Entertainment

This Norwegian drama series knocks ‘Black Doves’ off the throne

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After a few days of loneliness at the top, the thriller ‘Black Doves’ must really make way. Since last week, there is a new title that is shaking things up. The Norwegian drama ‘La Palma’ storms into the Netflix top-10, and believe me, you want to see this. In this disaster series, a looming volcanic eruption throws the Christmas holiday of the Uvdal family into chaos.

A ticking time bomb

The Norwegian family Uvdal spends their annual Christmas trip on the Spanish island of La Palma. Although it is not very pleasant due to the relationship problems between father Frederik (Anders Baasmo) and mother Jennifer (Ingrid Bolsø Berdal). But it soon becomes clear that this is not their biggest concern. A young researcher, Marie (Thea Sofie Loch Næss), discovers that the volcano on the island is about to erupt, which will cause a massive tsunami. She wants to get the news out as quickly as possible to warn everyone, but the government stops her to prevent panic. While Marie and her colleagues try to convince their boss to take action, the looming situation leaks out. The panic and chaos on the island continue to escalate.

True events

Although the events in ‘La Palma’ are not based on true events, the story is not entirely out of the blue. The creators used a number of facts from the past and gave them their own creative twist. The volcanic eruption of the Cumbre Vieja on the island in 1949, which is mentioned several times in the series, really happened. As a result, part of the volcano disappeared into the sea, and speculation about a possible tsunami began. But a ticking time bomb as it seems in the series is not how experts see it. The chance that the entire mountain will actually disappear into the ocean is extremely small, and even if that happens, a gigantic tsunami will not occur. The eruption of 2021 from the series also really happened, but at that time the situation was not as severe as for the characters. The creators have deliberately dramatized the facts. They hope that ‘La Palma’ can serve as a warning for what can happen due to climate change.

This four-part miniseries is ideal for this busy December month. Just an episode in between all the Christmas plans. Although with all the cliffhangers, you might want to go for a binge night sooner. ‘La Palma’ is now available on Netflix.

Image: Netflix