to the Swedish word "skinka" meaning both "ham" and "buttock" in English).
Peter Nicolaus the monk
Played by Mikael Riesebeck. Nicolaus was sent to Midgard by the PopePope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
as a punishment for having sex with his younger sisters. He is picked on and threatened by Gammelman that he will be made a sacrificial victim. Cassandra is apparently his only defense, because she wants a Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
teacher. He is called "Petter-niklas" (which is a nickname for "Penis") by Lillsnorre and the other vikings.
Snorre den Store
Lillsnorre's father, and portrayed as being extremely masculine, and the exact opposite of Lillsnorre. He is famous for have set fire to ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
singlehanded, and raped half of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. He has set to sea with his seven strongest sons, leaving Lillsnorre to guard Cassandra in Midgård.
External links
- Hem till Midgård at Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...